How can I set a workflow/automation for subtasks?

Josué Flores

Hello! We're currently trying to set a workflow so that a notification by e-mail is sent seven (7) days prior to the projected start and the projected finish. Our goal is that this reminder is also sent for the projected start and finish established for subtasks. Nonetheless, my experience so far has been that a notification is sent only when the conditions are met for the parent task. Is there a way to set a workflow so that a notification is sent on the projected start and finish regardless if it's a parent task or subtask? I'll attach a picture of the workflow created. Thank you in advance!

Brett Wyrick

If you add values to the Date fields you're wanting to set the trigger for to the subtasks, this will occur automatically. Would that work?

Josué Flores

I'm not sure it'll work because the parent task gets the date value based on the subtasks. When I try to edit that cell, it says that it has a summary value and that it cannot be edited. So the workflow/automation that I'm trying to set, will send me an e-mail notification with the summary date that the parent task has without taking into account that the subtasks have different dates. It will not send me a notification for the conditions set regarding the projected start and finish dates specified for the subtasks. Only for the start and finish dates of the parent task. I'll attach an image to see if it helps.

Brett Wyrick

@Josué Flores - got it. So your sheet has Predecessors and Dependencies enabled.

Just so I'm clear, you want this automation to send an email utilizing the PARENT "Project Start" and the PARENT "Projected Finish" dates, yeah?

If that's accurate, here's your solution:

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Create two columns: "Parent Start Date" and "Parent Finish Date"

In the "Parent Start Date" column, paste this into the first cell:

=IF(PARENT([Projected Start]@row) = "", [Projected Start]@row, PARENT([Projected Start]@row))

Then make this into a Column Formula by right clicking the cell, then scrolling down to the bottom of the menu and selecting "Convert to Column Formula".

Repeat the same process for the "Parent Finish Date" column:

=IF(PARENT([Projected Finish]@row) = "", [Projected Finish]@row, PARENT([Projected Finish]@row))

Basically the formula says this:

If the date of the Parent row is blank (that is, if there is no Parent row), then show the value of the "Projected Start" column of the row. Otherwise, show the "Projected Start" value of the Parent row.

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Here's what it'll look like:

Blue highlight = earliest date on the "Parent" task

Yellow highlight = latest date on the "Parent" task

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Then just set up your Automation to be based on the "Parent Start Date" and "Parent Finish Dates" instead of the "Projected" columns you originally had, and this ought to work well. Let me know!

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Brett Wyrick

@Josué Flores Did my solution above work?

Josué Flores

Hello! Work has been a little intense and I haven't had time to try it out. As soon as I can, I'll let you know. Sorry for the inconvenience and thanks a lot for the help!

Brett Wyrick

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/comment/310374#Comment_310374

All good no worries! Let me know if it works out.

Josué Flores

@Brett Wyrick Hello! So far it's working. Thanks so much for your help!