Why do attachments not work with Alerts?

Pam Grant · 03/13/20

I created an automated alert and selected the advanced columns to include the attachment but the recipient doesn't get the attachment. It works if I use an update request but I'm not really asking them to update anything. Should Attachments work with Alerts?

Andrée Starå · 03/15/20

Hi Pam,

If I remember correctly, it will only include the attachment if the trigger is referencing the attachment.

I hope that helps!

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!

Pam Grant · 03/16/20

Hi Andree

Thanks for your reply. I'm not sure I understand what you mean.

My trigger is

-when "Status" changes to "Sent to Requester",

-Alert someone and

-include Attachments, Comments and columns "Approver Response"

Andrée Starå · 03/16/20

Happy to help!

The trigger has to be that an Attachment is added or changed so the attachment must be the start of the workflow.

Make sense?

Pam Grant · 03/16/20

Thanks, I understand.

Unfortunately, that doesn't help me because the attachment gets added at the beginning of the process and the trigger is based on the Status column changing. Seems strange to me that smartsheet would give the option to include that attachment and comments when neither of them will go with the alert message. I will open an enhancement request for this.

Andrée Starå · 03/20/20

You're more than welcome!

Yes, it would be great if we could select what should be included and when on a more granular level.

David SCOTT Johnson · 09/01/20

Andree',

I am running into the same problem as the user who started this thread. The logical place to attach the attachment is on the Alert e-mail, not on the Update Request e-mail. Like the user above, I send the Alert based on a Status Column Change, as the attachment came with the original Form, when the form added the row to the sheet.

Has there been any improvement in this functionality, or new work-arounds that have come to your attention since March?

Thank you for your help.

Dave

Andrée Starå · 09/27/20

Hi @David SCOTT Johnson

Apologies, I missed your post.

Unfortunately, no, but I hope we'll see improvements soon.

Please submit an Enhancement Request when you have a moment

I hope that helps!

Be safe and have a fantastic weekend!

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!

firestorm · 12/09/20

Same issue for me, so I have changed to "Update Request" instead of "Alert Someone" so that the attachments are available. Only issue is instead of just receiving the notification, the person has to manually update the "Status" to proceed to next step.

Andrée Starå · 01/04/21

Hi @firestorm

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@workbold.com)

I hope that helps!

Have a fantastic week & Happy Holidays!

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!

firestorm · 01/18/21

hi @Andrée Starå

I have the same issue as @Pam Grant , i.e. attachment won't appear if it's just an alert notification, and attachment cannot be my triggering criteria.

Andrée Starå · 01/18/21

@firestorm

Ok.

The only option in Smartsheet currently would be to use an Update Request instead. They shouldn't need to update it to see the attachments.

Doesn't that work?

Also, Please submit an Enhancement Request when you have a moment

Victor Tey · 07/06/21

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/comment/275656#Comment_275656

The problem with using the 'request update' option is that the user must click the 'open update form' link in the email before they can see the attached documents on the update form. They are not attached as links or files in the email itself.

Smartsheets has an option in the sheet to email attachments, which sends an email with links to download the documents. This is one way it could be implemented by Smartsheets if adding attachments to email alerts worked as most of us would expect.

Robert Gallegos · 07/29/21

@ Victor Tey ✭

I'm not able to find this option?

"Smartsheets has an option in the sheet to email attachments, which sends an email with links to download the documents. This is one way it could be implemented by Smartsheets if adding attachments to email alerts worked as most of us would expect."

Can you send me direction to find this?

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heyjay · 11/18/21

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/comment/243114#Comment_243114

So why would they add the "An Attachments" if it does not work? Our trigger here is a date. When the date is reached, our notification will send a custom message + the uploaded attachment.

Kevin Turcotte · 06/17/22

Hi, I have a similar issue. The first step is evidence collection, so attachments are already on the row. An email is sent to alert another team who reviews, adds comments, had ability to make a few changes. When prepared to send it to the next stakeholder, they press the flag which triggers a workflow to send select fields, a customized message, and unfortunately... No attachments do far. Triggering the workflow by adding another attachment is not ideal, because we would accidentally trigger the workflow when adding more files.

Is there a workaround where somehow triggering the workflow sends the row including attachments to a new sheet? That sheet in turn has a workflow where any time a row is added it sends its own workflow, to the stakeholder.. almost like a helper sheet. Would attachments be included / is this even possible? Or by setting oneself or colleague as an approver to trigger a workflow which would send the attachment also?

Why do attachments not work with Alerts?

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