Notification to spefic user

Teresa Meyer

I have been asked to set up a SmartSheet to submit specific items for review and approval

I can have the email notification sent to the "approver" every time a new item is added - there will only be one approver.

 

What I would like to do is send an email back to the person who entered the specific item when the "approver" marks the item approved.  Each person to get notification only on their items.

 

I don't want all 20 people who would be sharing the sheet to get everyone's approval - that will be email overload (we already have enough of that)

 

Any ideas?

Travis

Hi Teresa - check out this thread that discusses this same issue: https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/row-specific-notifications

Teresa Meyer

Thank you for your reply.  I have been following that thread and I worked with your first workaround as you called out.... but I have run into the same problems that the others have

 

The first workaround is to create a separate notification for each user that will trigger when an issue is marked as resolved. To mark an issue as resolved in these examples, we will use a Dropdown List (called “Dropdown”) with an option for “Resolved”. 

 

-Insert a checkbox column named *employee name* (“Tim”)

-Add a formula to the entire checkbox column that will ‘check’ if the corresponding Dropdown cell contains the word “Resolved” and the Assigned To cell contain “Tim”

 

=IF(AND(Dropdown1 = "Resolved", [Assigned To]1 = “Tim”), 1)

 

-Set notification to email Tim if “Tim” changes

-Hide the “Tim” column

-Repeat for each employee

-

Teresa Meyer

Travis -  I have got this working.. but upon further review of your suggested post I have the same issue that the others are having....when a new row is entered the notification is sent because of the autofill of the formula. But I have a thought that could be a solution.. but I am not sure if I am thinking correctly...

 

What about this scenario:  before I set up notifications on the sheet set up a number of blank rows (however many you will need 20, 50, 100 whatever).  I am thinking I can enter a column "record" and type a number in only that cell to number each row.  Other fields will remain blank.

 

Then the autofill will already have the formula entered as the row numbers are assigned.  Since all of the other cells will be blank when users open the sheet those rows will appear empty and ready to have data entered.

 

Then turn on the notifications

 

Then the formula that you called out in your response will recognize the change as the new data being entered as the rows will already have the formula from the previously set up of the sheet.

 

Do you see a problem with setting up the sheet with a number of blank rows to accomplish this?

 

Please let me know your thoughts

 

Thank you!

Bevan

The easiest way to get this working is use Zapier, untoill SS dev team can get the functionality built.

 

Set up a zap that notifies the approver, then one that notifies the requester.

 

You get 3 free zaps without signing up to cost from Zapier.

Teresa Meyer

Thanks for your suggestion Bevan.  I am investigating the Zapier angle as well.  I just would prefer not to got to another application.  It seems like a simple function I wish I could get it to work remaining in SmartSheet.  I can dream - right 

Travis

Teresa - that solution could work, the only issue would be if you add new rows in the future. But if you need to add new rows, you could turn off notifications, add your rows, copy down the formula, then turn the notifications back on. OR just tell the users to ignore the email when you add the new rows. 

 

Zapier could also be a good solution. You could set up a Zap that will email the user assigned to a task if a row is updated and contains a specified value in a specified column (as a trigger). 

Teresa Meyer

Thanks for your reply.  My only thought was the new rows and like you said that is an easy work around

 

I have been investing Zapier as well.  I am going to see which I like best.

 

Thank you!

Bevan

Travis, How dom you set the autofil formula to populate rows added by a smartform?

Travis

Bevan - if you have the same formula located two rows above or below a newly added row (like a web form) then the formula will automatically copy to the new row. Check out this Help Center article on auto-filling formulas for more information: http://help.smartsheet.com/customer/portal/articles/1641473-auto-filling-formulas-and-formatting