Reset on Edit not honoring multiple changes to same column within a single edit session

AppSheet AppSheet Q&A
,
1

I have ColumnA with 3 values. When “Value1” is selected then ColumnB is shown and requires user input.

I have set the “Reset on edit” property on Column B and insert an Initial Value of:

IF([ColumnA] = "Value1",
     [_THIS],
     ""
)

The intent is to reset ColumnB if ColumnA is changed to a value other than “Value1”.

When editing, the first time ColumnA is switched from “Value1” to something else, ColumnB is reset as expected.

But while in the same editing session if I again set ColumnA to “Value1”, choose a value in ColumnB then switch ColumnA once again to a value other than “Value1” - ColumnB is NOT reset again. See image

Screenshot 2025-03-03 at 11.24.18 AM.png
Screenshot 2025-03-03 at 11.24.18 AM.png3424×1592 445 KB

I have tried removing the Show_If expression and using a targeted "Reset on edit: expression shown above as well as just setting the “Reset ion edit” w/o an expression

…I get the same behavior.

The issue is if a user does this activity, it leaves an unexpected value in the field that could impact downstream processing. Yes, I could implement an action on save but then I’d need to every time this is potentially possible - my particular app has several of these.

The bright side is the users are not going to flip back and forth very often at all but still…!!!

And I don’t seem to recall this being a problem in the past…so maybe it’s a new issue???

Anyone else experienced this problem and figured out a work around in the column configurations?

2

It happens to me often, but what I finally understood (perhaps the hard way) is that Reset on edit refers to when the row is updated—in other words, it recognizes changes when an existing record is edited.

The Initial value is just an initial value, but if it is changed, it cannot revert back unless you close the form and reopen it—it loses its initial value condition.

As a workaround, you could use the Valid If condition on the next field so that, if it is a dependent list based on the previous field, the values will be automatically cleared if the previous field changes.

In other words, instead of using Suggested values, use Valid If.

3

Yes!!! I wasn’t thinking. To para-phrase…once a user physically changes that value in ColumnB, the Initial Value will no longer get applied - even with a “Reset on edit”!!

I’ll just have to live with it!

1 Like
4

Honestly, I understand you, especially because of your vast experience and how you help us in this community every day. It must be really frustrating (just like it is for me) to see how, on some occasions, such a great resource as the Feature Ideas section is wasted instead of being used to expand this platform.

A big hug, my friend.