End User - Features locked down?

mikeb95

New to Smart Sheet, been using it for roughly 2 months as an end user. I want to like this app and not sure if it's the app itself or if the PM has locked it down so much that it is unusable.

First, I can't sort on a "% Complete" column to know what tasks are complete and which need work on (this is on a filter that the PM created for each user). The option to select "Sort Rows" is grayed out.

I then (thinking outside the box) created a new filter. I added the filter of "% Complete" is not equal to and added in 100 for the value. I get rows that are 100% complete. So then I adjusted my filter to less than 100....I still get rows with 100% complete. Does the filter just not work? And then when applying it....I can't even edit the name of the filter. It just states "Edit Unnamed Filter" but I can't edit it. Thankfully it only allows me to add a single extra filter or I would have tons of "Unnamed Filters" to pick from.

So in the end....does the PM have it so locked down that it is unusable and essentially a pain to use or is Smartsheet just not smart enough to allow basic functions even to the end user?

Peggy Parchert

Hello @mikeb95

Sounds like your permissions don't allow you to sort rows or do much else. However, with the filter you created, have you tried using a decimal? The column might be setup for %.

Thanks -Peggy

Paul Newcome

Smartsheet reads percentages as a part of one whole. So 100% = 1, 50% = 0.50, 25% = 0.25, so on and so forth. Try setting your filter to only show rows that are less than 1.

mikeb95

Thanks....that was it for the 1 for being the percentage. Still can't name it!😥

Genevieve P.

Hey @mikeb95

Both plan-type and sharing levels affect the functionality you will have available to you as a collaborator in Smartsheet.

Here's a handy chart that goes through Sharing Permissions. Actions with a * identify that a license is also required: Smartsheet Sharing Permissions

You'll notice that Viewer and Commenter permissions do not allow the collaborator to Name or Save a filter. Similarly, Sorting by a column and then saving the sheet (making the Sort permanent) is not available to Viewers or Commenters.

That said, being unable to Sort when there's a filter on is expected, since Sorting a sheet would sort every row and not just the filtered values. If you're constantly needing to apply a specific Sort order as well as a Filter, I would recommend asking the owner of the sheet to create a Row Report that you can work off of instead. This will enable you to view the sheet in a specific Sort and Filtered order without the order of the underlying sheet being affected. Here's a free webinar on Reports: SmartStart: Reporting

Let us know if you need help with anything else!

Cheers,

Genevieve