Sheet ownership was transferred without a request

Dale Heincelman

I believe there was a side effect to a mistake I did. Our structure is one workspace for all of our projects, with each project in a separate folder. I mistakenly removed sharing of my coworkers at the sheet level that were shared at the work space level. When I did this it removed their access from the entire workspace. As a side effect I am now the owner of all the sheets in all of the folders in the workspace. Is this intended design? Can ownership be restored back to what it was before I made the mistake without individual requests?

Paul Newcome

The same applies to dashboards and reports.

Here is how you can do this with a Sheet.

1. Share the person to the sheet with Admin permissions
2. Click on the dropdown where you can change their permissions after sharing.
3. You should have the option to "Make Owner"

Paul Newcome

That is correct. That is why I explained it would have to be done on the sheet/dashboard/report itself. It does not work for folders or workspaces.

However... If you do not have URL's referenced anywhere (instructions for use, Web Content Widgets on a dashboard, etc), and depending on how things are linked together with cross sheet references/cell linking, someone could "Save as New" the workspace and everything in this "new" workspace would be owned by them.

On the folder level (keeping url's and links in mind), if someone has Admin permissions to the workspace, they could use the "Save as New" feature to create a copy of the folder in the workspace. Everything in the "new" folder would be owned by the other person and the old folder could be deleted.

This technique could be used to "Bulk Transfer" if needed by placing everything each person needs to own into individual folders. Of course that relies on cell linking, cross sheet references, url's being accounted for and whatnot as well.

Andrée Starå

Hi Dale,

Not sure if it’s possible to restore it to how it was.

If you haven’t already, I would recommend that you reach out to the Smartsheet Support Team. Smartsheet Support Team

I hope that helps!

Have a fantastic weekend!

Best,

Andrée Starå

Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD

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Paul Newcome

You would need to share the person you intend to make the owner to the sheet itself as ADMIN. Then you will have the option to transfer ownership of the sheet to them. This would have to be done on the individual item level though.

Dale Heincelman

Will they have to request to be made owner? I do no see an potion for me to transfer without them initiating a request.

Dale Heincelman

**I do not see an option for me to transfer without them initiating a request.

Paul Newcome

The same applies to dashboards and reports.

Here is how you can do this with a Sheet.

1. Share the person to the sheet with Admin permissions
2. Click on the dropdown where you can change their permissions after sharing.
3. You should have the option to "Make Owner"

Dale Heincelman

yes that works only if shared at sheet level.. as they are already shared from workspace as admin you have to add them again at the sheet level as the option "Make Owner" does not appear if they are shared at the workspace level. My guess is that it would make them owner of the Workspace (if it were there).

Paul Newcome

That is correct. That is why I explained it would have to be done on the sheet/dashboard/report itself. It does not work for folders or workspaces.

However... If you do not have URL's referenced anywhere (instructions for use, Web Content Widgets on a dashboard, etc), and depending on how things are linked together with cross sheet references/cell linking, someone could "Save as New" the workspace and everything in this "new" workspace would be owned by them.

On the folder level (keeping url's and links in mind), if someone has Admin permissions to the workspace, they could use the "Save as New" feature to create a copy of the folder in the workspace. Everything in the "new" folder would be owned by the other person and the old folder could be deleted.

This technique could be used to "Bulk Transfer" if needed by placing everything each person needs to own into individual folders. Of course that relies on cell linking, cross sheet references, url's being accounted for and whatnot as well.