How to gather change orders within a project plan?

Our marketing agency uses a SmartSheet form to collect new projects (project intake sheet), then we create individual sheets for each sold project (project plan). We execute the project as laid out in the Project Plan.

However, we also have a sheet to collect change orders for all sold projects (change order intake sheet). We manually review the change orders and update each specific Project Plan sheet with the identified resource, % time, start and end date etc. Change Orders are our trigger to "start the work" as outlined in the Project Plan.

How can I connect change orders within specific project sheets? We have hundreds of individual project plan sheets and creating a separate URL intake form for each project is not an option.

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Kevin Smith

Is there anything that an individual filling out the CO would be able to enter or could be associated to their name, email, that would be able to connect it to the project sheet? If so, there might be some good ways to associate them. For example is there a project ID, could you have all the Project ID's or names on the form as a drop down? Can you connect the project to a person's name, with a look up or are there too many projects per company/person, etc? Even if something could narrow the number of projects the person filling out the form, then use logic to direct them to a smaller list.. It could make it more manageable to get to the exact project to enter in a col. on the CO form. Once you know what project, you should be able to connect them but it does depend on what you mean by 'connect' the CO to the Project Sheet.

If any of this helps, I am happy to look closer.

Tegan Harris

Thanks for your response, Kevin! Yes, we do have an individual project number that is the same across a specific Project Plan and required on submitted Change Orders. We are having the CO requestor fill out a form that gathers required info and saved on a single Change Order Intake Sheet. Then we have our PMs connect that request directly in the Project Plan.

Maybe the issue is in how we are using Change Orders. Have you (or have you seen) where CO requestors submit COs directly within a Project Plan vs a form that goes to a single Change Order Intake Sheet? We have far too many Project Plans to have separate CO Forms for each; is the proofing function one that can be used to initiate a work order and subsequent COs?

Appreciate any help or advice! Thanks

Kevin Smith

I think you are on the right track. I have not seen Proofing used but that is an interesting idea and worth giving some thought to. Can you tell me a little more about what you actually want the CO to do on the Project Plan? Do you want it to appear as a new task or start a workflow? OR make changes to an existing task? etc.? I have not used CO's in this way but I am interested in learning how you are doing it and seeing if we can find a way to make it work the way you would like. If so, it has promise for a number of other uses.

Tegan Harris

Thanks, Kevin. I'd like the COs to make updates to an existing task within the Project Plan. At the start of a new project, the PM lays out timing, allocated resources, allocation percentages by task (row). However, the row's task may say "Design" at the beginning but until we get into the details of the project, which can sometimes take days or weeks, we don't know exactly what needs to be designed. So I'm trying to connect a Change Order to an existing task row. I'm also wondering I should use a CO document/PDF which identifies details of what "design" needs to occur and attach it to the task row; acting as an automated trigger to start work and also document the request for work and changes.

Kevin Smith

Those are great ideas but a form cannot update a row. I CAN"T WAIT UNTIL IT CAN!

So, you can add a CO row if it matches that sheet. (It doesn't have to be exact but it has to have some of the same fields extras will go to the end of the Project sheet). OR you can update a cell by doing an INDEX/MATCH (I would need to give that some thought but I think it would work). OR you can notify someone about a particular project CO arriving. You can also move the COs as they come in to a Project/CO sheet which you can do more with. (Not terribly different but cuts down on the clutter).

I am still thinking about the Proofing or Attachments but not coming up with much. Maybe because it's Friday. :) Let me know if anything strike a note and if you would like to explore one or more.

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