Automated workflows in reports

I searched but didn’t seem to find the issue I’m having posted previously.

I would like to set up automated alerts to individuals (contacts) based on a date triggered event however the base sheet has way, way more information than is necessary for those individuals to see. I have several reports that pull information from that base sheet and would like to set up an automated workflow based on the dates pulled into one of the reports but it doesn’t appear that there is any way to do this. All automation options are at the sheet level. Am I missing something? Is there a workaround?

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Comments

Andrée Starå

Hi Luke,

You could have an automated alert with a link to the report.

Would that work?

Hope that helps!

Have a fantastic weekend!

Best,

Andrée Starå

Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD

Debbie Sawyer

Hi Luke

There is an area with the Workflow Manager (where you are designing the automation/alert) where you can restrict the columns that are sent with the alert.

If you revisit the base sheet and go to Automation menu and Manage Workflows, edit your workflow (or create a new one). Fill in the Trigger block with the date that you'd like the automation to be triggered on and then underneath the Conditions block there is the action area.

For an Alert workflow the action is Alert someone... On the right side of this text there are 3 dots in a vertical line. Click on these dots and select Advanced Options this will take you to a dialog box where you can Select the Columns that the recipient of the alert will see.

I believe this will resolve your issue. I use it all the time with all the workflows I create for customers, as I agree with your post - sometimes there is just too much data in the sheet to make the alert that automatically sends everything useful!

Have a little look at this and let me know if it helps. If not, I am happy to have another go at helping!

Kind regards

Debbie Sawyer Consultant & Training Manager

luke_dubas

Debbie,

This appears to address my issue - I will see the next time the workflow is triggered. Thanks for the help!

Debbie Sawyer

You're welcome

Hamish Tailor

Hi there, hoping to get some feedback on the issue I am experiencing.

This article has been very helpful in setting up a workflow for reports however, when the notification email is sent out to external parties there is a hyperlink reflected in the content of the email which goes to the main sheet. The columns that I restricted access in the workflow alert to are no longer restricted. I feel like this defeats the purpose of restricting visbility.

Genevieve P.

Hi @Hamish Tailor

The link that goes to the source sheet for the workflow will only be valid if the user is shared to the sheet as well. If they are not shared to the sheet, when clicking the link in the email they will receive a pop-up window stating that they don't have the correct permissions. (Click here for the image of what they'd see).

Hamish Tailor

Hi @Genevieve P

This is not the issue I am experiencing. The sheet is shared with the users as well but the problem I am seeing is this:

1 - Workflow is created & columns are chosen to restrict access to some of the data

2- Alert is receive via email with a link to the source sheet

3 - User clicks on the link for the source sheet and is able to see the full source sheet. However, every column in the source sheet can be seen.

I only want users that are set up on the workflow notification to see the columns that I selected when I set up the workflow.

Cheers,

Hamish

Genevieve P.

Hi @Hamish Tailor

The difference you're describing is between what you send in the workflow and what they can see as a shared user on the sheet. In the Workflow you can set advanced settings to only send certain columns in that email alert... but this only pertains to the data shown in the email and does not adjust the sheet view at all.

Since these users are shared to the entire sheet, they are able to view all columns, regardless of what is sent in the email. You can read more about sharing permissions in our Help Center (see here).

If you want to limit their initial view, you could create a filter and set this as a default view (see here), or you could hide any columns you don't want them to immediately view (see here).

As a final option, you could create a Report from that sheet, to only bring in specific columns, then share the users to the Report as well (see here). Keep in mind they will still need to have access to the source sheet, but you can direct them to work from the Report and make their edits/updates that way instead.

Let me know if you still have questions!

Cheers,

Genevieve

ashish.vishwakarma91131

I have create a report to restrict the rows which belongs to the current user only however, when they receive the alert they also get the link of source sheet which has complete access and they are able to see entire rows, this defeat the purpose of my report.

How can I achieve this functionality?

is there any way, I can create automation alert on report instead of source sheet?

Genevieve P.

Hi @ashish.vishwakarma91131

In order for users to view rows in a shared Report they'll also need to be shared to the underlying sheet.

As an alternative, you could set up individual Reports per-person and then share a Published Link to that Report instead (see here for information on published links).

We also had a new release that allows you to adjust your alerts from the source sheet to remove out the sheet link, if that would help with your process! (See here).

Cheers,

Genevieve

ashish.vishwakarma91131

Hi Genevieve,

Here are my comments for all your options and none of them is relevant for me.

1.) setup individual Report for each user.

Answer : This solution is not feasible, I have more than 30 users and report is dynamic, it generate report based on the status of particular rows. I want to send the email notification with report link and not the source sheet link.

2.) New Feature of hiding link of source sheet

Answer : Sending email with specific columns with link is not feasible, I need to hide the link and send few relevant columns as well

Andrée Starå

Hi @ashish.vishwakarma91131

To add to Genevieve's excellent advice.

You could hide the link to the sheet and use the Placeholder feature to include the columns information as needed and include the link to the report.

Make sense?

More info:

https://help.smartsheet.com/articles/2477796-dynamically-add-cell-data-in-the-subject-and-body-of-request-messages

https://www.smartsheet.com/content-center/product-news/release-notes/send-alerts-without-sheet-links

Would that work/help?

I hope that helps!

Be safe and have a fantastic week!

Best,

Andrée Starå | Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD

✅Did my post(s) help or answer your question or solve your problem? Please help the Community by marking it as the accepted answer/helpful. It will make it easier for others to find a solution or help to answer!

ashish.vishwakarma91131

Thanks Andrée but this won't help me because my requirement is to hide the link and provide an information in table format that is based on a report with condition "Project Manager = Current user"

Unfortunately there is no such feature from Smartsheet to resolve this issue.

Andrée Starå

@ashish.vishwakarma91131

Happy to help!

Would it work to add a link to a report in the alert instead?

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