Using Resource View without 'named' Users

Brad Forester

We want to use Smartsheet to build out our sales pipeline (consulting biz) and expected resource allocation. However, we don't have 'named' users (resources) until the project closes and we find the correct contractor. 

Is there an easy way to utilize resource views but without having named users invited into the smartsheet account? Something easier than setting up fake email addresses for 'Functional Consultant #1' and 'Technical Consultant #2' would be ideal.

Thanks for any tips.

Shaine Greenwood

Hi Brad,

Currently, all users must be invited to your account—meaning that each resource needs a valid email address.

If you're a google user, you can easily create an alias by adding +text to your email address, for example:

your.name+1@gmail.com

your.name+techconsultant1@gmail.com

When you have a moment, please submit a Product Enhancement Request (using the form under Quick links on the right of the Community site) to let our Product team know that you'd like to be able to create and use resources without them needing an email address. 

Brad Forester

Thanks for the reply & your suggestion. I'll try out the shortcut alias function with Google & also submit an enhancement request.

Mattias

Is this enhancement in place or is it still on the list?

Would be great to be able, in the planning stage, to be able to "dummy"-allocate to get a feel for resources needed. Once that is done it could be a great view for the booking department to work off and allocate real people.

Andrée Starå

Hi Mattias,

A possible workaround could be to use a temporary user like technician1@domain.com and so on. You'd then replace the dummy users to the real ones when you allocate the project.

Would that work?

Also, I think we will see enhancements coming later in the year because of the recent acquisition of 10,000ft.

Did you see that Smartsheet recently acquired the company 10,000ft? I think we will see significant changes and features added from them and hopefully, we will already see something at this years Engage conference.

Speaking more broadly, with the integration of 10,000ft, Smartsheet customers will benefit from the ability to plan and allocate resources across their projects, optimize resource allocation by function or skill set, track time against forecast, and gain real-time portfolio level visibility into the status of budgets and deliverables.

I can't wait!

More info: 

https://www.10000ft.com/

More info: https://www.smartsheet.com/content-center/news/smartsheet-acquires-10000ft-enhance-resource-management-capabilities

Hope that helps!

Have a fantastic week!

Best,

Andrée Starå

Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD

Mattias

Tried your suggestion with a dummy email, but it doesnt show up in the resource view? The benefit of using dumy users would be to be able to balance your future project without having to invite people before the plan is set.

The thing I would like is to get an generic overview over how many resources I have to book once I get the green light.

Maybe the 10000ft purchase will bring duration balancing into smartsheet

Andrée Starå

It should work with dummy users. Did you invite ”them” to your account? You don't need to confirm so it can be almost anything. 

Make sense?

Mattias

I did invite a dummy resource with a dummy email and then I assigned a task by picking the same resource from my address list. It didnt show up on my resource view from the gannt view

Andrée Starå

It should work or I'm missing something! I'll get back to you soon! 

Andrée Starå

I just tested and it works for me. Strange! 

• Is it configured in the project settings?

Can you maybe share the sheet(s) or some screenshots? (Delete/replace any confidential/sensitive information before sharing) That would make it easier to help. (share too, andree@getdone.se)

Mattias

Starting to think there might be something else thats wierd. Looking at another sheet where I do have "real" resources allocated, and I dont see any resources in the resource view there either...

 

 

Andrée Starå

I have to ask!

Are logged in to the correct account with resource view access? 

Mattias

Ill get som screenshots for you

I did try this on yet another sheet and had myself assigned to a task, and I did show up in the resource view.

Then I discovered that the other resources are assigned to children tasks.

So me allocated to a parent task is showing up in the resource view, but other resources assigned to children tasks does not show up.

Do you get the same result? 

Andrée Starå

Thanks! Something is off! I don't get the same result.

Can you share more screenshots of the resource view, project settings, and the sheet(s)?

Mattias

As reference to people looking at this post in the future, the thing that threw me off were the different types of "users". I got the Invited users mixed up with shared users of a sheet.

Although you can allocate the second type of user to the assign column, and they will show %Allocated if you choose to add such a column, they will not show up in resource view!

For that you need to invite them as a user under User managment and not just share the sheet. They dont have to be licensed or even respond to the invite (the function of dummy user sorted), to be able to see them in resource view once allocated.

Big thanks to Andrée Starå for all help and patience, boy do I owe him a large beer the next time he decides to visit the right side of Sweden...

Andrée Starå

It was my pleasure to help Mattias.

Thanks for the kind words!

Regarding being on the right side, you're