Establishing a Cadence of Update Requests

aschneiderheinze1025

Our Program Developers are asked to provide an update on the progress of programs they are developing every 2 weeks. In my Sheet, a row for each program was copied from another Sheet once a proposal moved to development. So, I have a [Created Date} to use as the start of the first stage of development. I also have a [Launch Date} for when the program is scheduled to launch.

As a result, I can anticipate when a Program Developer would be notified to complete a form (in Smartsheet) providing updates to the program. This includes a series of Likert-style questions and an open-ended text box.

What is a "best practice" for automating this process:

• To send out the update request (with the link to the form) every two weeks between [Created Date] and [Launch Date]
• Track who hasn't complete the update request (within the two weeks before the next request)
• Notify leadership if there is a pattern of the Program Developer not responding to the requests (and filling out the form)
• Send a reminder to Program Manager to complete and submit the form

I understand I could use one or more automated workflows. Just want some ideas about best practices.

Thanks!

Isaac A.

Hi @aschneiderheinze1025!

Here is a pretty general way on how to create the setup you are looking for:

1. Automate the Biweekly Update Request
   • Set up a time-based automation or recurrence workflow to send an update request every two weeks between [Created Date] and [Launch Date], including a link to the form for Program Developers to submit their updates.
   • As a heads-up, Smartsheet doesn’t trigger workflows based on changes made by inbound cell-links or cross-sheet formulas. To avoid potential issues with workflow execution, it might be wise to use time-based triggers.
2. Track Non-Responses
   • You can manage pending update requests directly in the Row Action Indicators column by selecting View pending update request for this row. This allows you to see outstanding requests, sort them by date, and take actions like viewing details or deleting the request if needed.
   • If additional tracking is needed, consider using a checkbox column (e.g., "Update Submitted") that gets checked when a response is received.
3. Escalate Non-Responses to Leadership
   • Implement a helper column that counts the number of missed updates.
   • Set up an alert workflow to notify leadership when a Program Developer repeatedly fails to submit updates.
4. Send Reminders to Program Managers
   • Use a "Reminder" workflow to notify the Program Manager if an update remains incomplete before the next cycle.

This is a general approach, but you can always check our Help Center articles for best practices and key insights while creating automated workflows.

For reference, you may find these help articles useful:

• Request updates with workflows
• Automate processes with workflows
• Trigger blocks: When your workflow is executed

I hope this information helps you get started!

Cheers,
Isaac.