Saving a "Form" for later use without submitting as of yet

SteyJ · 11/10/23

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/112853/save-and-continue-form-submission

This can be done by creating a helper column, and then appending the fields with @row formulas using URL-Query parameters.

https://help.smartsheet.com/articles/2478871-url-query-string-form-default-values

This is what it will look like:

=IF([Latest Entry]@row = 1, [Base Form Link]@row + "?NAME=" + [NAME]@row + "&Training Row 1=" + [Training Row 1]@row

This will create a hyperlink that can be referenced to update specific data already entered via form. Of course, the field names will be updated, but this is simply the gist of it.

Nichol Schroeder · 11/14/23

This is more than a bit ridiculous that there are posts across multiple Community questions for the Save & Continue option. Where is the solution SmartSheets? Or what is the timeline?

Thank you.

N

Anonymous2023 · 11/30/23

I am trying to use Smartsheet to gather a large amount of data which is time consuming for our partners. It would be great if a save and complete later feature could be added to the forms so they can chip away at it.

Thank you

DLUN · 12/18/23

Alternatively, if a user could submit a form, but then pull back up their previously submitted forms to be edited and re-submitted.

Cleversheet · 12/18/23

Check out whether this workaround might have potential to meet your need. Agreed it would be ideal if Smartsheet were to create a native solution for us, but in the meantime—although very slightly cumbersome—it's possible to achieve the basic intended outcome: Someone can submit a form, and then any time later submit a separate simple form that launches for them an update request to edit the original form's contents.

SteyJ · 12/18/23

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/comment/410038#Comment_410038

@Cleversheet this is beautifully done. Thank you for sharing!

NaomiH · 01/26/24

I am urgently requesting the addition of a "save and continue" feature on Smartsheet forms. This functionality is critically important for our organization's application and survey processes, as it allows users to save their progress and return to complete a form at a later time.

Currently, our team is transitioning from platforms like SurveyMonkey, where this feature is a standard and essential part of our workflow. The lack of a "save and continue" option in Smartsheet is a significant limitation, hindering our ability to efficiently collect and manage data, especially in multi-stage applications and surveys. This feature is vital for ensuring that we can capture key contact information from applicants, even if they do not complete the form in one sitting.

Implementing this feature would greatly enhance the functionality and user experience of Smartsheet forms, making it a more viable and competitive option for organizations like ours. We believe that this addition would not only benefit our team but also many other Smartsheet users with similar needs.

Thank you for considering this request. We look forward to any updates regarding the potential implementation of this feature.

Cleversheet · 01/29/24

@NaomiH I’ll be interested to learn whether this workaround could help you get by in the meantime. I realize it’s nowhere near as elegant as a native Save & Resume would be, but could perhaps help you stumble forward.

Genevieve P. · 02/16/24

Hi all,

There has been an update in the Smartsheet Mobile app that addresses this idea! Please check out the announcement post here:

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/117617/progressive-form-save-now-generally-available-in-the-mobile-app

Cheers,

Genevieve

Cleversheet · 02/16/24

A huge step in the right direction. Thanks for that! We have one massive and complex form in particular (required by federal regulation; can't condense) and we can now add “use mobile app” guidance at the top.

Next please put cookies to work in the standard web interface so the same benefit will accrue for computer-based users.

vdemattei · 02/16/24

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/comment/420301#Comment_420301

This may be a very small step in the right direction... However, large forms that require a save and continue feature are very likely NOT being accessed from a mobile device. What is the timeline to implement this feature for desktop users?

My client would be willing to pay extra for this one feature. In fact, they are ready to pull the trigger on a completely separate product just because smartsheet doesn't allow save and continue in their forms.

GMichal · 03/05/24

I currently have multiple use cases for accepting applications and requests for different parts of our business. In many cases, the applications (intake forms) are long and require a bit of research to complete on the part of the applicant. Since a form cannot be saved, we have had to purchase JotForm to provide us these missing features and then had to purchase Zapier to move the JotForm data to Smartsheet. It is a workable solution but I don't like all of the handoffs when we are using Smartsheet to begin with for our workflow.

Also, the other missing piece in a Smartsheet form is the ability to have multiple upload fields so that we can request a document and be sure that something was uploaded for each request in the application (e.g. upload photo of driver's license here, upload a copy of Social Security card here, etc.).

cjg · 03/05/24

Can the name of a form be changed before saving it? Currently, when it is saved, it takes the name of the form. We inspect equipment in Hospitals. I want to use forms for our checklist. Each form needs to have a unique name, like the room number or serial number. Is this possible?

HStarr · 03/21/24

Thank you @Genevieve P. and @John Hieger, Can you provide any information about the status of adding this 'progress saving' feature to the desktop interface?

nbreeden · 04/10/24

This feature is not a "nice-to-have" -- it's a necessity. Part of my job role is to collect very detailed data from 100+ employees across the organization. Due to the length of the data collection process and how busy people are, they do not usually have time to complete forms in one sitting. We need a native Save and Resume solution, which is a common feature already present in similar products from other companies. Using the mobile app is not a possibility due to the length of responses that contributors need to write.

I don't want to go back to the old system in which people fill out a Word document and email it to me so that I can copy and paste responses into a spreadsheet. Please prioritize this feature.

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Saving a "Form" for later use without submitting as of yet

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