scheduling a start/end date calendar for a list of tools

Hello

I'm looking for a way to track and schedule a list of tools. So right now, we have a list of specialty tools used for certain projects on Smartsheet. Whenever a tool is needed, it is shipped to the location where it's needed, and then it's location is updated in Smartsheet.

What I'd like is a way expand on this. And so it's easy for anyone at our company to use, I'd like to create a form where someone can choose a tool (or better yet, multiple tools) from the list, and then enter the start date, end date, and location for that tool. It would really be nice if something like the Gantt chart, with a calendar adjacent to the row where the tool is listed, could show the schedule of when a tool is reserved for use and where.

The Gantt feature only seems to allow one set of start/end dates (so a project timeline can be created). Since multiple start and end dates for each line item in the list will be needed, I'm assuming each item listed will need it's own spreadsheet where schedule and location can be tracked, where every time the schedule form is filled out, the next row in that tool's spreadsheet will populate with the entries.

This seems easy enough, but I'm just wondering the best way to display this schedule. I'd like to be able to filter multiple tools' schedules, and see them all adjacent to one another to be able to compare, see trends, and determine if a certain tool's schedule is filling up, signalling that maybe we need to get another one. Something similar to the Gantt chart, where the schedule is adjacent to the row, and will also filter when the column of tools is filtered, would really be perfect.

Is there a way to make this work? If not, are there suggestions for other ways to display this that would give the same information and usability?

Thanks

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Genevieve P.

Hi @CivilProjectEngineer

Your idea of having a form with dates and a Gantt chart should work exactly for your purposes! You shouldn't need to split this up into multiple sheets, one per tool. You could have one form that populates the same sheet, then use the Filter to narrow down your search. If you wanted to go the multiple-sheet route, you could use a Report to then gather all your tools into one view for your summary needs.

What I'd also recommend doing is set up some Conditional Formatting on your sheet so that each tool has it's own colour.

Although your rows will be in different locations, (ex. perhaps "Hammer" has a row at the top of the sheet, and then again at row 10), you will be able to filter and quickly see its specific Gantt view.

You can also display this sheet as a Calendar View on a Dashboard with the colour coding so users filling out the form can first review their dates with the dates that the tool is booked out.

Something like this:

Screen Shot 2021-09-03 at 9.52.16 AM.png

You can periodically SORT the sheet by the Start Date if you want to ensure the Gantt rows appear in order through the Calendar.

Screen Shot 2021-09-03 at 9.54.47 AM.png

Then you can filter by a specific tool:

Screen Shot 2021-09-03 at 9.55.27 AM.png

If I've misunderstood what you're looking to do, it would be very helpful to see screen captures of your current sheet and set-up, but please block out any sensitive data.

Cheers!

Genevieve

CivilProjectEngineer

Hi Genevieve

Thanks for looking into this for me!

I've thought about doing it the way you suggested, but I don't think it will work just because of the volume of "tools" we're working with.

We're a precast concrete company, and the "tools" are actually "tooling", or forms (pallets, side walls, and end plates), for casting our product in. Currently we have 422 individual pieces, and this number will only grow. We track each one with a unique serial number.

So when I look for a particular end plate set, or side wall set (in a certain size), it would be nice to just filter for that size, and see when all the plates of that size are reserved, and when there's a gap where I can use it. If the form piece is duplicated in a row every time its scheduled, i feel like the usability would be impacted.... (say I have 20 end plates in a certain size, and 16 are scheduled for 4 different locations...i feel like trying to see when it's available would become unwieldy).

Does that make sense? Maybe there's a workaround I'm not seeing...

Genevieve P.

Hi @CivilProjectEngineer

Thanks for explaining further. There currently isn't a way to display all of the blocked out dates in a Gantt view on the same row, the closest would be to Sort by the date and then apply the filter for that specific tool. The Calendar View would help to show gaps for that one tool, too, but it wouldn't show the Grid view next to it.

You could set up automations to move out rows that have an end date in the past, so it only has current and future bookings, but I understand that it would still be quite a large sheet with all your pieces.

Another option may be the Premium add-on, Calendar App, where you can display more details from the row in each Calendar card and Group or filter by the tool.

CivilProjectEngineer

Hi again

Thanks for your response. I was thinking about working with the calendar app instead. Can people without the premium add on still view the calendar, or would they need the premium license to do that?

Any chance you could share how you think that might look?

Thanks!

Genevieve P.

Hi @CivilProjectEngineer

The Calendar App license is to be able to create calendars; collaborators will be able to view your Calendar even if they don't have the specific Premium add on license. (See: Share or publish your calendar).

Here's a view based on the same sheet I pictured above, set as "Multi-Month":

Screen Shot 2021-09-14 at 5.30.29 PM.png

Here's a weekly view:

Screen Shot 2021-09-14 at 5.31.54 PM.png

There's a filter you can apply as well, if you don't want to see all tools at once. If you're interested in more demos of the Calendar App, I would recommend talking to your company's Smartsheet account representative.

Cheers,

Genevieve

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