One weekly automated reminder for workplan and action log - is this possible?
I have automated weekly reminders for tasks on my workplan that are coming due and still "in progress" and I have actions on my action log that also have an automated reminder that goes out once/week for the project. People only want to receive one automated reminder/update 1x/week for the whole project (i.e. not one for the workplan tasks and one for the action log items). Suggestions regarding how to do this?
Best Answer
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It all ultimately depends on just how many columns you have on each origin sheet. There WILL be overlap of some data (name, for example) and some will be possible to unify (End date, for example - you can unify the column names to "Actual Completion Date" if that's appropriate for your individual use case). If there is a column in the source that doesn't exist in the destination of a Moved Row, the columns will be created. So essentially there will likely be columns that aren't used for EVERY row. But since the goal is for you to generate ONE automation… the only solution is to do that from ONE sheet.
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Answers
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You could conceivably use a Copy Row automation from your workplan and action log into the same sheet once a week in the late evening. On that destination sheet, include a checkbox column. Create an automation that triggers the following morning that does your desired notification, and ends up with updating the checkbox cell to checked. (So the automation would have a condition where checkbox is not checked).
Depending on how many people are on your team, this may or may not be a feasible second option - you can also create a KPI sheet that lists everyone's names, and has cross-sheet formulas that count the number of "in progress" items on each of the two sheets; you can then set up a branching automation to say "You have Workplan items coming due" or "you have action log stuff" or both, depending on the counts. (If you have Pivot, you can also do a similar thing without worry about the scalability.)
If this answer resolves your question, please help the Community by marking it as an accepted answer. I'd also be grateful for your response - "Insightful"or "Awesome" buttons are much appreciated. Thanks!
If this answer resolves your question, please help the Community by marking it as an accepted answer. I'd also be grateful for your response - "Insightful"or "Awesome" reactions are much appreciated. Thanks!
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Wouldn't the copy row function only work if all of the columns for the row are identical, which they wouldn't be for a workplan (e.g. start/end dates) vs an action log (e.g. date raised, due date, completion date)?
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It all ultimately depends on just how many columns you have on each origin sheet. There WILL be overlap of some data (name, for example) and some will be possible to unify (End date, for example - you can unify the column names to "Actual Completion Date" if that's appropriate for your individual use case). If there is a column in the source that doesn't exist in the destination of a Moved Row, the columns will be created. So essentially there will likely be columns that aren't used for EVERY row. But since the goal is for you to generate ONE automation… the only solution is to do that from ONE sheet.
If this answer resolves your question, please help the Community by marking it as an accepted answer. I'd also be grateful for your response - "Insightful"or "Awesome" reactions are much appreciated. Thanks!
