Client collaboration method in SmartSheets

MMartinezEA

Would like to discuss client collaboration methods in SmartSheets.  Do you colloborate with clients through SS and how??

Travis

MMartinezEA- Another user might be able to provide some examples of how they collaborate with clients but from a feature standpoint, here are some tools you can use to collaborate: 

 

Sharing Sheets - Allows other users to log in and collaborate on sheets

Publish Sheets - Produces a URL for a sheet and anyone with that URL can 

collaborate (without needing a Smartsheet account)

Send Row/Sheet - Send a row or sheet to anyone via email

Update Requests - Send an editable subset of your sheet to anyone via email

Notifications - Automatic emails sent when changes are made in your sheet

Reminders - Emails sent to remind you and your team 

members of tasks they are assigned to

 

Janet Elliott

MMartinezEA good topic!  I'd be interested in real world examples also.  We share project plan, action item log and UAT sheets with the client.  Action Item log has notifications set for the task owner.  Client updates their tasks when done and we have a column for brief comments.  I update for our team.  Notifications are sent daily on updates.  I might try out discussions but the comment column has been working well we put initial, date and then comment so something like [JE] 5.6.15 Still waiting for specifications.  Then client might add their comments - nothing too detailed.  If there is an outstanding question I put the date and decision in the comment section so I can remember when it was resolved, by who and why because in a long project we sometimes forget why we made certain decisions without documentation.  The project plan is just FYI for the client - only I edit.  The UAT log is where I put the test plan and check mark for when it has completed QA on our side, then a Pass and Fail checkbox for client along with their tester's name.  If fail they can make comments as to their findings.  We then have a checkbox once the code has been pushed into production.  These checkboxes allow me to filter as needed and keep track.

 

Client loves the visibility and the remiders to the client are very helpful.

Stephen Branstetter

Great question MMartinezEA. Here are a few of the common collaboration methods that I see:

 

Technique: Automatically email your clients a report PDF of relevant information and project status.

Capabilities used: Reporting, Send as Attachment, Schedule recurrence

 

Technique: (similar to above) Automatically email your clients a Dashboard type sheet created using information Cell Linked from other sheets plus information that may not be on any other sheet. This allows you to control the look and style more than a report but is less automated.

Capabilities used: Cell Linking, Send as Attachment, Schedule recurrence

 

 

Technique: Use Web Forms to collect and keep track of client requests, use the underlying sheet to track status of requests.

Capabilities used:  Web Forms, Notifications (of new entry)

 

Technique: Request weekly client feedback on relevant rows using a Comments field and Update Requests 

Capabilities used: Update Request, Schedule recurrence

 

Hope this was helpful.