workflow automation

Mario

Are you considering to incorporate workflow automation to Smartsheet ?

Jeremy Michels

I am already incorporating workflow automation.  We are trying to increase this level. It is a powerful tool. It replaces a complete person in our company. 

Oliver

Hi Jeremy,

 

Can you eloborate on your comment? What types of tasks can you automate/how?

 

Cheers!

Mario

Hello Jeremy,

Yes, I would like to know how you use workflow automation. This is something very important to us. Could you please provide one or two examples?

Thanks

David Destreza

I'm also interested in this model.  I've seen the vids in the Help section regardnig integration of Smartsheet with Docusign, etc. 

 

Is this the core of your model or have you gone a different way?

 

Best

JBogert

I am very interested as well.

PPS Solutions

there is a lot of built-in workflow eg send an update request to a person and the system will send an email request/link etc to that individual.   What i would like to see is the ability to configure user defined workflows that trigger an action when something has taken place.  Eg a web based form that after it has it's data submited then sends an alert to a particular person based on a department selected in the webform.  The logic would need to determine which department had been selected and therefore who to alert in that department rather than alert all departments.  I dont actually need to do this at the moement it is just an example of a user defined workflow that has to make a decision (or multiple decisions) and then branch out to different actions as appropriate.

Jeremy Michels

The flow that we have is pretty detailed and to much to type here in a step by step.

We have a web form that we use to do a work order or an install request or equipment delivery. 

The form is filled out and the requireed fields is key to make sure you collect everytime.

The needed to have a start date and a complete date in the form.

The sheet recieves these dates and the fabrication schedule is based on them. 

A report for these form entries is set to be at the same time daily to go to the fabrication team.

They have a column that is not is for them in the sheet to signal the completion date was met. When Fab Complete is checked in the  report. It is also checked in the sheets the report is referenced to. 

That triggers a delivery report that is sent to the field team to verify that it is ready. This happens at 1pm daily. 

The same report is scheduled to go to Logistics at 3pm daily. What ever changes needed have to be done by 3pm. At this piont the Logistics manager starts to load trucks for the next day. 

The LM also has the delivery report linked to Smartsheet Labs to put it on a Google Map. The drivers det it on their mobile devices and so do the field staff. This is current to every time we open it. The driver can go into their report and select delivered and it will come off the report and delete from the Map.

The map also shows who the load is assigned to. So the contact is listed on the map.

The operations manager gets a report that show all loads completed for fad and delivered daily. 

 

All of this is started by a simple web form. 

 

Hope this gives you an idea on what automation can do. We do other types as well. 

 

Mario

Geez Jeremy! You can do all that with a single web form? I thought I was an expert in SS but obviously I do not even know where I am standing at.

 

I guess I have to study more! L

Mario

Jeremy,

I have a sheet to track my customers’ requests.  By default every time they enter a request, the system assigns a request number. Then I have to do the manual process of sending an email acknowledging their requests (I have a template) I enter the requirement number in email the subject line. I have to copy this email to other people within my organization.

 

Do you think is it possible to create a workflow process where SS web form triggers such email? That would save me a lot of time and I would not have to spend my entire day seating at my desk waiting for my customers’ requests.

 

Thank you in advance for any idea you might offer. 

Jeremy Michels

The way to get this done is with the outside apps. I could see where you can do this for people that are using the sheet. If they are not you need to find an outside app that will do this along side SS. Mail Chimp may do this also you can use the document link to do a mass email that will follow the numbers that you are creating when a form is filled out. Make sure they are enterng their email on the web form. That is key. When you use the programs above it will use this email to send the reply.

As far as the in house staff set up a notification when a new order is entered. That would be a blanket email to all. If you set up a Report to Smarthsheet by user then when the data is triggered in the assigned to column it will populate the report and send a notification to that person on the scheduled time.

Travis

Mario, you could use Zapier.com to email an acknowledgement email to the user when they submit a web form. Zapier uses our API to perform automated actions. You could set up a ‘Zap’ that will run when a new row is added (new web form submission). The Zap can take the content from the row and send that information to an email address that was entered in the web form (by the user). You also have the ability to add a custom message and subject to the email. Check out www.zapier.com for more information. 

Nic Mangialardi

Hello Mario,

There are outside sources that allow you to link your email and SmartSheet in order to trigger a response email when necessary.  One of those sources is Azuqua, for whom I work. You can do this through creating an account on our website (http://www.azuqua.com/). There is a 14-day free trial that you can access to start off. Then you will have the ability to create a Flo where you can integrate your information from SmartSheet and various other apps. In your case you can connect your SmartSheet information to your email through the use of various functions available in order to send the predetermined response. There are demo videos on the website to help you get a feel for the service as a whole. You can also contact us in any of these ways http://www.azuqua.com/connect/

Madeline Morris

Jeremy, do you do all of this with notifications, or reminders, or update requests?  Do your people actually go into the sheet to mark Fab Complete, or is it done via update request?  We are trying to do something similar to your workflow, but I don't want all 80-something of them messing around in my sheet  

ALAIN-STEPHANE

Any update in SMARTSHEET about this concern ?

Andrée Starå

Hi ALAIN-STEPHANE,

What do you need/want to do?

Have a fantastic week!

Best,

Andrée Starå

Workflow Consultant @ Get Done Consulting