Control Center add new column not formatted with word wrap
I have added a new column to one of my template sheets. It is a column formula that combines text from multiple cells. Because it may result in long text strings, I have set the column to word wrap. I did this by highlighting the entire column (selecting the header) in the template, and applying wrap. In the template, it clearly is applied and works.
In control center, I have created a new global update to add a new column, and select "use an existing column from the template". When I apply it and run the test, it does apply the update, and the formulas work, however, wrap is not applied in the test sheet.
Initially I had the column hidden in the template and intended to deploy it as hidden. But my experience with global updates is that it is seriously glitchy. Especially when the global update includes a column formula. So I set it to not be hidden, both in the template and the update, and that did not help.
I have gone into the template, turned off word wrap, and saved the template. Then reapplied it to the column and saved again. Then refreshed control center and tried the update again. Still no luck.
I have closed completely out of smartsheet and control center, and tried all the above again. No luck.
I do not want to deploy a new column to over 500 sheets and then have to open them each individually to apply wrap.
General note if Smartsheet staff is listening... global updates is glitchy at best. This formatting problem plagues everything I do with global updates in control center. And we use it a lot. We are in our second year of using smartsheet, so our templates and structure are still growing and being updated. I can be 100% certain that I have set up a new column with wrap, currency, percent, or other formats... only for it to deploy as generic unformatted text. I know that the formatting options in control center global updates are limited, but all the literature clearly states that if the formatting is already applied, it will push it through. For example: from Control Center Global Updates: Columns | Smartsheet Learning Center
- While formatting that’s been explicitly applied to the column will be pushed to existing projects, Conditional Formatting rules will not be copied to the project sheets.
This is clearly not my experience. I grow weary of reformatting columns sheet by sheet when the update fails to do it properly.
Any advise appreciated!
Tim
Best Answer
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Hi @Tim Starkey,
Thanks for getting back. I've been reviewing this and your case with our Support team and, while I agree that the documentation might not be clear enough (wrapping text isn't explicitly mentioned as one of the unsupported formatting options), the formatting options offered for the "Add New Column" Global Update are the ones under the "Advanced" menu. Since wrapping text isn't one of the listed options, it is expected behavior that, even if you have applied this or any other (non-supported) formats in your template, these won't apply as formatting in the Column is managed in this menu not the source template. I'm adding a capture of what formatting options are included under the "Advanced" menu for your reference:
Although Vladimir - the Support specialist that handled your case - submitted and enhancement request on your behalf to have "wrapping" added to the available formatting options, you might want to also submit your feature request to the Product team by creating an Idea post in the Smartsheet Product Feedback and Ideas topic.
Posting your enhancement in the Community will allow other Smartsheet users to see and vote on your idea! The top-voted posts in this category are reviewed monthly by the Product team and you'll receive an email notification if a status changes for a post you've created or voted on.
Cheers!
Julio
Answers
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Hi @Tim Starkey,
Our Support team should be better positioned to troubleshoot this behavior with you, if you haven't done yet, I would recommend opening a ticket with our Support team via this form.
Cheers!
Julio
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Hi @Julio S.
I did just that, and was able to work with support. I was pleased with how support engaged. Unfortunately, I was not pleased with the end result.
Turns out that even though the online resources clearly stated that "formatting that's been explicitly applied to a column will be pushed to existing projects", that is not true. After several attempts on our end, support was able to recreate it and confirm that even when word wrapping is applied to a column, it will not hold when pushed to an existing project.
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Sorry for the late reply above... apparently I left it setting in draft!
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Hi @Tim Starkey,
Thanks for getting back. I've been reviewing this and your case with our Support team and, while I agree that the documentation might not be clear enough (wrapping text isn't explicitly mentioned as one of the unsupported formatting options), the formatting options offered for the "Add New Column" Global Update are the ones under the "Advanced" menu. Since wrapping text isn't one of the listed options, it is expected behavior that, even if you have applied this or any other (non-supported) formats in your template, these won't apply as formatting in the Column is managed in this menu not the source template. I'm adding a capture of what formatting options are included under the "Advanced" menu for your reference:
Although Vladimir - the Support specialist that handled your case - submitted and enhancement request on your behalf to have "wrapping" added to the available formatting options, you might want to also submit your feature request to the Product team by creating an Idea post in the Smartsheet Product Feedback and Ideas topic.
Posting your enhancement in the Community will allow other Smartsheet users to see and vote on your idea! The top-voted posts in this category are reviewed monthly by the Product team and you'll receive an email notification if a status changes for a post you've created or voted on.
Cheers!
Julio
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Thanks! I will put in a request as well.
