merge issues with multiple same merge field names

On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 1:12 PM Brett Dzierzyc <dzie...@students.grps.org> wrote:

We have a Google Form that teachers fill out. From there the info then goes into a Google spreadsheet and from there it auto populates into a doc (turned PDF) that is automatically emailed back to the staff. I've set everything up for this school year and everything works however, I have one issue. There are four columns (one for each grade) for student names that populate into the sheet. The first grade listed, 9th grade, those names populate onto the end result/document. However, if a teacher enters in a 10-12th grade name, it does not appear on the doc at the end of the process, but does show up on the Google sheet. Thoughts on how I can get all names, regardless of their grade, to populate into the Google doc at the end? All names have to be placed in the same spot on the document (and only one student will be added/doc), so I cannot create other spots on the doc for student names.

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Brett Dzierzyc

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Sep 25, 2023, 2:24:15 PM9/25/23

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I did just try that and unfortunately it did not work. When I submit a new response through Google forms, that overrides any formula that is in the Google sheet, so it doesn't make it to the doc.

Joseph Schmidt

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Sep 25, 2023, 2:32:52 PM9/25/23

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It shouldn't have changed the formula. Did you put the formula in a new column?

Joe Schmidt

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Joseph Schmidt

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Sep 25, 2023, 4:13:20 PM9/25/23

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If you use an arrayformula, the formula only needs to be in row one of the new column.

You could also use the CopyDown Add-on but I prefer to use an Arrayformula.

Joe Schmidt

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Emma Riddell

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Sep 26, 2023, 4:24:19 AM9/26/23

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Hi there,

A handy trick to use with arrayformula is to combine it with an IF statement so you don't have to remove lines below form data, for example take the formula Joe suggested and add an IF statement as follows ...

={"combined name";arrayformula(if(A2:A="", ,d2:d&e2:e&f2:f&g2:g))} this just means that the arrayformula will only create an output in each row of your new column if there is data in column A (usually the timestamp column) otherwise it will remain blank.

Remember that the arrayformula goes in a new column outside of the form data columns to avoid it being overwritten each time a form response is submitted.

Hope this helps 🤔

Ngā mihi maioha

Emma

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Joseph Schmidt

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Sep 26, 2023, 2:30:14 PM9/26/23

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This is one of those, there is no correct answer. Most of the time, it is the responses sheet and Google adds the additional rows as needed. I figure, why add complexity to the formula if it isn't needed?

Google will perform the IF on all of the empty rows. The mice inside the Google computers will not have to work as hard without the extra rows.

I know there are no mice in the computers but it helps me to think as if there were.

Joe Schmidt