Multiple Approvals based on Multi-Select Field

Hello,

I'll apologize in advance as I'm new to Smartsheet so this may be basic. I'm working on a Application Change Access Form for our office and have the form working where it sends an approval email once it is submitted.

However, I'd like to take it a step further. There are 5 different application options in the form. I'd like to have the form send an approval to different people based on the application chosen (it's a multi-select field).

I played with a workflow that has a condition but it seems like if I add multiple conditions it is only firing off the first one if applicable.

I also tried creating multiple workflows (if application 1 is selected, email John, if application 2, email Roger) etc. but it still doesn't appear to fire off multiples.

Any advice ?

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Accepted answers

Kleerfyre

Why not use a form in Smartsheet to capture all of this and then just share the sheet with the needed people in the Change Request process? That way you could make it a uniform process and not have to pull data from another place to make the sheet. Smartsheet is a great option for this whole process you just described.

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Kleerfyre

You have your trigger set as when rows are added, try changing it to added or changed. Also, try removing the Username from the trigger. Then make the Conditions say where Applications is one of and make sure you have the Application list set as a dropdown in the sheet. That should fix your issues. If you really need the Usernames, then you can add them as conditions in the condition paths.

tovythomas

@Kleerfyre ,

Thanks , here is what I have now (assuming I understood correctly).

I was able to get it to process if I pick an application(s) that meet 1 condition but if I pick one that meets 2 (for example Sagitta and SCIS-R in my screenshot, then it seems to only fire the first condition (Sagitta) .

I overlooked where you said the Applications needed to be a dropdown. Is there a functionality difference between that and having horizontal checkboxes ? I had liked the visual difference of the checkboxes but if there is a processing difference , I can try it the other way.

Kleerfyre

It just makes it cleaner for formulas or conditional statements like you have in your automation.

The reason why it didn't work for the two selected is because you don't have a conditional path for when the two are selected. It will just trigger on the one that comes first in order in the way you have it in the automation. You would have to have a conditional path for every single option that could happen with your checkboxes. If you have it in a dropdown and only allow one selection, then your conditional paths would only be a few. The more options you have, the more conditional paths you will have to have.

tovythomas

@Kleerfyre ,

Thanks, I guess I was thinking it would read across the conditions from left to right, so it would process through them all like a loop. I thought the has any of option would cover multiple selections .

Would there be another way to accomplish this ? I have 5 options so though not a lot, I don't want to try and figure out each combination of items as potentially only 1 could be picked or all 5 as they are application choices.

The end game is if Application A is selected, send the approval to Person A, if application B then Person B etc.. so if someone picks App A and B send them both (i set the approval to save in different fields)

I had tried multiple workflows with each rule mentioning 1 item but that seems to be the same concept.

Kleerfyre

The only way to loop it would be to add conditions below instead of across. If you have them across, the automation reads across until it hits true on one of the paths, then it goes straight down that path. It will not go back up and cycle back through the condition paths.

tovythomas

@Kleerfyre , Thanks for all the help. I had tried it down as well on the conditions without any luck but I suspect it would still be the same issue as it fires on the first condition.

I'll play with it some more or just go with a different approval mechanism.

Kleerfyre

How often would you have more than one application selected? Would it be an issue if they are just locked to selecting one application per entry?

tovythomas

@Kleerfyre , that is the one that is hard to say. The forms purpose is to capture Change Requests in Applications for users which typically had an IT signature and manager signature.

Currently, we get the request (via a word form) to provide access to a shared mailbox and then potentially shared folders as well as an example.

However, it could just be one or the other as well. Typically now this gets turned into our helpdesk which then each party handles what is needed (Business Analyst for Application Security, Helpdesk for file share security etc..) . So the thought was could we just have some of this go direct to each Application administrator though not a necessity.

Worst case i can keep it as is with 1 email approval or see if there are other combinations of notifications vs approvals that might work.

Kleerfyre

tovythomas

I am using a form to collect the info , but not everyone has smartsheet licenses so was trying to figure out a way to get approvals recorded based off the submitted form. I haven't gotten a good feel for the licensing part of it yet as I've only had the product a week or so and just started playing with it.

Kleerfyre

They don't have to have licenses for access to forms and to receive update requests and fill out the update request form.

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