How to Create a Contact List entry from Name and Email form fields

Is there a way to create a Contact List entry in a column based on 2 different fields?

I am trying to gather data for a sheet via a Form. Ultimately, I want to have a Contact List field for each entry, but Contact List fields in Forms only show up as text fields. Am I missing anything there, or is that how it works?

So, if I want to gather name and email info, I have 2 different fields "Name" & "Email". So, now I have two columns in the sheet with that data, but I want a 3rd field called "Contact" that is an actual Contact List type with the name and email combined. Is this possible?

Thanks,

Tony

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Genevieve P.

Hi @twarner

The way a Contact list appears in a form will depend on if you have set values already available in that Contact column, or if you're gathering new entries.

If you have set values set up in your column, then the Contact Field will show as a dropdown choice for those values:

However if you have no values associated with that column, then yes, it will show as a Text field for users to type in an email address.

You can set Validation on that Contact field to make sure that only email addresses are typed in that cell:

Meaning your users will need to type in a full email address or they'll receive an error:

See: Validate Information in Forms

Then this value will come into the sheet as a usable Contact, with the email address spelled out in the cell but the Contact circle associated with it:

Keep in mind that if you have set values in the Column then these will come into the sheet as Contacts with a Name and Email associated, but if you don't have any values in the Column then the sheet will display only the email as the Contact:

I hope this helps!

Cheers,

Genevieve

Monique Odom Stearn

Thank you, Genevieve! I see that email validation is not present if the column is set to allow multiple contacts. If someone is submitting a form, what format should be used so that all people listed are correctly shown as Contacts on the sheet?

Genevieve P.

Hi @Monique_Odom_Comcast

You're correct! Form Validation is only for Text/Number fields or single-select Contact Lists.

If you have set values in your column, then the Contact Field will show those contacts as options to choose in the Form, even if it's a multi-select column.

This will also ensure that the values selected are Contacts.

Cheers,

Genevieve

amber.lange

Hi @Genevieve P.

I'm wondering if there is way to create the entire contact (name and email) within the contact list column automatically. I thought I followed your direction but only the email address shows up. Will I still need to manually add the employee name? Thank you!

Julie Fortney

@amber.lange and @Genevieve P.

I am running into this same issue for a solution I'm working on. I need the name (text column) and email address (contact column) entered in a form to be combined so that the contact column shows both the name and email address. Have there been any further developments with this?

Genevieve P.

Hi @amber.lange & @Julie Fortney

How the contact appears in the Contact Column will depend on if they are set values within that column or not. If you're only using the form validation to get the email, but the column does not have defined values, then the email will come through as a contact without a name.

If that email is associated with a name in your column properties, then the name will overlay on top of the submitted email address. Does that help clarify the current behaviour?

There currently isn't a way to use a formula to overlay a name on an email.

amber.lange

Hi @Genevieve P. ,

I believe I have the properties set correctly in the sheet and the form. For context, the process is that when a new employee is added to our installation department, they are added via this form. When someone submits the form, the Employee column in the sheet only displays the email address for the contact information, no name. I'm trying to solution for both the name and email address to be created in the Employee (contact list) column. I have another column for the employee name but have tried it as a text value and a contact list value and that doesn't fix it either.

Genevieve P.

Hi @amber.lange

The column in the image above does not have any contacts defined. Here is where you would want to put Chris, so that the name appears on top of the email:

Let me know if that helps/makes sense!

Thanks,
Genevieve

Mindy Wu

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/comment/446475#Comment_446475

Hi @Genevieve P. ,

I created a user list under user management. When clicking the drop down list, it only pop up an email address without their names.

I doubled click the name, it popped up the email address without name. Should I edit name one by one?

Could you assist with this issue?

Genevieve P.

Hi @Mindy Wu

How contacts appear will depend on a number of factors. I personally find this section of the Help Article very useful: https://help.smartsheet.com/articles/518335-assigning-people-to-a-task#toc-manage-which-contacts-appear-when-you-type-in-a-cell

Any preferred contact values that you’ve set up in the Column Properties window.
All collaborators shared to the sheet.
Any other contacts or email addresses that have been assigned to other rows in the sheet.
People in your personal Smartsheet contacts list.
If your account is part of a Business or Enterprise plan, any other people that are part of the plan.

This means that if earlier rows only have an email input without a name, that contact value will show up as an option in the dropdown.

I would recommend adding specific values to the Column Properties window instead! The contacts you add there will come from your "My Smartsheet Contacts" or the accounts associated with your plan, so they will automatically have a Name as well as an email.

Cheers,
Genevieve

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