How do I set SmartSheet to include attachments on the emails that it sends from automation?

Felicia Wilson

Has anyone had success in having SmartSheet include attachments on the emails that it sends from workflow you set up?

 

When I create a workflow in SmartSheet to send an alert to someone I want to have the email the user gets include an attachment.  

 

Currently my trigger for the workflow is when the data in a certain field changes. My Action is to "Alert Someone" When I click on the three dots in the upper right corner of that section of the workflow and click "Advanced Options" the only options that display are "Column Visibility". If I click "Display only these columns, I can choose a field for "An Attachment" however, even if I check that box when the email is sent there are no attachments in it.

 

Any ideas on how to make this work and include attachments for the recipient to view when they get the alert in outlook from SmartSheet?

Genevieve P.

Hi @Aneesah Serrano and @Cidnie Hoang

Attachments are only sent if they are added or updated at the same time as the trigger for the workflow (please see the Help Center article Action Blocks: Specify What Kind of Automation is Triggered for more information).

The alert will only send the most recent attachment(s) made in the workflow, but yes you can add multiple attachments on each Smartsheet row (see: Attachments).

You may want to set the trigger to be when an attachment is added, to ensure that it's included each time, and then set up Conditions to filter the rows in the alert.

As an alternative, you could set up an Update Request type of workflow. Then lock all the columns you don't want them to edit, and set up perhaps one "checkbox" update to verify they received the email (or something similar). The Update Request form in the email will contain the attachments to view, but the user will need to open the form to see them.

There currently isn't a way to customize where the attachments appear in the emailed alert or the Update Request. Please provide your feedback to our product team by adding your vote and voice to this related Product Idea: Automations: include attachments

Cheers,

Genevieve

Paul Newcome

You can specify the columns and whether or not attachments/comments are included by accessing the Advanced Options of the message.

Felicia Wilson

Thanks. I saw that, however, when I click on "Advanced Options" I don't get an option for anything but choosing columns. If I choose "An Attachment" it still doesn't attach an attachment in the email the receipient receives from the automation. Maybe its a bug? Have you successfully used it?

Paul Newcome

I have successfully used it. Next question...

Are the documents attached to the actual row, or are they attached to the sheet? To be sent in an Automation like this, the docs would need to be attached to the row being sent.

Felicia Wilson

Yes the documents are attached to the actual row, not the sheet.

Felicia Wilson

I'm wondering if there is a setting I need to use or that my IT department needs to set? We use a single sign on to access SmartSheet and there is an enterprise license for our version so maybe some things are controlled by the IT admins?

Paul Newcome

@Felicia Wilson I don't think that would be the case, but I could be mistaken on that one.

And I do apologize. I just now saw in your original post where you stated you were checking the box in the Advanced Settings already. I must be half asleep. Haha. Sorry about that.

You may want to consider reaching out to Smartsheet Support as well since it should be working if you are checking the box to include the attachments and everything is attached at the row level.

Felicia Wilson

Thanks so much Paul. No worries on missing part of my post, appreciate the help. I will figure out how to reach out to support and ask.

Paul Newcome

@Felicia Wilson

HERE is a link to support...

Felicia Wilson

Thank you Paul.

Paul Newcome

Happy to help! 👍️

If you could, please post the outcome/solution here and flag the appropriate response(s) as "helpful". That way other people with a similar problem know that a solution may be found here.

Felicia Wilson

Wanted to come back and close this loop. I'm not sure what I did to get it to work but my automation will now include an attachment if I check the "An Attachments" box on the Advanced Options. However, one thing I discovered is that if you have multiple attachments on the row, the newest document that was attached to the row is the one that is sent to the user in the automated email notification. There doesn't seem to be a way to designate or control which attachment is sent.

Thanks for all your help in letting me know I was on the right path though.

Elizabeth Hernandez

I am having this same issue. I am using a form to pull in Legal Requests. That information loads into the Smartsheet with attachments, also generates an email notifying a Legal Administrator of the new Legal Request. The legal administrator then adds a couple items to the row and saves that information before assigning. This generates an email to the assigned person, but the items that are shown in the email are not consistent with what is checked off in the Advanced Settings. i.e., attachments. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Andrée Starå

@Elizabeth Hernandez

Hi Elizabeth,

Can you describe your process in more detail and maybe share the sheet(s)/copies of the sheet(s) or some screenshots? (Delete/replace any confidential/sensitive information before sharing) That would make it easier to help. (share too, andree@getdone.se)

I hope that helps!

Be safe and have a fantastic weekend!

Best,

Andrée Starå

Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD

✅Did my post 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!

Elizabeth Hernandez

@Andrée Starå

Thanks for responding, I have a web form that collects information that goes to Legal Department for Legal requests. This is set to generate a notification to an email for (LegalRequests) which is an email inbox and directly to a Legal Administrator. This email has attached emails. Everything works great here.

Now, the problem is when the Legal administrator reviews the incoming request and adds a few items, for instance, manually inputs "date assigned", then assigns to the specified attorney, which generates an email. The workflow has the specific information that is marked for the attorneys to see, as well as the Attachments, however, the Attachments are not coming through. I hope this helps. Thank you again.

Andrée Starå

@Elizabeth Hernandez If I remember correctly, you'll have to send it like an Update Request instead, and then the attachments will be included.

Would that work?