Is it possible to assign a task to multiple people?

Jeff Lane

Can't believe this is still a limitation after using Smartsheet now for 3+ years...

When will this be resolved? 

Zeblet

I just started to use Smart Sheet. 30 minutes in and I'm trying to work around this problem. I noticed that this has been requested for the past 2-3 years and solutions have been provided by the community, as requested. Yet the feature remains omitted.

Any feedback we can get on this?

Andy H

We've been planning our roll out of Smartsheet and one of the first limitations we have encountered has been the ability to add multiple people to a task.

Please add us to the votes to include this feature.

Many thanks,

Andy

Reseda Westbrook

I too am revisiting this request. We have reports due on a monthly basis for many different campaigns and have 4 people that need to be sent the reminder. It would be great to be able to choose all 4 in one reminder vs. having to set up a reminder for each one. Very time consuming for something that seems like a simple option.

 

Any update on this?

Justin

Another +1 for this feature of being able to assign multiple users to a task, but it looks like it's falling on deaf ears.

DWork

Add my vote, please!

MMaza

Need this functionality Urgently

 

Michael R.

Hello All,

I've posted this possible solution before about using generic emails or terms for task assignment. With my teams, we thoroughly use filters, conditional views and generic "Assigned Too." We look beyond using people's names and emails for everything. 



With our projects, we often have tasks that any of us can do. So one simple solution I use is to assign some tasks to "Anyone1, Anyone2" instead of a particular name. With having various filters setup, out of 100's of tasks, I can view all of my own tasks and Anyone1, and view the progress. When I have time left over after completing my own "name assigned" tasks, I will view tasks assigned to Anyone1 and then if important to do so, reassign it to my own name. Simple. If we need more of a team update per task (i.e., Don't overlook this task!!) we assign that task to one of our generic gmails setup that everyone for those level of task (creative, technical, financial) is subscribed to. So each team member, gets a copy of that email account's emails. There aren't that many, so no, people don't get inundated with extra emails. They're ONLY for task management purposes. So if I need to send out a Reminder to the "generic assignee email" I know that many people get it and someone will jump on the task. If no one does, I can view resources via each named assignee in the Sights and Reports or just in the SmartSheet tab itself. So if John completed his named tasks, logged his hours and it showed that he had 4 hours open that day but didn't jump on the "generic assignee" task, then I'll know it. Frankly, in this way, EVERYONE will know it. I hope this helps!

J. Craig Williams

Michael,

I applaud your system. It fails when managers are too weak (some call them 'nice') to hold people accountable. You are lucky to work with a team that takes ownership of the miscellaneous unassigned tasks.

Craig

Michael R.

Craig: That was great. You made me laugh! ;-) Ahh...yes...the dastardly "human element." Can't we "SmartSheet" it away?! Out, out damned spot! I think these rudimentary technical tools (spreadsheets) were the first phase of convergence between man and machine. And so far it seems, neither can be mastered! 



But I digress...I think you are correct, Craig. You appear to be well-experienced in the art of people management. No small feat! In all reality, Project Management = People Management. My solution, or void of solution, still requires human interaction. I think the way around "weak leaders" can be the use of a myriad of technical tools - as found in SmartSheet - such as rows, columns, labels, colors, hierarchical organization, legends, mini-systems, rules, formulas, boundaries, filters...all being ultimately wrapped in technical AND human accountability.



In reference to my solution in the previous post, I haven't found it to be much of an increase in responsibility for my people to check "unassigned" tasks while they're checking their assigned tasks. And with resource reports, everyone (or just management) can see who had/has open time.



SmartSheet can provide (in spades) what I call Open Accountability. It can produce all kinds of metrics in all kinds of ways. With tools like Sights, reports, automated tasks, sheet highlights, conditional formatting and filters, I (or anyone) can see nearly in real-time what progress has been made and the status thereof. Yes, it still involves creating the system(s) and then training everyone so they know it and follow it. (There's that human element again!) But to me, adhered-to systems are fundamental for having more than one person in a business anyway. Nothing can scale or grow or function without systems - and systems within systems. 



Craig, I want to say, I've read a few of your posts and you are a smart guy. So please note that most of my words above weren't meant for you specifically, but more in general in the hope that it may help some people newer to project management (or SmartSheet) to think outside the box. 

Thanks for the fun banter!

Michael

J. Craig Williams

Michael,

And thank you for the response. 

I have been 'blessed' by learning early on (and continually after that) that a bad manager can give as many life lessons as a good one. 

I've watched organizations try to deal with issues that were clearly (to me) human failings by chasing the next system or tool or platform or 'compliance program' without addressing the human side of things. 

I fear that in the art of people management that I am more a (fictionalized version of) Salieri than Mozart. I know it when I see it. 

To return to your post, there are a lot of nuances that we won't get nailed down in a few posts. For example, when dealing with software product development, there must be some mechanism to prioritize the tasks, otherwise the developers will choose to do the fun ones instead of the important ones and sometimes when the deadline looms, what is left is cut for the next release ... and you get a bunch of disjointed features that no one wants ... but at least they were fun to do.

Kind of like responding to a Community post at 4:17am because of jet-lag instead of either:

1. sleeping

2. working on my new computer setup

Craig

 

Michael R.

Craig. Or shall I say "PM Yoda?" This is too fun. I'm going to write you direct after this thru your site. But I think this thread has morphed slightly into the more TRUE issues with the deficiencies of project management. The scaling of a business system, no matter what tools are in place, are only as good as the humans managing the work, creating clear briefs, promptly managing tasks and the related metrics and ultimately DOING the work. Again, fun banter, Craig. ~ Michael

J. Craig Williams

Are you saying I'm old?

When my age you reach, look so good you will not, hmm?

I look forward to our off-line discussions.

Craig

Akın Duman

+9999999999

JEvanThomas

Please add my vote as well.