技术问询：如何在联系人列显示姓名及用Smartsheet SDK高效导入大型XLS表格

Hey there! Let's break down solutions to your two Smartsheet questions:

1. Showing Contact Names in the Contact Column When Importing XLS or Copying Rows #

For XLS Imports #

Smartsheet’s contact column prioritizes email addresses by default, but getting it to display names just requires a bit of structure in your source file and mapping during import:

• First, make sure your XLS has two related columns: one for the contact’s full name (e.g., "Contact Name") and another for their email (e.g., "Contact Email").
• When you start the import flow, during the column mapping step, select your email column to map to Smartsheet’s Contact Column.
• If the email is already in your Smartsheet contact list, the name will automatically populate in the column. If not, you can edit the contact cell, paste/enter the email, and manually add the name—this saves the contact to your list so future imports will pull the name automatically.

When Copying Rows #

Contact names should carry over automatically when copying rows, but if they don’t, check these quick fixes:

• Verify the source contact cell has both the name and email saved (not just the email). You can click into the cell to confirm both fields are filled.
• If copying across workspaces, the contact might not exist in the destination workspace’s contact list. Just edit the cell in the copied row, re-add the name alongside the email, and it’ll be saved for that workspace.

2. Optimizing Large Sheet Uploads with Smartsheet SDK 1.3.3 #

Great call leveraging the 1.3.3 SDK’s new XLS import feature—it’s perfect for minimizing API requests while fixing those UI import formatting issues. Here’s how to make the most of it:

Use Direct XLS Import for Bulk Efficiency #

The SDK’s direct XLS import method lets you upload your entire file in one (or very few) backend-handled requests—way better than building rows one by one. To nail the format:

• Pre-format your XLS exactly how you want the final Smartsheet to look: set column types (contact, date, etc.), adjust widths, and apply any cell formatting or rules. Smartsheet preserves most of this during import, but test with a small sample first to iron out kinks.
• If you need post-import tweaks, use bulk update methods like update_rows with a list of row objects instead of editing individual cells—this keeps request counts low.

If You Need Programmatic Control (Beyond XLS Import) #

For cases where you need more customization than direct import allows, optimize your sheet build to cut down requests:

• Batch row creation: Instead of creating one row per API call, use create_rows with batches of up to 500 rows (check the latest SDK docs for exact limits). This reduces request volume drastically.
• Create columns in bulk: Define all your sheet’s columns in a single create_columns request before adding rows, rather than adding columns one at a time.
• Reuse cell templates: If you have repeated cell values (like standard contact entries), reuse the same cell object definitions across rows to speed up code and reduce unnecessary processing.

Fixing Formatting Issues (That UI Imports Miss) #

Since UI imports aren’t giving you the format you want, the SDK gives you more control:

• Explicitly map columns during import (some SDK versions let you define column mappings in code to ensure your XLS columns align perfectly with Smartsheet’s column types).
• Use a template sheet: First, create a template with your ideal format (columns, styles, rules) via the SDK or UI. Then copy that template sheet, and import your XLS data into the copied sheet. This guarantees the structure is locked in before adding your data.

内容的提问来源于stack exchange，提问作者Erwan Leroy