Create column links

Before you begin

Before you begin setting up column links, you need:

1. At least Viewer permissions in the source sheet, and Admin permissions in the target sheet to create and modify column links.

2. At least one source sheet with: 

    You can select up to 10 source sheets per column link configuration.

• A column with unique ID values. Unique ID source columns can be:
  • Text/Number
  • Dropdown list (single and multiple values)
  • Contact List (single and multiple values)
  • Auto number

• One or more data columns. Data columns can be any type of column in the source sheet.

  You can use the unique ID and data column multiple times in the source sheet.

3. A target sheet with:

• A column as the unique ID column. Add the same unique ID values you have on the source sheet to this column. Unique ID target columns can be: 
  • Text/Number
  • Dropdown list (single and multiple values)

  • Contact List (single and multiple values)

    Avoid using a system column type, such as auto number, as a unique ID column in target sheets.

• To map data, one or more empty data columns. Data columns can be any column type except system columns. You can follow the table below to identify which columns to use in the source and target sheets: 

  The data columns on the source sheet and the target sheet don’t need to match except for the date, checkbox, and symbols. 

 *The column type must be the same on both sheets.

**The target sheet column type must be date columns.

 ***Use system columns in the source sheet but not in the target sheet. You can choose any other column to map to in the target column. 

Use unique ID columns in target sheets multiple times. However, don't use them as data columns in another column link configuration. 

Avoid using data columns in the target sheet more than once.

Create a column link 

Once you have your source and target sheets, you can create the column link configuration in table view.

1. From the toolbar in the target sheet, go to table view and select More tools > Link column data.

• Select Link column data again if it’s your first column link in the sheet. If you already have column links in the sheet, select +Add.

2. Define the source sheet by:

• Pasting the source sheet URL.
• Using the sheet picker to search by sheet name.

If you choose the incorrect source sheet, you can remove it by tapping the sheet name and adding the correct sheet. 

3. Define the unique ID column for the source and target sheet.
4. Choose the data columns for the source and target sheets. You can select one or more data columns as needed. To add more columns, select + Link new column.

• You can define custom values for columns in case a match can't be found. To do so, select the  Brandfolder Image plus icon next to the target column box. This opens the Custom value when no match is found box, where you can add any custom value. These are unique to each column, and you can't add a general value for the entire configuration.

  Only use static values. For example, don't use a formula to generate a custom value. 

  If there isn’t a custom value and no match is found, the default value is #NO_MATCH. 

3. Select Link. 

   Mapping columns overwrites any pre-existing data found in those columns upon selecting Link. 

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Once the configuration is completed, you can see:

• Column links added to the data links panel.
• Mapped data in the specified columns.
• The linked columns are automatically locked in the target sheet to prevent other users from editing or deleting data. However, you can still edit the data in the source sheet. 

• The columns have an icon in the column header, representing that they're part of a column link configuration. The icons also indicate whether the data from the sheet is inbound or outbound. 

  The column headers of both the source and target sheets have icons representing the data link configuration. 

Follow these steps to quickly establish column links and leverage seamless data referencing across your sheets.