Grids

Smartsheet Copy More Than 500 Rows

Smartsheet caps the 'Copy rows to another sheet' action at 500 rows per operation. Sheets with large datasets — active project logs, intake queues, or archive transfers — routinely exceed this limit, forcing users to split a single copy job into multiple batches and manually track which rows have been processed.

Without Grid Tools

The daily workaround

Split into 500-row batches: Users divide the row selection into chunks of 500 or fewer and run the copy operation once per batch to stay under the limit.
Track batch progress manually: With no built-in progress indicator, users mark a column or note a row number to remember where the last batch ended before starting the next one.
Risk of duplication or gaps: Manual batching often results in rows being copied twice or skipped when the user loses track of the batch boundary after being interrupted.
Multi-hour copy jobs: Copying 3,000 rows across sheets becomes a six-batch process with manual intervention at each step, turning a bulk operation into a lengthy manual procedure.

Screenshot: Smartsheet 500-row limit error message

Smartsheet error when attempting to copy more than 500 rows at once

Screenshot: Selecting rows 1–500 for first batch copy

First batch — selecting rows 1 through 500 manually

Screenshot: Tracking batch progress with a helper column

Marking a helper column to track which rows have been copied

With Grid Tools

How Grid Tools handles it

Copy beyond 500 rows at once: Grid Tools handles row copy operations that exceed Smartsheet's native 500-row limit in a single initiated action.
No manual batching required: Select the full row range you need to copy and let Grid Tools manage the transfer — no need to subdivide and repeat.
Reduced risk of copy errors: Eliminating manual batch tracking removes the main source of duplicate or skipped rows in large copy operations.
Works with Select Row Range: Combine with Grid Tools' Select Row Range feature to precisely define large row selections before copying.

Screenshot: Selecting more than 500 rows in Smartsheet

Selecting a row range larger than 500 rows using Grid Tools

Screenshot: Grid Tools copy-to-sheet dialog

Initiating a cross-sheet copy of the full selection

Screenshot: Destination sheet with all rows copied

All rows transferred to the destination sheet in one operation

Frequently asked questions

What is Smartsheet's row copy limit?

Smartsheet limits the 'Copy rows to another sheet' action to 500 rows per operation. Grid Tools removes this restriction so you can copy larger selections without batching.

Does Grid Tools copy attachments and comments along with rows?

Grid Tools copies row data the same way Smartsheet's native copy-to-sheet action does. Whether attachments and comments transfer depends on Smartsheet's own copy behavior for the action being used.

Can I copy rows to a different workspace or to a new sheet?

Grid Tools supports copying rows to any sheet you have access to, consistent with the destinations available in Smartsheet's native copy-rows dialog.

What happens to cross-sheet references in copied rows?

Cross-sheet references in copied rows behave the same way they do in a native Smartsheet copy — they reference the original source unless manually updated. Grid Tools does not alter reference behavior.

Smartsheet Copy More Than 500 Rows

The daily workaround

How Grid Tools handles it

Frequently asked questions

Related solutions

Smartsheet Select Row Range

Smartsheet Bulk Insert Rows

Smartsheet Import Into Existing Sheet