Edit reports on a dashboard

Marc Shecter

Request

We need an option for the report widget that would allow users to edit report rows while viewing them in the dashboard.

The problem I'm trying to solve:

I have a report widget on a dashboard that shows users their assigned tasks. I'm using the widget on a Dashboard to give the users one place where they can see and make status updates to the work they need to do. 

I have to use a clunky workaround since there is no option to allow the user to edit their statuses directly in the widget on the dashboard(as shown in the attached capture). I have to train the users to click the widget, wait for the underlying report to open, make their edits in that report, save, and go back to the dashboard.

Needing to use this workaround means that 

1. I'll have to spend more time enabling people to use something that should be easier
2. The dashboards are less sticky since users must leave them to do their editing tasks
3. The reality of lack-of-simplicity of using Smartsheet dashboards may cause potential power users to go to other systems like Google Sheets which have a perceived easier experience. 

Newman33

Marc,

I wholeheartedly agree - the dashboard function is little more than a fun visual trick for a client otherwise; only serving to relay information in picture form to stakeholders.

Additionally, the width of the grid needs to be expanded full screen, or reports should be able to scale to the dimensions of the grid.

Kim Ryan

Yes indeed.

Specifically we are utilizing tablets to access dashboards and the mobile view only shows an icon to click for linked forms. To place a report in a dashboard and allow the user to fill out the report versus a form would be great. At present any thing dropped in a dashboard shows as an icon with a pen on it. Whereas the report is fully visible just not editable. What are people using for forms.....this is becoming a very limited option for checklists for various departments.

Marc Shecter

@Kim Ryan -- you wrote:

What are people using for forms..

I'm using Smartsheet forms to have people post new information to a smartsheet grid. I don't use reports in dashboards at all because of the problems I wrote about in my OP.

Chizu Hieida

It will help our entire team to cut their effort/time shorter to update our status - which also helps more accuracy on our progress reports

Kelly P.

@Marc Shecter

One workaround that I have used in the past is to use the Web Content widget on the dashboard in conjunction with the embed code option in the publish settings of the sheet (edit by anyone, access control = only available to users in the owner's account). This basically puts an interactive copy of the sheet on the dashboard. Filters are available on this interactive sheet, so you can just set one to show the tasks for the current user and teach users to turn on the filter. To limit left/right scrolling, put the columns users must update to the left within the underlying sheet and consider hiding any columns that aren't needed.

Hope this helps!

Josh Reed

I've used @Kelly P. 's solution a few times. I used it once to allow the user to change the time frame from which metrics should be pulled, then I had the data in all the charts/ graphs/ widgets looking at the cells in the embedded sheet so that once that sheet was saved and the dashboard refreshed all the metrics and graphics would refresh to the designated timeframe.

Pretty nifty. Still clunky and not aesthetically pleasing... but it works if you don't want to have to bother with web development lol.

If Smartsheet found clever ways of making this easier to do, or at least more polished looking when built that would be fantastic.

Serena Lopez

This would be very helpful for our team as well. As of now, we have several smartsheets embedded in our working dashboard, but we find that it slows down the loading. If we were able to combine several sheets into a single report that team members could edit in a dashboard, that would clean things up.

Serena Lopez

Salèha El D.

I was recently asked if the dashboard could be more interactive - could you add a link? (Report Widget)

• I use reports on dashboard to allow collaborators to see and keep track of the workload
• It is indeed a glorified list (view only), nonetheless a useful one
• Indeed, time could be saved if the collaborator (to whom the task has been assigned to) was either able to click on the task cell (with integrated link - to go to sheet) or update from the dashboard directly

Seams rather complexes, but this would enhance the user experience / interface.

AClifford

I agree. As a workaround, I pull up the data during meetings with the auto-refresh set to one minute. To update the data in real time, I then need to open a second Smartsheet account on my laptop. Meeting participants receive the updated data as it is presented during the refresh. But if I could change the date directly from the dashboard, that would be much more convenient. You would want to be able to toggle this feature on and off while configuring the dashboard, as I recognize that not every user would want it for every report or widget, myself included.

Andra T

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/97967/edit-reports-on-a-dashboard

I agree! This would streamline notetaking and make the whole process more time effective and efficient.

Penny_E

yes, to edit reports on a dashboard would be very helpful…thank you.

MPath

So, how's it going? :(