Project Metadata sheet for each project or Master Metadata sheet. Which is best?

wdouglass

I've just started working with Smartsheet. The Learning Center is very helpful and I'm setting up a proof of concept in the trial version following the directions here for setup: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=8c1ace8ce2d14472a986005d454626d8 I have a single Project Intake Sheet with all projects on it and I'm starting to create the Project Metadata sheets. The directions read as if there should be a separate metadata sheet for each project, but that seems as if it may be cumbersome to report off hundreds of separate metadata sheets later in any type of rollup report or dashboard. Should there just be a master project metadata sheet or is it really best to have a separate one for each project?

Thanks for any insight.

Wendy

Paul Newcome

I would suggest a separate one for each. You can create a report that looks at an entire workspace and filter off of sheet name containing "Metadata" for example and all of the metadata sheet will be included in the report. From there you can use additional filters, grouping and summaries within the report builder to generate almost everything you would need.

If you wanted a master metadata sheet then you would definitely want to start exploring the premium add-on Control Center.

Andrée Starå

Hi @wdouglass

I hope you're well and safe!

It depends!

Is all the metadata in the Intake sheet, or do you need to add more? And would it work to add the additional metadata to the project sheet(s) instead?

I hope that helps!

Be safe and have a fantastic week!

Best,

Andrée Starå | Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD

✅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!

Paul Newcome

I would suggest a separate one for each. You can create a report that looks at an entire workspace and filter off of sheet name containing "Metadata" for example and all of the metadata sheet will be included in the report. From there you can use additional filters, grouping and summaries within the report builder to generate almost everything you would need.

If you wanted a master metadata sheet then you would definitely want to start exploring the premium add-on Control Center.

Andrée Starå

Hi @wdouglass

I hope you're well and safe!

It depends!

Is all the metadata in the Intake sheet, or do you need to add more? And would it work to add the additional metadata to the project sheet(s) instead?

I hope that helps!

Be safe and have a fantastic week!

Best,

Andrée Starå | Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD

✅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!

wdouglass

Thank you both for the quick reply!  Andree - not all of the data we think we want to track is available at Intake, so I see where it makes sense to track the additional metadata on the project sheet.  I'll take your suggestion Paul and use a separate one for each. As we grow in learning the report builder it should get easier to see how everything fits together better.

Thanks again,

Wendy

Anne BWarren

Hello.

I actually have the same question as @wdouglass.

I am a grant manager and I have multiple grant projects that will roll up into a single dashboard. I am also relatively new to Smartsheet, and just starting the setup for the Project Management Office template set. It seems as though having a single metadata sheet in the Project Level folder (rather than in each project folder) wherein each line would link out or in to/from its own project (grant) would be the easiest way to ensure that all the projects have identical metadata fields for the dashboard.

Is my thinking totally off-base on this?

Thank you!

Anne