Date baseline VS. Date Actual

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Hello Team,

I had just started working with smartsheet fairly recently and still getting the hang of it. So I am working on a project (well you can call it a program) that has the following:

  • Deployment of multiple sites with multiple devices (which we call "nodes") per site
  • Each site (or node) has the same tasks performed: survey, submission of survey, approval of survey, creation of turnover documents, approval of turnover documents, notice to proceed, access pass scheduling, installations, power enegerization, acceptance testing.
  • Each task have a "baseline" schedule and "actual start and stop schedule"
  • They have dependencies in which I have to take note as well on a week-on-week basis.

Can I do this in smartsheet? What I have in mind is a grid view of the following structure but I am not sure if smartsheet has a limit in indentation

  • Quarter View -> Weekly View -> Site Name -> Node name -> Tasks
  • Each node name as the tasks that was mentioned on the previous paragraph (bullet 2).

Now the output of it is that I need to create another grid view sheet for the metrics reporting.

Then out of the metrics grid view, I may need to create a report out of it and then eventually a Dashboard showing the schedule risks, and issues that we have based on the data.


Regards,

Abe

Best Answer

  • Debbie Sawyer
    Debbie Sawyer ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    Answer ✓
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    Hi Abe,

    Yes, Smartsheet should be able to do all of this, although there isn't a "feature" for baselining you can get a baseline working from copying initial setup sheets and using reports effectively.

    I would recommend a Project sheet for your tasks with dependencies, a grid sheet for a portfolio tracker, a grid sheet for the metrics (if the Summary pane is not appropriate for your metrics (depends on how complicated your metrics are)) and a set of dashboards for overview and navigation.

    There are some great automations, including approval requests available too which might help your scenario here.

    If you are new to Smartsheet, the Smartsheet website itself has a lot of how to instructional videos and training on offer. If you'd like some more bespoke, interactive training, I do offer that too on a Remote Workshop basis: more info found here for both our and Smartsheet's offers.

    Good luck!

    Kind regards

    ​Debbie Sawyer Consultant & Training Manager


     

Answers

  • Debbie Sawyer
    Debbie Sawyer ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    Answer ✓
    Options

    Hi Abe,

    Yes, Smartsheet should be able to do all of this, although there isn't a "feature" for baselining you can get a baseline working from copying initial setup sheets and using reports effectively.

    I would recommend a Project sheet for your tasks with dependencies, a grid sheet for a portfolio tracker, a grid sheet for the metrics (if the Summary pane is not appropriate for your metrics (depends on how complicated your metrics are)) and a set of dashboards for overview and navigation.

    There are some great automations, including approval requests available too which might help your scenario here.

    If you are new to Smartsheet, the Smartsheet website itself has a lot of how to instructional videos and training on offer. If you'd like some more bespoke, interactive training, I do offer that too on a Remote Workshop basis: more info found here for both our and Smartsheet's offers.

    Good luck!

    Kind regards

    ​Debbie Sawyer Consultant & Training Manager