Best new way to automate notifications in a waterfall

MacKenzieR

Currently our (several years old) setup for automation depends on a sheet formula and I would rather have the full picture in the automation and I think maybe with updates that have come in where this is possible now.

Example: When Task one status is set to done, it updates in a special formula cell on the next line and then a notification is sent to Betty to let them know that the previous task is done.

Task One —- Status>Done —-Owner> Dave

Task Two—- Status> Blank——Owner>Betty ——Formula

I think that it maybe needs to happen like this because of references across lines. I'd like to avoid using a formula if possible because it makes the system a little too hidden for my team so they aren't able to understand what is going on and make updates later.

My current best idea is to add a column to task one that fills in the 'next task' owner of Task Two to allow the notification to work. But I feel like there must be a more sophisticated way to do this because it seems like a fairly basic workflow need.

Thank you!

Paul Newcome

Are you able to provide screenshots for context?

Genevieve P.

Hey @MacKenzieR

Great question! 🙂

Currently Smartsheet Workflows still only look at each individual row and the contents of that row.

Your set-up has the formula checking "the row above" to return information in the current row, which triggers the automation. This is still the best way to send out those notices… there isn't a way in the workflow itself to check a row's placement and what is around it. Thank you for posting your scenario though, it's an interesting one!

Please feel free to post an Idea of how you want automations to work in the Product Ideas section.

Cheers,
Genevieve