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Grids

Smartsheet Column Manager

Smartsheet scatters column metadata and structural controls across header menus, native Properties, and repetitive single-column actions. Users who need to audit column types, check formulas or IDs, edit metadata, or adjust a layout must move between surfaces and rebuild context as they work.

Without Grid Tools

The daily workaround

Right-click each column header
Getting the type, formula, or ID of a column requires right-clicking its header and navigating into the Edit Column Properties dialog, one column at a time.
Hit the API for column IDs
Column IDs are not exposed anywhere in the Smartsheet UI, so developers and integrators resort to making an API call just to retrieve them for use in formulas or automation.
Open dialogs to audit formulas
Confirming which columns have formulas assigned requires opening each column's properties dialog and checking the formula field individually across the whole sheet.
Document column info externally
Power users maintain separate spreadsheets or notes to track column names, IDs, and types because there is no summary view inside Smartsheet.
Screenshot: Right-clicking a column header to open properties
Opening Edit Column Properties for a single column
Screenshot: Column properties dialog showing limited metadata
Column properties dialog — no column ID, one column at a time
Screenshot: API response JSON used to find column IDs
Fetching column IDs from the Smartsheet API because they are not shown in the UI

With Grid Tools

How Grid Tools handles it

Column Manager in one dialog
Search, sort, select, and review supported column names, IDs, types, formulas, positions, widths, locks, descriptions, and other metadata.
Editing and structural actions
Edit supported properties, add, duplicate, delete, and reorder columns, or open native Properties when needed.
Grid ID and history controls
Copy the Grid ID and use Save, Reset, Undo, and Redo controls while managing the current layout.
Browser-local templates
Save portable column templates in local browser storage, then append ordinary columns or replace a layout after confirmation.
Screenshot: Column Manager open over a sheet
Searching and reviewing columns in one dialog
Screenshot: Column Manager structural actions
Editing and reorganizing selected columns
Screenshot: Column Manager local templates
Saving and loading a browser-local portable template

Frequently asked questions

Does Smartsheet show column IDs in the interface?

No. Column IDs are only accessible through the Smartsheet API. Column Manager surfaces them directly without requiring an API call.

Can I see column types and formulas together?

Yes. Column Manager presents supported column metadata in a searchable, sortable table so you can review the current grid in one place.

Can Column Manager change a sheet layout?

Yes. It supports editing and structural actions, with Save, Reset, Undo, and Redo controls plus access to native Properties.

Can I reuse a column layout?

Yes. Save a browser-local portable template, then append ordinary columns or replace the current layout after confirmation.

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