Reports should auto-update when column names are changed.
Currently, renaming a column in a sheet will corrupt any reports that reference that sheet column. Reports should reference the backend column ID and not the column alias in the UI.
It would be so nice if any adjustments that are made to column names or types didn't require me to go in and adjust all the reports that I've created! Especially since there is nothing that shows what reports are tied to which sheets other than going through each and every one or finding errors.
I thought it was announced at Engage that this issue had been fixed, but it has not.
This capability was announced at Engage 2022. It was the feature that got the biggest ovation at the conference. Haven't heard any timing other than “Soon”. I've been struggling with sheet/report column names since my first experience with the issue in 2011.
And still isn't fixed.....
This is closer than you think. I have seen many updates that this is in the works right now.
@jasonp, can you point us to any such reassuring sources? It seems this "official thread" is where Smartsheet would provide updates if there was anything hopeful to report.
In the winter edition of Smartsheet Lately.
This help article makes it sound as though the functionality is already working. Anyone know why we’re not seeing these new icons on our reports? Nothing is said there about needing to configure access to it on the admin side.
https://help.smartsheet.com/articles/2482752-renamed-columns-underlying-sheets
I was sure this was working late last week, but seems they must have rolled back this feature.
When you have an extensive ecosystem of projects up through the portfolio level using control center and other premium apps like bridge and data shuttle, it would help if any change to a column in a source sheet would then change any associated reports, dashboards, etc. The cells already display any link in's and out's. There should be a way to identify when a column is pulled into a report, summary, pivot, bridge flow, part of a data shuttle offload, etc. so those downstream changes can be made automatically.
Welcomed addition this, love that it shows the icon to inform you what changed and to quickly disconnect if need be.