Applies to

Smartsheet
  • Pro
  • Business
  • Enterprise

For more information about plan types and included capabilities, see the Smartsheet Plans page.

Automatic Format and Formula Autofill

Automatic formatting and formula autofill are features that persist patterns of formatting or formulas when you add content to a sheet.

Who can use this?

Plans:

  • Smartsheet
  • Pro
  • Business
  • Enterprise

Formulas always automatically format and autofill, when specific conditions exist in the sheet. This also occurs in newly added rows submitted from a form. This behavior will continue even if columns are hidden or locked; however, it is possible to override these changes. 

Conditions that trigger automatic formatting

You will see automatic formatting occur when you type in a newly inserted or blank row that is:

  • Directly between two others that have the same formatting applied.
  • At the topmost row of the sheet if it's above two others that have the same formatting applied. (This includes rows inserted from a form.)
  • At the bottommost row of the sheet if it's below two rows that have the same formatting applied. (This includes rows inserted from a form.)
  • Above or below a single row that is between blank rows and has formatting.

    Example:

    Example of when automatic formatting is triggered

Conditions that trigger formula autofill

You will see formulas populate automatically when you type in a newly inserted or blank row that is:

  • Directly between two others that contain the same formula in adjacent cells.
  • At the topmost of the sheet if it’s above two rows that have the same formula in adjacent cells. (This includes rows inserted from a form.)
  • At the bottommost of the sheet if it’s below two rows that have the same formula in adjacent cells. (This includes rows inserted from a form.)
  • Above or below a single row that is between blank rows and has formulas.

    Example:
     Example of when formulas autofill is triggered

 

Form submissions will always be fully outdented. If the last row in the sheet is indented in hierarchy, a form submission inserted at the bottom of the sheet will not auto fill the formulas or indentation of the previous rows.

 

If you create a formula that references an entire column, new rows added to the sheet from a form submission will be included in the formula. (More on forms here.)

For example, this COUNTIF formula =COUNTIF([In Stock?]:[In Stock?], 1) counts all checked cells in the In Stock? Checkbox type column and will remain updated as new rows are added to the column from a Form.  
See the Create and Edit Formulas in Smartsheet article for more information about referencing a whole column in a formula. 

 

When pasting multiple rows at one time, the top row needs to be pasted into a new row for the content to auto-fill

 

Can I override the Automatic Formatting or Formula Autofill functionality?

If you prefer not to use the automatic formatting or autofilled formula, here are your options for overriding the behavior:

  • Use the formatting buttons on the toolbar or keyboard shortcuts to manually apply a different format.
  • Type over a formula.
  • Clear the cell contents: right-click and click Clear Cell Contents.
  • Click Undo on the toolbar immediately after the autofill has been applied. (This command won’t be available after you save the sheet.)

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