Copying a value from one column to another when triggered

Hello -

I have a sheet that has a project start date column and an end date column. When the project is approved, I would like those dates to be copied into another column (as "start date" - "end date"), or if necessary, a two columns (one for each of the dates). Once the dates are copied, I do not want them to update further.

I assumed I could create a workflow rule that is triggered when the status goes to "approved" and use that to change a value when specified criteria are met. However, when the workflow rule runs, it places the formula in the column, but as text rather than the resulting value that I was hoping for.

I'm hoping to avoid using a secondary sheet for this and would like to keep everything contained on the one sheet. Is this possible?

Thanks, in advance!

Helen

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Paul Newcome

Are you able to provide some screenshots for reference?

Helen

I'm not sure if a screenshot will help too much, but here goes.

Date range.jpg

We have a form where people will enter the Start and End date. When the entry comes in, we'd like to stamp the date range in the date range field. Perhaps with a formula like:

=[Start Date]@row + " - " + [End Date]@row

Then we'd like to freeze that entry so that it doesn't change if we later change the Start and End dates.

Thanks for your help,

Helen

Paul Newcome

In this case you will need a second sheet. You would set up a copy row automation to trigger when the original dates are filled in and then use a formula with a cross sheet reference to pull in that static data. You will need some kind of unique identifier on each row to match on.

Helen

Ah. Okay. We need it to be on the same sheet, so we'll do a manual work-around.

Thanks for the response, Paul.

GarrettH

I want to do something similar. I have five dropdown columns (let's call them Columns A–E) that get populated by a user's selections in an intake form. I want to create an automation where any data from A–E gets copied into ONE column, Column F.

How do I make this happen?

Paul Newcome

@GarrettH Please see my response here:

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/comment/465449#Comment_465449

GarrettH

@Paul Newcome I don't see a response, only my initial post followed by a link that says CERTIFIED SMARTSHEET PLATINUM PARTNER that takes me to a site my browser flags as malicious.

Update: Ok, I found the response at another URL (comment 465460, not here at comment 465461)

Paul Newcome

@GarrettH Sorry about that. I thought it would just provide a link to the thread.

If you would be ok with it, would you mind reaching out to me on LinkedIn? the link my signature is supposed to take you to is the website for the company I work for, and I am not aware of anything on there that should be getting flagged as "malicious". I'd like to dig into that if I can. Which browser are you using if you don't mind me asking?

For everyone else, here is a link to the thread:

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/93776/automation-triggered-copy-one-cell-to-another-on-same-sheet

Humashankar

Great Insight

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