See projects rolled up in a program gantt

Yorg1001

Apologies in advance if this has been answered before - and I imagine it must have been since it seems a very obvious and primary requirement for managing projects in a business. Still, for something this fundamental I just can't understand why I can't see anything in the solutions centre or a search here in the community.

We are an architecture firm with a bunch of projects in Smartsheet using gantt view. Each project has stages (Schematic Design, Design Development, Documentation....).

We need to see these projects rolled up and represented in gantt form on one sheet. We also need them on one sheet but by project and stage.

This is so we can see the timing relationships between projects in this 'helicopter' view of the overall 'program'.

We currently have a klunky solution that requires formulas in special hidden columns in each sheet that are then acessed by reports. But its klunky and and demands that users copy/paste and not use Insert for rows when they make their project tasks. Invariably they forget to not use insert, and the forumulas don't copy.

Surely there is a readily accessible solution? 

Thanks in advance.

 

Debbie Sawyer

Hi

Sadly I don't know of a readily available solution for this, but I advise my delegates to set up a Grid sheet that links to the parent row of each project (using cell links).

So each time a Project sheet is created, the Project Administrator also adds a row to the Programme Overview sheet and using the Cell Link button to grab the Parent Row from the New Project sheet.

The Parent row should summarise all the different phases and should provide you with a high level view of dates and completion so far.

Would this help?

Happy to discuss further if required.

Kind regards

​Debbie Sawyer Consultant & Training Manager

 

Andrée Starå

Hi,

Another option could be to use the new Sheet Summary and Sheet Summary Report features. 

More info: https://help.smartsheet.com/articles/2479206-create-a-portfolio-view-with-a-summary-report

Would that work?

Hope that helps!

Have a fantastic day!

Best,

Andrée Starå

Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD

 

Paul Newcome

I was also thinking summary reports.

Andrée Starå

Yes, there's a lot of possibilities and power in it.

Paul Newcome

I'm just looking forward to the day when they announce we can use reports, summary reports, and sheet summaries in cross sheet references for formulas. Talk about possibilities and power there...

 

I feel like that would be about as huge of a deal as being able to calculate time.

Andrée Starå

That will be another game changer!