Project Plan Email Notification not showing the project name

Jessica G.

Good Morning,

I have started using the PMO template from Smartsheets and have it running fairly well at this point. I am running into an issue where when Smartsheets sends a task update email, the shown changes to not show the project name. This is what my emails provide which i can go into the link to see what it's referring to but it would be easier if the name of the project would show.

This is what the project plan actually looks like from the project plan sheet…

Can you help me change what information is being provided in the email update please?

Sincerely,

Jessica G.

Rich Coles

Assuming the name of your project is always in Row 1 in the Task Name column, I suggest you add a hidden column to your sheet that will add the project name to every row. This way you can then have that field show in your automations or reference it in the notification using {{Project}}.

We always include this column by default in our plans. The formula is =INDEX([Task Name]:[Task Name], 1)

Jessica G.

Rich, thank you for commenting. I have a project plan for each project so the document is specific to one project… not numerous. Unless I misunderstand your suggestion, I'm not sure your recommendation would work in this instance. For each of my project plan docs, there are 45 rows of information. I think this would be a lot of redundancy.

Rich Coles

Hi @Jessica G. - looks like I've missed the point then, sorry! Where is it that you want the project name to appear? Just in the email title of the automation?

While my prior suggestion may appear to have redundancy, the reason I include a column with project name, or the project manager's name as another example, is that automations work off a row, so it needs the data field to reference and this can then be used in the email title as the {{Project Name}} field. Or you hard-code it into the automation for that project. But I avoid hard-coding if I'm using something as a template. I tend to include a number of hidden columns that are used as reference data and come in handy in many ways further downstream.

For example, an additional benefit of the project name column is then when you have people working across multiple projects, or are managing a portfolio, you can create reports that include the project name. More than happy to jump on a quick call if you wanted me to look at this as I'm sure we'd have it answered in no time! https://www.prodactive.co.uk/consultations

Rich

Jessica G.

Rich,

All good. I do really appreciate the feedback and help! As for your question…yes, I'd like to have the project name shown in the automation email. As for the other items, I'd never considered having hidden columns to work through automations or bounce from sheet to sheet. I am very new to Smartsheets so still trying to get my mind wrapped around how it works. I'd love to have a phone call with you about this. I am on EST. Would you happen to have time later this afternoon or perhaps Monday afternoon to discuss?

Sincerely,

Jessica Gravenstreter

Rich Coles

Hi Jessica - am still around for a bit if you wanted a quick call… email me on rich@prodactive.co.uk. Or use the link I shared before and put a slot in my calendar for Monday at a time that suits » https://www.prodactive.co.uk/consultations