static timestamp for each step in the form

[Raulssnl]

I'm building an Appsheet in a form format, currently with 39 virtual columns, where Column 3 is called "FormStart", and Columns 22,25,28 and 31 are called "TimeStamp1",2,3 and 4 respectively, and the column 33 called "Form End", all in DateTime type.

The end goal is that every timestamp column register the time of the moment the "next" button was pushed in the previous step, and ultimately that the difference between them gets calculated (dif between Timestamp1 - FormStart; TimeStamp2 - Timstamp1, etc.).

This can happen in the Timestamp column or in a new column entirely, as long as I have the duration in between steps.

I tried to fill in both the formula box, and separately in the initial value box the function "Now()" for the form start column, form end column and all the timestamp columns, but the end result of this was the same value of "formstart" for every column.

I tried creating a separate action for all the steps, where all my actions are set up in this fashion:

Action "Time Dif 1-FormStart"

Data: Set the values of some columns in this row

Set these columns: TimeStamp1 ; =Now() Time Dif 1-FormStart ; = ([TimeStamp1] - "00:00:00") - ([FormStart] - "00:00:00")

The rest is on default settings.

I have the same settings for the Action "Time Dif 2-1", "Time Dif 3-2", "Time Dif 4-3", "Time Dif Form End-4" and, "Total duration" and of of course the formula presented above with their respective columns.

I then created in views> primary navigation a view for each step. but the end result I got is only the "total duration" (the last one) is retrieving an actual result...

is there any way to make this work, they way I intend?

[baba_sawane]

Hi Raul,

This was the nice way to do it, but the issue happens with how the action is configured : 

"I tried creating a separate action for all the steps, where all my actions are set up in this fashion:"

I did not really understand how you setted up this, but in theory this should be how : 

- create a slice for each step of your form containing only the relevant data of the step.

- create a form view for each slice

- create actions for each slice with : 

linktorow( "keycolumnname","viewname")

*create this action for each steps of the view, and replace timestampX with the next step number

- create another actions for this table with data action update value of rows

[timestampZ] = now() *replace Z with the step number

- in each views (except the last step), on "form saved" option , add the corresponding action + the corresponding data action .

[Raulssnl]

What do you mean by slice?

Sorry, I'm new to appsheets 

[baba_sawane]

No worries, please use the blue Reply button to reply to a post.

A slice is basically a duplicate of a table, where you can config multiple properties like : 

which actions are available / what the user can do (add,edit,delete) /  filter the available rows /  remove some columns 

And use them as the source for your actions, views, formulas etc. 

To create a slice:  

So for each step of your form , create

a slice and only keep the columns needed in the form step.

You won't need to filter the rows of your slice since it's only form the forms. When you create the views, you'll be able to select slices.

To set the action that'll link the user to another form, use this one : 

To update what i said before : I just saw that we can't use multiple actions when the form is saved, so you'll have to create a grouped action that'll execute the two action (the link to form & the data update) and set it in Form Saved field. 

PS : don't forget to hide every actions