Can a Smartsheet Form Show Values From Multiple Sheets

TL;DR

• No, forms can't directly pull from multiple sheets
• Create an intake sheet with all required columns
• Build one form using the intake sheet
• Use automation to copy data to destination sheets
• Alternative: Use reports to view specific data subsets

Steps

1. Create an intake sheet with columns from all sheets you want to populate.

2. Build a form using the intake sheet that includes all the fields you need.

3. Set up automation to copy data from the intake sheet to your target sheets:
   • Click Automation in the intake sheet
   • Click Create from template

4. Select "Copy a row to another sheet" automation template.

5. Configure the automation:

   • Click Use template
   • Select your destination sheet
   • Set trigger conditions if needed
   • Click Save

6. Repeat automation setup for each destination sheet.

7. Hide unnecessary columns in destination sheets or use reports for cleaner views.

Pitfalls & Fixes

• Pitfall: All data appears in every destination sheet

  • Fix: Hide unwanted columns by right-clicking and selecting "Hide Column," or create reports that only show relevant columns.

• Pitfall: Automation fails when sheet structures don't match

  • Fix: Ensure your intake sheet has columns that match the destination sheets. Add placeholder columns if needed.

• Pitfall: Form becomes too long with all fields

  • Fix: Use conditional logic in forms to show/hide fields based on previous answers, or break into multiple pages.

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End Multi-Sheet Setup Headaches Forever

Managing data across multiple sheets manually is time-consuming, especially when dealing with complex forms and automations. SSFeatures provides advanced form and sheet management tools that can set up multi-sheet workflows in minutes instead of hours.

For teams processing forms that feed multiple databases, SSFeatures' automation tools turn 60-minute setup processes into 10-minute workflows.

FAQ

• Q: Can I automatically split form data based on content?

  • A: Yes! Use conditional automation that triggers based on form field values. For example, if "Department" equals "HR," copy to the HR sheet; if "Sales," copy to the Sales sheet.

• Q: What happens if someone updates the intake sheet directly?

  • A: Automations typically trigger on form submissions, not manual edits. You may need to set up additional automations for manual changes or restrict editing to form-only.

• Q: Can I use this approach with external forms?

  • A: Yes, but you'll need to import the external form data into your intake sheet first, then let the automation distribute it to other sheets.

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