Initiating newly created rows

Michael Culley

So I'm trying to setup some way of automatically initiating a blank row.

I want to do this because I have a formula in a contact list column that pulls the email of the parent row. However, I also want the blank rows to have that same contact person. The way it looks now, no matter what column formula you have, a newly inserted row does not get anything initiating it unless something is typed. Is there a way around this?

Even the column types such as autonumber, date created, etc. skip blank rows.

There must be a workaround.

Paul Newcome

Are you able to provide some screenshots for reference?

Michael Culley

example111.png

Notice that even column formulas are blank on newly created rows.

Paul Newcome

Yes. You would need to have some kind of data in a cell somewhere on the row.

My suggestion would be to set up an automation with a hidden column. Use a change cell data automation to insert any text (even a period or some other random character) in the hidden column whenever a new row is created. It may take a couple of minutes for the automation to run after you save once the new row is created, but it will eventually drop in the text value which will trigger the column formula to pull down.

Michael Culley

You would think that should work but I don't think smartsheet recognizes a row as being created until data is entered into that row. That's why the created date doesnt work either.

I tried your automation but it does not work.

Any more ideas?

MedaUser

I don't think there is a way to do what you're wanting to do. If no data exists or is being entered, then how would the Smartsheet know at what row to stop creating? Are you wanting this to be infinite or are you looking for a finite number of rows? If the latter, then I would suggest typing 1 letter in the Employee Name column and dragging it down as many rows as needed, then clearing the content in those cells. This should trigger the column formulas for you.

Michael Culley

I was hoping that it would know that the newly inserted row needs to be populated not all other dead rows.

Sameer Karkhanis

Based on my understanding, Insert row is not the same as Add row in SS, as insert row creates a placeholder (aka empty row), while row is added to the existing data/sheet when new data is inserted in any empty row.

Michael Culley

The reason I ask this is because I was checking out dynamic view which allow you to assign rows by contact person. However, when you add a new row while in dynamic view, you can't see it because you are not assigned as the contact person for that row. I wanted to make a formula that allows that person to be assigned that row even if it's just a blank space holder.

Paul Newcome

Why are you creating blank placeholders? Why not just wait until you have some useful information and then add the row?