Column links, a type of data link, simplify cross-sheet data referencing by allowing you to pull data from specific columns in other sheets based on a unique identifier.
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What are column links?
Column links allow you to create data references across sheets without creating complex formulas or using secondary premium applications.
You can only create and manage this feature from table view. However, the data pulled into the sheet is available in all views.
To effectively use a column link, it's essential to understand the following terms:
Term | Definition |
|---|---|
Source sheet | The sheet that contains the source data. |
Target sheet | The sheet where you want to map the data. |
| Unique ID column | This column contains a unique identifier that facilitates a lookup, such as a product SKU, email, or employee ID. |
| Data columns | The columns with the data you want to map from the source to the target. |
When to use column links
You can use column links to look up references from a separate sheet. Some examples are:
- Pull customer contact information, such as employee ID, location, and department, to track information accurately from a sheet containing customer profile details.
- Fill in order details to keep information current by selecting a product SKU and pulling in the associated product name, quantity, description, locations, imagery, and price.
- Pull in data to generate metrics and manage escalation by referencing key details about the support teams (manager or department) and the support tickets (issue, escalator, and team).
Keep in mind
- The data is mapped almost in real-time after creating the column link configuration.
Use only sheets as a source. You can select up to 10 source sheets per column link configuration.
When Smartsheet finds multiple matches across source sheets, the sheet searches from the most recently created column link configuration and pulls the first match.
- Only create, edit, or delete column links from the target sheet.
- The target sheet must have pre-defined columns established before the mapping process begins.
- You can set up a maximum of 400 inbound and 250,000 outbound column link configurations per sheet.
- The inbound column link configurations manage column data from source sheets coming into the target sheet.
- The outbound column link configurations manage where column data is sent from the current sheet to other target sheets.
- You can map a maximum of 50 columns in a column link configuration.
If you set up a column link in a column with pre-existing data, the column link overwrites the data.
Limitations
- You can't use attachments, comments, and rich media in cells, such as hyperlinks and images, as data sources.
- Column links limitations are the same as the cell limitations of table view. Learn more in Introduction to table view.
Now that you have a foundational understanding of column links, explore their potential to optimize your data organization.