Best Of

Here are my thoughts. Hope it helps?

1. Add Key Columns to Your Sheet:

• Task Name – The main task
• Task Stage (Dropdown) – Track where the task is in the process (e.g., Idea Development, Research, Approval)
• Assigned To (Contact List) – Automatically update this as the task moves to the next stage
• Status (Dropdown) – Not Started, In Progress, Completed, etc.
• Due Date – Keep track of deadlines

2. Use Automation to Assign & Notify the Next Person:

• Set up an Automated Workflow that:
  1. Triggers when Task Stage changes (e.g., from "Idea Development" to "Research").
  2. Automatically updates the "Assigned To" column based on the stage.
  3. Sends an email or alert to notify the new assignee.

Example:

• When Assignee A marks "Task Stage" as "Research", Smartsheet:
  • Updates "Assigned To" → Assignee B
  • Sends Assignee B an alert: "You are now responsible for this task."

3. Optional: Use Reports for Individual Task Views

Each assignee can have a filtered report that only shows tasks assigned to them, making it easy to track their workload.

4. Optional: Use Conditional Formatting

To visually indicate responsibility changes, apply conditional formatting:

• If "Assigned To" changes, highlight the row to signal a hand-off.

This setup ensures a single-row workflow, prevents unnecessary duplication, and automates the hand-off process effectively. Let me know if you need help configuring the automation!

@melissalk Happy to help. 👍️