Copy a folder or workspace

Copying a workspace or folder is much easier than recreating a set of sheets for a new project or client, and it also saves time.

You can copy any folder or workspace that contains up to 100 items.

To create a copy of a folder or workspace

1. On the left navigation bar, select Browse.
2. Go to the item you want to copy. 
3. In the left panel, right-click the name of a workspace or folder.
4. Select Save as New...

Brandfolder Image

Your new copy always shows up in a new workspace, whether you’re copying a workspace or a folder.

5. Enter a name for the new workspace or folder. 

You can set a new name for the workspace or folder copy, but the names of any sheets, reports, and templates contained will match the originals. You can rename them after you make your copies.

5. Expand the following sections and review whether you want to keep the items described in each section: 
   • Sharing 
   • Automated Workflow & Alert Options
   • Data & Formatting Options  
6. Choose whether you want reports, dashboards, sheet links, and cell links to refer to either of these options:
   • Newly created sheets: This option remaps links to reference the newly created copies when copying interlinked items within the same folder or workspace. Links to items outside the copied folder or workspace remain linked to the outside item, and you may need to remove them manually.
   • Original sheets: Newly created items continue to link to the same sheet as the original item.
7. Select OK.

Find your new workspace by going to Home > All workspaces.

What happens when you copy a folder or workspace

The new copy always saves the following from the original:

• The subfolder structure
• Sheets
• Columns 
• Conditional formatting rules
• Templates
• Reports

Suppose there is a Move or Copy Row automation workflow on a sheet being copied as part of the Copy Folder or Copy Workspace action. In that case, the Move or Copy Row action targets the original destination sheet of the workflow, not the newly copied destination. After copying the Folder or Workspace, you must update your Move and Copy Row automations with the new target sheet.

Choose which data and formatting to keep in the copy

Here’s more information to help you: 

• Sheet data and formatting: Include information typed into cells and formatting manually applied to them. Otherwise, copied sheets will retain column names and types, but all rows will be blank.
  • Comments: Include all row, sheet, and workspace (if you’re copying a workspace) comments.
  • Attachments: Include all row, sheet, and workspace (if you’re copying a workspace) attachments.
  • Cell links and cross-sheet references: Preserve cell links. If you don’t select this option, the cell data will be retained in the sheet copy but not linked.
  • Sheet hyperlinks: Maintain hyperlinks to other sheets. If you don’t select this option, the cell data will be retained in the sheet copy but not hyperlinked.
• Shared sheet filters: Retain filters you created for the sheet.
• Forms: Include any forms in the sheets.
• Workspace branding (workspace copy only): The copied workspace will inherit the same colors and logo as the original. If you don’t select this option, the new workspace will inherit the colors and logo set up on your Smartsheet account.

When you copy a workspace or a folder with a report

The new copy of the report copies the criteria set in the following report tabs of the original report:

• Source Sheets
• Columns to Display
• Filter Criteria
• Group
• Summarize
• Sort