Prevent Sorting on Shared Sheet

Peter Rousseau · 10/14/20

We have a lot of users using Smartsheet as a tracker. Team members sort and then filter to get the information they need. The problem is that the sort affects all of the other users who are sorting on different things. Is there a way to have the sort only apply to the user that is sorting? Similar to the way that filters only apply to the user filtering.

Alternatively, is there a way to lock the sorting i.e. prevent anyone except the admin from sorting the sheet?

Andrée Starå · 10/15/20

Hi @Peter Rousseau

Unfortunately, as far as I know, it's not possible at the moment to lock the sort order, but it's an excellent idea!

Please submit an Enhancement Request when you have a moment

As a possible workaround, you could add a so-called helper column to indicate the start order, but depending on your use-case, it might work. Another option and the one I prefer is to create a report, and then the users can sort in any way they like, but it won't affect the sheet.

Would that work/help?

I hope that helps!

Be safe and have a fantastic week!

Best,

Andrée Starå | Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD

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Michael Bull · 10/15/20

Another simple way (limited in some aspects though) is to build a report linked to your sheet where you can set the "who" report filter criterion to is set to "current user" and let the users make their update there. So that way individula users are automatically only looking at their own items.

Advantage

you are not dealing with the actual mother file so sorting etc does not affect anything
also means you can reduce/order the visible columns as needed for the update task (no need to drag along all the helper columns etc)

Disadvantage

conditional logic & formatting are not happening in real time but only after saving and refreshing.
I am often surprised by how limited the non-licensed user access is (I have a license , I can do and change reports as I want).

I am at the point that I am doing most of my own updating (I am the de-facto Smartsheet admin at my site) of my own sheets not in the sheet but in a report.

Good luck. Rgds, Mike B

Peter Rousseau · 10/15/20

Thanks Andree and Michael for your responses - much appreciated. I submitted an enhancement request on the sort lock.

A couple of questions:

Andree: I do have a 'helper column' an auto generated numbering, but the users are filtering on other columns (due dates and sequential order) to make the data more meaningful to them.

Michael: When I create a report, would a non-licensed user be able to update the report then have that update reflected in the original grid? We are using this as a testing tracker and there are roughly 50 testers with ~1500 scenarios being tested.

Thanks again to both of you!

Andrée Starå · 10/19/20

@Peter Rousseau

Happy to help!

If you have the initial order set with auto-numbering, it doesn't matter if the sort because you can always go back to the default.

Non-licensed users can update, but they'd need to be shared with the sheet with the information.

Would that work?

A Rose · 01/26/23

Hi @Andrée Starå,

Doesn't locking one of the rows prevent non Admins to sort?

Thanks,

Prevent Sorting on Shared Sheet

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