Advanced topics

This section covers advanced implementation strategies for the Smartsheet API, focusing on enhancing functionality, security, and performance. Understanding these topics helps you build robust, enterprise-grade integrations that leverage complex data structures and secure authentication flows.

Articles in this section:

• Cell Formatting: This guide explains how to programmatically manage cell styles using a compact format descriptor string. It details how you can read or apply specific visual attributes—such as font styles, colors, and alignment—to individual cells or entire rows and columns to maintain visual consistency.

• Complex Column Types and Compatibility: This article outlines how to handle multi-contact and multi-picklist columns while maintaining backward compatibility. It explains the use of specific query parameters, like "level" and "include=objectValue," to retrieve rich, non-primitive data objects instead of standard flat strings.

• OAuth: This resource provides a comprehensive overview of implementing OAuth 2.0 for secure, user-consented access to Smartsheet data. It covers the registration of third-party applications, the management of access and refresh tokens, and the scopes required to perform actions on behalf of a user.

• Scalability Options: This guide focuses on optimizing API performance through bulk operations and efficient request handling. It provides critical best practices for managing rate limits, implementing exponential backoff strategies, and utilizing serial execution to avoid save collisions in high-traffic environments.

• User Impersonation: This article details how System Administrators can use the "Assume-User" header to perform API actions on behalf of other users. This feature is particularly useful for troubleshooting permissions, managing tasks during a user's absence, and automating administrative workflows without requiring individual user tokens.