Automatically request updates weekly without a trigger event

RyanSCampbelliC

We have created a new Smartsheet for our quarterly goals including an Assigned To, Status and % Complete fields. We would like to have an Update Request send out automatically at 8 am every Monday morning asking for people to update their Status and % Complete fields every week.

I tried going in and creating a new Update Request, but it requires me to identify a trigger event "When the following changes occur". The problem is, nothing should really be changing to trigger on, we just want the Update Request to be sent out automatically, even if no-one has made any changes since last week.

How can I setup my Update Requests to be sent out automatically each week to the Assigned To contact, even if there aren't any changes to trigger the event? 

Or is there some type of trigger event / change setup that I can setup that will work?

Thanks! :-)

Mike Wilday

You have to: (See Screenshot)

1. Click on the down arrow next to a row you want to send an update request on.
2. Choose Send Update Request
3. Choose Delivery Settings
4. Adjust frequency, 
5. Set day
6. Set time. 

Wash, Rinse, Repeat for each row. 

RyanSCampbelliC

Thanks @Mike Wilday. This technically does what I'm looking for, although it would be tedious to manually setup a personal update request for each goal (record row) on the sheet.

Does anyone know if there is a way to bulk request updates for all rows that are assigned to a specific user? 

I seem to vaguely remember doing something like this a few years back.

RyanSCampbell

UPDATE: I found a way to Request Updates in bulk weekly:

1. Click the row number at the top of the bulk set of rows.
2. While holding the shift key, click the row number at the bottom of the bulk set of rows to select the full bulk data set.
3. Right click on the row number for one of the rows selected.
4. Click on the Send Update Request... menu option link.
5. Enter the recipient, subject and message as desired.
6. Click on the [Edit...] button next to the Delivery option.
7. Change the frequency to Weekly.
8. Change the Deliver On date and time.
9. Click the [OK] button.

This will send a single email that will show a summary of all of the selected rows. Clicking on the [Open Update Form] link on the email will bring up a form to update the first row with an option at the bottom to move to and update the next row (paginated forms).

Mike Wilday

Wow. Great find and quick and easy to accomplish! 

Michael Kirzhner

I am looking to do something similar, however, I want to ensure that we only ask for updates for active / open items. Is there a way to set a condition for what rows you want the update on weekly?

kitg

Hi! 

In reference to your original post - We are going to be creating a similar sheet and implementing a process to get updates made on that sheet by managers. We are relatively new at Smartsheet and wonder if you'd be willing to share a blank copy of the sheet with us so I could take a look and potentially not have to re-invent the wheel?

Thanks Much!

Kit

 

Andrée Starå

Hi Kit,

Did you get something set up?

Have a fantastic week!

Best,

Andrée Starå

Workflow Consultant @ Get Done Consulting

Silvia C Rodriguez

Hello,

 

Related to this topic, I am wondering how can I add a conditional. I am trying to send out a monthly update request to different users but they should be updating only the current month which is only one column.

If can explain myself better this is what I am trying to accomplish:

My rows are my items

My columns are my months

I need to ask different users to update different rows (one user can update more than one row) every month. Fill out the data correspondent to previous month.

 

I appreciate any help

Silvia

Andrée Starå

Hi Silvia,

The simplest method I can think of would be to lock the month columns except for the current one. The users would be able to see all of them, but they can only update the current one.

Would that work?

Hope that helps!

Have a fantastic weekend!

Best,

Andrée Starå

Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD

Silvia C Rodriguez

Thank you Andrée,

I will try that.

You too, have a great weekend!

Andrée Starå

Excellent!

Happy to help!

Let me know how it goes!