# Ways to use the Set Column action **URL:** \ **Category:** Ask for Help\ **Created:** [November 19, 2020, 9:17pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/ways-to-use-the-set-column-action/18684 "2020-11-19T21:17:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Todd\_Lichtenwalter](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/todd_lichtenwalter/32/12231_2.png) [@Todd\_Lichtenwalter](https://community.glideapps.com/u/Todd_Lichtenwalter)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 9:17pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/ways-to-use-the-set-column-action/18684/1 "2020-11-19T21:17:51Z")
Can folks explain to me case uses of Set Column. Trying to understand what it does/how it is used before I go and monkey up things in my app. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![ThinhDinh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/thinhdinh/32/49_2.png) [@ThinhDinh](https://community.glideapps.com/u/ThinhDinh)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 10:08pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/ways-to-use-the-set-column-action/18684/2 "2020-11-19T22:08:58Z")
My most immediate use is to clear all columns I make for a form-esque experience after submission using add row. ---
**Author:** ![Todd\_Lichtenwalter](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/todd_lichtenwalter/32/12231_2.png) [@Todd\_Lichtenwalter](https://community.glideapps.com/u/Todd_Lichtenwalter)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 10:18pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/ways-to-use-the-set-column-action/18684/3 "2020-11-19T22:18:01Z")
but if you write the data to these columns and then clear them, don’t you lose that data? ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Hager](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/jeff_hager/32/43_2.png) [@Jeff\_Hager](https://community.glideapps.com/u/Jeff_Hager)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 10:37pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/ways-to-use-the-set-column-action/18684/4 "2020-11-19T22:37:05Z")
The values he is clearing are temporary. They are entry components filled by the user that populate user specific columns in one sheet. Then the Add Row action takes those values and writes them to a different sheet. Once the row is added in the second sheet, the user specific values in the first sheet can be cleared. It’s similar to a form button, where every time you open the form, the entry components are empty. It doesn’t save the values from your last form submission. ---
**Author:** ![Todd\_Lichtenwalter](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/todd_lichtenwalter/32/12231_2.png) [@Todd\_Lichtenwalter](https://community.glideapps.com/u/Todd_Lichtenwalter)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 10:49pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/ways-to-use-the-set-column-action/18684/5 "2020-11-19T22:49:38Z")
Thats really cool. Thanks! Would love to hear other case uses if anyone wants to share ---
**Author:** ![ThinhDinh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/thinhdinh/32/49_2.png) [@ThinhDinh](https://community.glideapps.com/u/ThinhDinh)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 11:24pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/ways-to-use-the-set-column-action/18684/6 "2020-11-19T23:24:06Z")
True Jeff, I make that solely for the ability to block duplicates. ---
**Author:** ![Robert\_Petitto](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/robert_petitto/32/25193_2.png) [@Robert\_Petitto](https://community.glideapps.com/u/Robert_Petitto)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 12:11am UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/ways-to-use-the-set-column-action/18684/7 "2020-11-20T00:11:35Z")
I’m using it to set time stamps in user specific columns to track when fields were manipulated. ---
**Author:** ![Todd\_Lichtenwalter](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/todd_lichtenwalter/32/12231_2.png) [@Todd\_Lichtenwalter](https://community.glideapps.com/u/Todd_Lichtenwalter)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 12:28am UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/ways-to-use-the-set-column-action/18684/8 "2020-11-20T00:28:18Z")
@Robert_Petitto Yes, I saw you recent video for the store app: that to me was some sweet next level Jedi Master magic. Will come in handy when I try my hand at a store app. ---
**Author:** ![Todd\_Lichtenwalter](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/todd_lichtenwalter/32/12231_2.png) [@Todd\_Lichtenwalter](https://community.glideapps.com/u/Todd_Lichtenwalter)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 1:08am UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/ways-to-use-the-set-column-action/18684/9 "2020-11-20T01:08:19Z")
Sweet, this solved that issue I was having with the individual start time for the player energy bar. This way teachers don’t have to get into the spreadsheet to revive a player from the dead. Going to try some ITE or Template to see I can filter out the non active class sections users and apply it to just the active class. Nice nice- just in the nick of time! ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Murphy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/darren_murphy/32/47326_2.png) [@Darren\_Murphy](https://community.glideapps.com/u/Darren_Murphy)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 1:57am UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/ways-to-use-the-set-column-action/18684/10 "2020-11-20T01:57:03Z")
I use it in the same way that @ThinhDinh & @Jeff_Hager described, but I also use it to increment/decrement counters (which I learned how to do from [this](https://community.glideapps.com/t/set-column-action-alter-a-different-sheets-values/18342) post) Users of my app are given “credits”. Every time they submit a form, I need to decrease their credit count. And conversely, if they delete a submission (which I allow them to do, within a certain time window), then I need to return that credit to them. They can also have different types of credits - free credits and paid credits - and I need to keep track of both. For example, if they submit using a free credit, then I need to “remember” that, just in case they come back later and delete the submission. It’s all a little fiddly, but thanks to the new compound actions feature is fully achievable without having to resort to any spreadsheet tomfoolery. ---
**Author:** ![Todd\_Lichtenwalter](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/todd_lichtenwalter/32/12231_2.png) [@Todd\_Lichtenwalter](https://community.glideapps.com/u/Todd_Lichtenwalter)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 2:17am UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/ways-to-use-the-set-column-action/18684/11 "2020-11-20T02:17:29Z")
That is super helpful both in information and Glide power. Thanks Darren. ---
**Author:** ![Todd\_Lichtenwalter](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/todd_lichtenwalter/32/12231_2.png) [@Todd\_Lichtenwalter](https://community.glideapps.com/u/Todd_Lichtenwalter)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 2:22am UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/ways-to-use-the-set-column-action/18684/12 "2020-11-20T02:22:25Z")
The Set Columns Action just clears one cell(the logged in user) when I try it. Is there a way to set it so that it clears the entire column top to bottom beside linking a single value column to it and using the single value column? ---
**Author:** ![ThinhDinh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/thinhdinh/32/49_2.png) [@ThinhDinh](https://community.glideapps.com/u/ThinhDinh)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 2:25am UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/ways-to-use-the-set-column-action/18684/13 "2020-11-20T02:25:36Z")
As of now I don’t think there’s a native way to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Todd\_Lichtenwalter](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/todd_lichtenwalter/32/12231_2.png) [@Todd\_Lichtenwalter](https://community.glideapps.com/u/Todd_Lichtenwalter)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 3:49am UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/ways-to-use-the-set-column-action/18684/14 "2020-11-20T03:49:31Z")
Ok. Tomorrow I will see if I can use single value and some ITE to accomplish it.