Error referencing User Settings in automation

[dbaum]

I have longstanding automations (triggered by data change events--not schedule events) that reference User Settings and continue to run successfully. Starting a couple months ago, any new automation I create where I try to include User Settings generates an error due to an invalid expression. Then, the app won't load or run at all unless I disable the automation or remove the automation's reference to User Settings. The support case I opened has yielded no resolution nor, for a long time now, even any status update.

I can replicate the error in different AppSheet accounts, and assume it affects others. Has anyone identified a way to get new references to User Settings to work?

[Suvrutt_Gurjar]

Hope the below mentioned observation helps.

I did not get error when tested with condition for an automation data change event.

For a Y/N column:

I also ran a bot with the above user settings column being Y once and N once. The automation bot ran as expected. It sent an email when usersettings column was Y and did not send any email when the usersettings column was N.

One difference I note is your expression assistant panel does not show the word event. In my case the expression assistant always adds the word event in the title. Maybe I misunderstood where you wish to use it and are getting error. I am sorry if I have misunderstood.

[dbaum]

Thanks so much for taking the time to troubleshoot the problem I'm describing. I should have explained more precisely. The scenario I'm talking about is referencing User Settings in automation steps (not the automation event). For example, the screenshots in my OP are from a Branch on a Condition step.

[Suvrutt_Gurjar]

Oh okay, got it, thank you.

Yes, you are correct. In branching conditions in automation steps, user settings are not working.

[dbaum]

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@dbaum wrote:

The support case I opened has yielded no resolution nor, for a long time now, even any status update.

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BTW, the issue I originally reported (in 12/2022) occurred in a Call a webhook task. So, the issue is not limited to Branch on a condition steps.

@devingu, is there any way to get this addressed--or, at least, a status update?

[Suvrutt_Gurjar]

I am also experiencing this issue in other settings in automation when using user settings. For example in Wait step, one cannot use user setting.

Edit: made some changes in the post based on further testing.

@devingu : Will request your update on this.

[dbaum]

As I previously referenced, in 12/2022 I had submitted a support case regarding this issue but since 2/2023 had not received any status update.

After posting here, I requested (via email) an update on the support case. The reply I received says that:

• This feature was never supported. (Note: As stated in this conversation, the function has indeed worked reliably in the past.)
• They've updated the Call a webhook article to explicitly note it's not supported. (Note: As stated in this conversation, the problem affects other automation step types.)
• They're actively implementing support. (Note: Given the frequent inaccuracies in communications from support specialists, this assertion may be specious.)

Here's the literal reply's unfortunately typically confusing information--including seemingly retroactively deprecating this function and referencing seemingly irrelevant jargon like "debugger".

the help article was updated after working on your issue.
Help Article Link: https://support.google.com/appsheet/answer/11511244?hl=en
Please see the attached screenshot in the mail.

As suggested by the Specialist team, this feature is in general not supported, so when users try to use it in different places, it will have undefined behavior. Sometimes it might manage to work (unexpectedly), but more often it will throw an error. In our backend, we create a new context for webhook evaluation, and that context does not have the _usersettings table in it when run in the debugger.

We would like to inform you that a feature request had already been submitted to the product team and they are working on it now.

[dbaum · Accepted solution]

Based on a tip from @AleksiAlkio, I tried a new technique. Here's a summary of what I unsuccessfully tried previously, along with the new successful technique.

The upshot seems to be that, at least in some situations, the automation somehow is not explicitly aware of the user settings values from the triggering user's device, but it nonetheless indeed has something like a table of those settings and can access that table's values, which are de facto limited to a single row comprising the values from the triggering user's device.

So, as documented earlier in this conversation, there's still seemingly a bug precluding standard techniques for referencing user settings in some automations. However, there's also an apparently reliable workaround available.

My test involved referencing user settings in the body of a Call a webhook task. Results follow.

Technique	Outcome
USERSETTINGS("Tenant ID")	Error Expression 'USERSETTINGS("Tenant ID")' is invalid due to: Unable to find column '_THISUSER', did you mean '_RowNumber'?.
[_THISUSER].[Tenant ID]	Error Expression '[_THISUSER].[Tenant ID]' is invalid due to: Unable to find column '_THISUSER', did you mean '_RowNumber'?.
ANY(_Per User Settings[Tenant ID])	Success

[AleksiAlkio]

Yes I have reported this to devs.. maybe a month+ ago. Unfortunately no result yet.