Is there a way to utilize one sheet for multiple projects, but still roll up into a dashboard?

zmather_asd20

I work in an IT department as part of a fairly large school district.

We typically don't super fancy PM tools other than a project name, all the tasks associated with that project, who is doing those tasks, and when they need to be completed. So each division in our department has setup their own sheet which as multiple projects on that sheet and indents the tasks.

Our CIO would like to have a basic dashboard where she can track accross the entire department the number of projects currently in progress, which ones are complete, which ones are in progress, and which ones are healthy or not.

Is there a way to utilize each divisions sheet (which has multiple projects on it) to rollup into a basic dashboard?

I've gone through many of the templates and various videos and it seems like the "best" way to maybe accomplish this is to provide each project it's own sheet or WBS.

Again, we aren't PM's by trade and just want a simple, task-focused way to track projects and provide some visability accross the dept.

Cory Page

There are a few ways you could set something up pending on how complicated they want the dashboard to be. The first thing that comes to my mind if someone just wants something simple is to use the report function. I make sure to use workspaces heavily making a request like this quick and easy regardless of the number of sheets. This would be less effective if you cant consolidate under one workspace or if each division has very customized column names. But if you had a standard template for all your divisions and you could move them or already have them in a unified workspace then this is the easiest way to go. Workspaces are important because reports will automatically add any new sheets if when creating a report you select the entire workspace. Folders do not automatically refresh if a new sheet is added which means manually updating the reports, not cool.

Hunter Taylor

Hi zmather_asd20,

The best way to accomplish this is through program reports. Program reports are apart of the new update from Smartsheet released a few days ago. They are evolved from dynamic scope reports, which are a Smartsheet control center solution.

I'd be happy to help you further if you would like to connect for a demo.