SharePoint list Append Changes to Existing Text removes text, or asks you to populate more text in field

Question

I have 3 fields out of 20 that are set to Append Changes to Existing Text. Versioning on and set to 10 versions (SP online doesn't allow 0 set value as did 2013).
When I open an item in my list that is set to append text and edit, all fields open for editing and it clears out some of them. Of the fields cleared out, if 'required' you must add text to them in addition (but I don't want to).
It behaves oddly.

And if you make the field not required any longer it clears the text and saves it empty.

I'd like to be able to append text to a few of the multiple text fields and not affect the others. Can that be done with SP online?
What is best practice for this.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi @Lynn, Christopher (Alpharetta) ,

That's how Append Changes to Existing Text works in SharePoint.

When you enable the feature Append Changes to Existing Text for a field in a SharePoint list item, changes to that field are shown as a thread. The earlier text cannot be changed, but new text is shown above the earlier text. This feature is especially useful for discussions and issue tracking.

So when you edit the item, it would add a new "comment" to this field. It just ask you to add new text instead of clearing text. The older text is still there when you view this item. If you make the field required, you have to enter some text into the "comment". And the older comment cannot be changed any more.

In your scenario, you don't have to enable the feature Append Changes to Existing Text. I would suggest that you turn off the Append Changes to Existing Text.

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Answer 2

I've read that online, but that is not what is occurring.

I turn on versioning and set to 20.
I go to the list field and turn on append text.

You go back and click on view entries link for that columns data and I see the same comment 10 times with different dates/times as I was modifying other field data. it just keeps repeating the same entry. So if there are 10 versions in history I have the same comment 10 times for that field column. So you can imagine how bad that looks, and can't be correct.

I'll try adding images.

Answer 3

Hi @Lynn, Christopher (Alpharetta) ,

I assume that you follow the steps below:

You have some fields(let's say column1, column2) that turn on append text and make these fields required. You just want to add comment to column1. So you clicked edit item, entered some text into column1. Since you make column2 required, you cannot save the item if column2 is empty. And you did't understand what it works that time. You think column2 cleared out, so you entered the same text into column2. This would add a new comment(same text) to column2. And every time you edited the column1, you enter the same text into column2. So you see the
same comment 10 times with different dates/times.

In fact, the older comment of column2 is still there(not cleared out). If you enter some text in column2, it will add a new comment. So when you modified column1, you can just leave column2 blank (need to make it not required). This is OK.

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