Reoccurring Task_How do I set up this sheet?

mragans23

I have a deliverable report that I am trying to set up. Majority of our deliverables are due every quarter (but some are only due one or 2 of the quarters) (and some "task" are due monthly, but not necessarily considered a deliverable).

What I need is to be able to show what is due every quarter and once a task is marked as completed, then that task is updated with the next quarters due date and status is changed to Not Started. It would also be good to be able to keep a history of the task from the prior deliverables so I can go back to it if there are any questions needed.

I need the report to keep each quarters task together in one view. (Meaning if I mark a task as complete and it updates to the next quarters due date, I don't need it mixed in with the old quarters reports w the new due date). Does that make any sense?

kowal

hi @mragans23,

I am bit lost what exactly do you need to achieve? You want a task (new row) to be automatically created in your sheet?

mragans23

@kowal So basically I need to set up a Smartsheet with every deliverable that is due. I need to have a column that shows which quarter each is due in (some will be due in multiple quarters). I would like to have one sheet for every deliverable listed or every task listed. Then I can branch out and have one for what is due within that quarter. If I need to update a task or add a task, I want to be able to do that in the main sheet and then it automatically link out to which quarter it is due in. I need to be able to keep a history on each quarter. So let's say In Quarter 2, I want to go back to Quarter 1 and see all of the task that was completed, I can do that. However, I do need to have a main tab for that quarters deliverables and tasks so we can keep track of who's doing what and the status of it.

Jennifer Kurtz

One idea would be to have a row for each time a task is due — in other words, things that happen in multiple quarters would be listed multiple times in your master sheet. You could give them distinct names, like "Quarter One xxxxx" or "January xxxx" As tasks (or deliverables) are completed for each quarter, you can filter them out. But, you'd also have the history of what's been done to look back on.

(I track Deliverables for work with my team as well, and we have a number of things on different cadences - monthly, biannually, annually. The above approach was the simplest thing I found when pulling this together.)

Alternately, to stick with your original approach & update dates to the next due date, I think you'd need some helper columns, date formulas, and some automation to copy rows to a new sheet to keep your history… I think it would be considerably more complicated to build. :) I'm curious what others may suggest on this, too!