Manipulating Google Sheet while Appsheet app is used

[fdmsaraiva]

I have an Appsheet app that is intensively used by about 20 simultaneous users, constantly bombarding the Google Sheet with updates.

While these users are writing their updates, I need to manipulate the data in the Google Sheet to do bulk operations more efficiently, using Google Sheet quick filters and resorting the filtered rows.

The table in question has a proper physical column with unique values set to Key in Appsheet.

My assumption is that I can can manipulate the sheet as described without any issues, because Appsheet writes the updates based on the Key value, not the row number, making the order of rows is irrelevant.

Am I correct or can I run into data integrity issues regardless by manipulating the sheet as described?

[MultiTech]

In short: yes.

But…

You might find some instances where edits made by you, or by others, are lost due to overlapping edits if you are doing things while people using the app are making edits.

As far as “Can I put a filter on the sheet and not affect the users” - yes. The filter is for your local interaction, not actually removing records from the table, so it’s a temporary thing for your interaction only.

[fdmsaraiva]

MultiTech_Visions:

You might find some instances where edits made by you, or by others, are lost due to overlapping edits if you are doing things while people using the app are making edits.

Of that I’m aware, but the bulk operations I do are in rows that I know are not being updated, so I’m not worried about overlaps.

MultiTech_Visions:

As far as “Can I put a filter on the sheet and not affect the users” - yes. The filter is for your local interaction, not actually removing records from the table, so it’s a temporary thing for your interaction only.

Well the filter is aesthetic in terms of row visibility yes, but the sorting is physical. When I turn off the filter, the row order remains altered.

Would physically re-sorting the table rows make any difference?

[MultiTech]

Filipe:

Would physically re-sorting the table rows make any difference?

If you don’t have any sorting taken care of in your views (meaning, you left the sorting blank for any inline view) then yes, changing the sorting in the sheet would affect the sorting in the app.

But if all of your inline views have sorting taken care of then the sheet can change around all it wants - the app takes over the sort because you have specified so.

[Marc_Dillon]

I’d recommend the usage of Filter Views over just a Filter.

[fdmsaraiva]

Marc_Dillon:

I’d recommend the usage of Filter Views over just a Filter.

Why, what’s the difference to Appsheet?

[Marc_Dillon]

I could be wrong, but I believe I’ve previously experienced direct filters as having a more direct modification of the data, more akin to sorting, versus filter views leaving the base data completely alone, and just showing a view of it.

[MultiTech]

Marc_Dillon:

direct filters as having a more direct modification of the data, more akin to sorting, versus filter views leaving the base data completely alone, and just showing a view of it.

My experience as well.

[Mojip]

I want to learn how to create applications, my beloved doctor

[Steve]

Filipe:

Am I correct or can I run into data integrity issues regardless by manipulating the sheet as described?

I definitely wouldn’t recommend what you intend to do.

Filipe:

using Google Sheet quick filters

Definitely use filter views, not filters. Filters will affect all users so long as the filters are in place.