Smartsheet integration with Microsoft Tasks / Planner

Cathy Elliott Scott

I want to be able to update my actions in Microsoft Tasks / Planner Teams app, and have the updates reflect in Smartsheet, and vice versa. The available Power Automate triggers from Planner to Smartsheet and from Smartsheet to Planner do not seem to allow this to work properly. Likewise the actions don't seem to work correctly. for example When a task is created in planner, we want this to result in creating a row in Smartsheet. The row gets created. There is no trigger available to be able to rerun the task, and there is no action available to be able to update a task once it has been updated in planner. Has anybody managed to get this working properly?

Purnima Gore_PGPS

Hi @Cathy Elliott Scott

I have been trying to do exactly the same thing which I haven't been able to either.

I am still working on it so if I do see something I will let you know.

Purnima

Ide AirTrunk

Hi @Cathy Elliott Scott,

Have you tried Zapier or a an alternative? I have had a lot of success integrating other workflow apps with Zapier and Smartsheet..

Jamie

Celvin Klassen

To achieve synchronization between Microsoft Tasks/Planner and Smartsheet, allowing updates in one to reflect in the other, you might need to use a combination of Power Automate flows with custom triggers and actions. Here’s a possible approach to accomplish this:

Step 1: Create a Flow for Task Creation in Planner to Smartsheet

1. Trigger:
   • Use the trigger "When a task is created" in Microsoft Planner.
2. Action:
   • Add an action to "Insert row" in Smartsheet with the relevant details from the Planner task.

Step 2: Create a Flow for Task Updates in Planner to Smartsheet

1. Trigger:
   • Use the trigger "When a task is completed" or "When a task is updated" in Microsoft Planner.
2. Action:
   • Add an action to "Update row" in Smartsheet. You will need to find the corresponding row in Smartsheet that matches the Planner task (this could be done using a unique identifier).

Step 3: Create a Flow for Row Creation in Smartsheet to Planner

1. Trigger:
   • Use the trigger "When a row is added" in Smartsheet.
2. Action:
   • Add an action to "Create a task" in Microsoft Planner with the details from the Smartsheet row.

Step 4: Create a Flow for Row Updates in Smartsheet to Planner

1. Trigger:
   • Use the trigger "When a row is updated" in Smartsheet.
2. Action:
   • Add an action to "Update a task" in Microsoft Planner. You will need to find the corresponding task in Planner that matches the Smartsheet row (again, using a unique identifier).

Unique Identifier Management

To ensure proper synchronization, you should use a unique identifier that can be stored in both systems (e.g., Task ID from Planner stored in a custom column in Smartsheet and vice versa). This unique identifier will help in locating the correct task/row to update.

Example Flow for Task Update in Planner to Smartsheet

Here is a more detailed example of how you can set up the flow for updating tasks from Planner to Smartsheet:

1. Trigger:
   • Select "When a task is updated" from Microsoft Planner.
2. Action:
   • Use "Get task details" to fetch the details of the updated task.
3. Action:
   • Use "Get rows" in Smartsheet to find the row that matches the Planner task ID (store this ID in a column when creating tasks).
4. Action:
   • Use "Update row" in Smartsheet to update the row with the new details from Planner.

Example Flow for Task Update in Smartsheet to Planner

1. Trigger:
   • Select "When a row is updated" in Smartsheet.
2. Action:
   • Use "Get row" to fetch the details of the updated row.
3. Action:
   • Use "List tasks" in Microsoft Planner to find the task that matches the Smartsheet row ID (store this ID in a column when creating tasks).
4. Action:
   • Use "Update task" in Planner to update the task with the new details from Smartsheet.

Troubleshooting Tips

• Ensure Unique Identifiers: Make sure that each task and row can be uniquely identified across both platforms.
• Error Handling: Implement error handling in your flows to manage situations where the corresponding task/row cannot be found.
• Testing: Thoroughly test each flow to ensure that the data is being correctly updated in both systems.

By setting up these flows, you should be able to create a bi-directional sync between Microsoft Planner and Smartsheet, ensuring that updates in one system are reflected in the other.