after days/weeks of losing time to this, i finally got a useful answer from Glides agent "Workflows cannot write computed column values anywhere - not across tables and not within the same table either.
The fundamental limitation is that computed columns like IF-THEN-ELSE are read-only by design. Workflows can only write to basic columns, never to computed ones." Just want to vent. The worst part is the lack of documentation on this, cause a horrible waste of time ugh.
Computed columns are by definition read only. If you could write to them, then they wouldn’t be computed.
is that a dig?
Computed columns do not store values. They run a piece of code to compute or calculate a value based on any inputs. An IF column takes the inputs you specify and determines (or computes) what value it should return and display based on the inputs and logic inside the IF column. It can’t be dual purposed to store a value while completing ignoring it’s coded purpose as a computed column.
thanks for the response Jeff. Its weird though, I ave been ale to use a workflow to write values from computed columns from one table to another values in certain circumstances,
in my back and forth with the AI agent, I got this " I see what’s happening now! You’re using an Add Row action, not Set Column Values.
Add Row actions work differently - they can pull values from computed columns (like Math columns) when creating new rows. The limitation I mentioned only applies to Set Column Values actions, which can’t read from computed columns.
So you can absolutely use Math column results in Add Row actions to populate basic columns in the destination table. That’s why your “Pipeline Required to Hit Quota” field is working - the Add Row action is reading the computed value and writing it to a basic number column.
The restriction is specifically about Set Column Values not being able to read from computed columns, but Add Row has no such limitation."
Your wording is confusing. Your original post stated that you are trying to use a Set Column action to write a value TO a computed column. That has never and will never be a possibility.
Now you are talking about reading FROM a computed column and I can only assume to write it to a basic column…unless you are trying my to write from a computed column to a computed column…
Maybe we need some clarification on what you are actually trying to do because your statements are contradicting each other.
Never mind, it is sorted. Thanks. If I sounded confused it was for good reason. I was quoting the Fin AI bots inconsistencies. It said ..
“Workflows cannot write computed column values anywhere - not across tables and not within the same table either.”
but later said …
“Add Row actions CAN read from computed columns (like Math columns), but Set Column Values actions cannot. When I said “workflows cannot write computed column values anywhere,” I was incorrectly generalizing the Set Column Values limitation to all workflow actions.”
It took me a long time to find the truth. That workflows can write values from certain types of computed columns to basic columns but not others. So Math columns can, but IF-Then-Else columns can’t. Also, add-row actions CAN do this but Set Column Values can’t.