Referencing the last comment to update a column

Juston Oakes

Hi Community,

I've started a Software Issue tracker and so far I've found ways to display the information how I'd like it.  I hit a road block when trying to display the latest comment a field on the spreadsheet. 

I'd still like to use the comments thread so other Project Stakeholders can reference the communication for each issue but I'd like to reference the last comment in that thread and display it in a column on the spreadsheet.  This will help other users get a one page view of all open issues and the latest comment without having to open the comments dialogue box.

Can anyone help me accomplish this?

Andrée Starå

Hi Juston,

I don't think this is possible. Maybe it can work thru the API.

Best,

Andrée Starå - Workflow Consultant / Get Done

Richard Rymill SBP

Juston

I think you will find it better to get your colleagues using the Comment column as it is designed as it also shows the narrative trail, rather than as you describe? 

Better to use the tool for what is it great at rather than looking for something which isnt there? The guys at Smartsheet have put a huge amount of effort into designing intuitive solutions, so I would adopt their ideas first? 

Hope that helps? 

Richardr 

Brian Henderson

I think the original poster has a great idea as I'm also looking for this functionality. I want to provide my stakeholders with a "dashboard update" either online or in a printed report. I have analysts working on tasks and providing a weekly update. I only want to display the most recent update - face up and not have to drill down. There are obvious way to have an update column but that just continues to grow. The analyst would have to remove the previous update and place that somewhere, perhaps Comments, and then add the new update. This is a lot of busy work. We need a function to provide an update and to be able to pull the most recent update into a report, dashboard or something like that.

Suzanne Fogleman

I would like to see the most recent comment on the spreadsheet without having to open each comment field, so this functionality would help me as well.

Mara

Adding my voice to this one as well.  The comments are great for the interaction, organisation, comms trail, but being able to quickly view the latest one in an overview cell rather than clicking through would be fab.

Richard Rymill SBP

Just wondering why the alerts function is not being leveraged here? Video explaining below... 

https://youtu.be/rNFvFp4NhTA

I use this all the time and is particularly useful on NEW Comments as an alert comes up on both my phone and when I use the Desktop, showing me the New comment, read it and the alert goes away. (several people can be alerted). 

Otherwise as previously stated trawling through lots of old comments would be laborious. 

Richardr

SBP

 

@CollabMeganPMP

I have had to create a status summary field in my issue tracker where the assignee is responsible for summarizing the status of an issue when there is a major update (summarizing the comments basically).  This field then shows up on the report.  Would be nice to right-click a comment to have the option to "publish as status summary for row" or something like that.  We are getting by now, but the team has to remember to do the copy/paste or to type a summary.

Shelby

I would love to see this functionality as well...I'm currently building a warranty claims submission sheet and I utilize the row comments to document and update each claim. When I send a report to update each stakeholder, I have to copy the most recent row comments and paste them into a "Status Update" column cell, just so the latest update comments can be included in the report.

If there were a way to automate this process it would save me tons of time!

Andrée Starå

Hi @Shelby

The third-party service, Zapier, could be an excellent option for this scenario.

Is that an option for you?

I hope that helps!

Be safe and have a fantastic week!

Best,

Andrée Starå | Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD

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Alan Womack

This has been requested for years and always silence from Smartsheet. Submit an enhancement request. I will wager it's got PLENTY from readying the threads.