Best practice question re storing project artifacts in SmartSheet

Hello everyone. I've been tasked with setting up our project framework for our team. For some projects, we have dedicated PMs, while for others, team members will be using SS.

Where I am struggling a bit is regarding things like project charters, presentations, etc. - our attachments (I know that SS has a project charter template, but it is not visually as nice as our current project charter).

Where are you attaching all of these so that people know where to get the latest version?

Currently, we are using SharePoint and/or shared folders, so it is easy to file everything away. If we moving everything to SS, I want to ensure that it is easy to find all the project documents and the latest versions. I have thought about attaching them to the workplan, but I think, given how many items in our workplan, people will be overwhelmed with what is in there.

The other options that was discussed, was to have a project checklist and then people could tick what project artifacts they are using and attach there.

What you are you doing and what would you do differently knowing what you know now (for the long-term users)? Thanks!

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Matt Johnson

Hi @Teresa Suranyi

Great question! My Team uses a combination of Smartsheet attachments and shared files accessed through hyperlinks on the sheets. My main deciding factors on what goes where are, how many sheets need access to the same file and how often is that file revised. For example, if the Project Charter is attached to the Sheet and applies to more than one project, you'd have to drop the revised version in each of the sheets anytime it gets updated. If the Project Charter is on a shared drive with a hyperlink to its folder on the sheet, any updates to the Project Charter would automatically be reflected.

I hope that helps. Have a great day!

Teresa Suranyi

Hi, Matt.

Thank you for the information. Just clarifying where you attach your project artifacts and things like presentations, etc. that aren't created in SmartSheet, regardless if they are attachments or hyperlinks. Is it to your workplan, have you created a single reference document that contains all these attachments or hyperlinks, or? I just don't want people having to search throughout the workspaces for these things.

Krissia B.

Hi @Teresa Suranyi

I understand that attachments such as documents and files are currently being uploaded using Sharepoint and/or shared folders to file everything away and would like to ensure that it is easy to find all these documents and the latest versions.

Upon further review and testing on this, your second suggestion would work best in this scenario where the Assigned user can "check" what project artifacts they are using & attach it to that specific row. From there, attachments that are uploaded can all be accessed/viewed on the right hand side (of a specific sheet you dedicated for files) & you are able to see all of them, by sheet-level or row-level (which in this case, row-level). See image below for reference.

You can create an automation (when a date is reached, when a status is changed or when a new information is added/changed) notify users that the file needs to be updated & from there, users who are assigned to that project can upload the newer version of this file.

Instruction on keeping your attachments current in the link here: Keep Your Attachments Current
To setup your automation: Automation

I'm sharing the links below from the Help Center to get yourself started on this.

Let us know if this works! If you have further questions on this topic, please provide us of screenshots of what you have setup so far (please block out any sensitive data), as well as steps taken so far to further assist you!

Cheers,

Krissia

Teresa Suranyi

Hi, @Krissia . Thank you for this! It's very detailed and helpful. Quick question - why do you have a column "docs attached to row" with a tickbox. Did you find that your users weren't noticing the paperclip icon in the left hand columns or does the tickbox trigger a workflow?

Genevieve P.

Hi @Teresa Suranyi

I believe @Krissia is using the Template "Project Charter Template" that you can find on this page: Free Project Charter Templates. This sheet comes set up with that column as an extra indicator that there's an attachment on that row, but yes, it could be used as a trigger for an automated workflow if you would like!

Personally, I would ask whoever is uploading the document to check the box so I can quickly see what rows have been updated/completed and then use that helper checkbox column as a Filter in the sheet or as a criteria to search for in a Report.

Cheers,

Genevieve

Teresa Suranyi

Thank you @Genevieve P!

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