Due Date Automation for Tasks

Jessica Zell

Hello:

I have 2 quick questions regarding how to best automate/populate dates for project management timelines.

1. Is there a feature (or formula) within Smartsheets that allows you to specify if a task is a reoccurring item? For example, if on the last Friday of every month, we are to pull a client report, how do I set that automation in a way that the due date auto-populates month-to-month?
2. On a similar vein, is there an easy method to auto-populate due dates for tasks based on time increments? For example, if a post-event thank you note should go out the next business day after an event occurs - how do I initiate that automation in a way that the task due date populates based on the event date and falls on a business day?

Thank you in advance for any insight, and please let me know if I can provide further clarification on these questions.

Jessica

Andrée Starå

@Jessica Zell

Nice to e-meet you as well!

Here's a short description.

• Add a so-called helper column, Frequency where you add the different frequency options
• Add a Workflow, When a date is reached and then configure a custom recurrence matching the frequency
• Also add a Condition to check for the Frequency helper column
• And the last step in the Workflow, add a Record a date step
• Add Workflows for every Frequency
• You can also add a check for a a starting date, deadline and more

Make sense?

Would that work/help?

Bassam Khalil

Hi @Jessica Zell

Hope you are fine, Could you please add a screenshot for your sheet after removing any sensitive data.

Andrée Starå

Hi @Jessica Zell

I hope you're well and safe!

I recently developed a similar solution for a client.

I'll get back to the post and give a short description.

I hope that helps!

Be safe and have a fantastic week!

Best,

Andrée Starå | Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD

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Jessica Zell

Hi @Bassam Khalil,

Thank you for the quick reply! I do not have the sheet built out.

I am simply wondering if there's an easy way in Smartsheets to set up reoccurring due dates (meaning the date would automatically update on own according to the timeframe it's due - i.e. 1st of the month, 15th of the month, etc.)

I am also curious if there's a way to auto-populate due dates depending on when a predecessor date is listed. For example, if we have an event occurring this Friday and a post-event thank you note is supposed to go out 24-48 hours after, it would be great for this due date to auto-populate to Monday (i.e. the next available business day). In reverse, if a registration reminder is supposed to go out 60-90 days before the event date, then that due date would also auto-populate.

Happy to provide more info/examples for clarity. I sincerely appreciate your support!

-Jessica

Bassam Khalil

@Jessica Zell

Yes it can be done, if need any help to build this system I will be happy to help you. Please call .

My Email: bassam.k@mobilproject.it

Jessica Zell

Hi @Andrée Starå,

Nice to meet you. That would be AMAZING.

Marketing calendars can be tedious since due dates are established in a variety of different ways (i.e. based on frequency, time of the month, once another date is reached, etc.) I wish Smartsheets had a more simplified way to populate reoccurring dates and deadlines that are "backed out" or "future forward" based on an occurrence.

Trying to centralize everything into one view!

Best,

Jessica

Andrée Starå

@Jessica Zell

Nice to e-meet you as well!

Here's a short description.

• Add a so-called helper column, Frequency where you add the different frequency options
• Add a Workflow, When a date is reached and then configure a custom recurrence matching the frequency
• Also add a Condition to check for the Frequency helper column
• And the last step in the Workflow, add a Record a date step
• Add Workflows for every Frequency
• You can also add a check for a a starting date, deadline and more

Make sense?

Would that work/help?

Jessica Zell

Hi @Andrée Starå!

This methodology is very helpful, thank you! I will do some experimenting. Do you happen to have a dummy sheet or screenshots to reference incorporating this?

Thank you so much for the help. I hope Smartsheets will continue to improve their set templates/dashboards for multi-use marketing purposes.

-Jessica

Andrée Starå

@Jessica Zell

You're more than welcome, and thanks for the kind words!

It's part of a client solution, so I can't share it as is, but I'd be happy to share a simplified example. 

Please send me an email at andree@workbold.com, and I'll share it with you.

✅Remember! Did my post(s) help or answer your question or solve your problem? Please support the Community by marking it Insightful/Vote Up or/and as the accepted answer. It will make it easier for others to find a solution or help to answer!

Jessica Zell

Thank you @Andrée Starå! I sent you an email.

Andrée Starå

@Jessica Zell

I'll get back to you before the weekend!