Automation - Is it possible to re-send an approval workflow?

Gordon
Gordon ✭✭✭✭✭
inSmartsheet Basics

Hello,

I have an approval request workflow setup that sends data input from a Smartsheet form. Unfortunately, some of our approvers are losing the approval request email in their inbox or not responding to the approval requests in a timely manner. Is there a way to re-send the approval request for outstanding approvals and/or automate the follow up process for pending requests?

Also, is the only way to trigger the approval via the button that's included in the approval email?

I know this functionality exists (reminders/status) for row update requests, but I don't see a similar process for the automation approvals.

Thanks,

Gordon

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Best Answer

  • Gordon
    Gordon ✭✭✭✭✭
    Answer ✓

    @Michele ThomasFigured out a workaround, sort of. Pending approvals from Automation are shown in the recipient/approver's notification center and can be approved there. This doesn't solve the issue if you cannot get the recipient to respond timely or you need to "skip" them, but at least you're not stuck if the receipient cannot find the original email.

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Answers

  • Michele Thomas
    Michele Thomas ✭✭✭✭

    Hi Gordon,

    I asked this exact question the other day. There is not. You will have to resend the request update.

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  • Gordon
    Gordon ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited 07/02/20

    @Michele ThomasThanks, but since the approval request is being sent via Automation, I'm not sure how I'm supposed to do that? I can manually go to the row and send an update request, but it's not going to trigger the next automation step for the 2nd approval that follows the first?

    Hopefully we're both missing something. Seems odd that this is really the UI/UX that was designed for automation workflow approvals.

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  • Gordon
    Gordon ✭✭✭✭✭
    Answer ✓

    @Michele ThomasFigured out a workaround, sort of. Pending approvals from Automation are shown in the recipient/approver's notification center and can be approved there. This doesn't solve the issue if you cannot get the recipient to respond timely or you need to "skip" them, but at least you're not stuck if the receipient cannot find the original email.

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  • Traci Summers
    Traci Summers ✭✭✭

    I've been struggling with this as well. Asking executives to log in to Smartsheet is not an option. I need to re-trigger the workflow so it's fresh in their inbox.

    The request update feature does not send the approval again, it just prompts them to log in to Smartsheet. Again, not really an option for our busy executives.

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  • Gordon
    Gordon ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Traci SummersI figured out a workaround by manually changing the approval status column in the sheet from Submitted to Approved, which then triggers automation to go to the next approval step. I haven't experimented yet if this same technique will work on one-step approvals.

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Is it set to allow for multiple selections? If so, reports cannot group by that. The only way to get it to work on a dropdown column is if it is set as a single select.<\/p>"}]}},"status":{"statusID":3,"name":"Accepted","state":"closed","recordType":"discussion","recordSubType":"question"},"bookmarked":false,"unread":false,"category":{"categoryID":321,"name":"Smartsheet Basics","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/categories\/smartsheet-basics%2B","allowedDiscussionTypes":[]},"reactions":[{"tagID":3,"urlcode":"Promote","name":"Promote","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":5,"count":0},{"tagID":5,"urlcode":"Insightful","name":"Insightful","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":1,"count":0},{"tagID":11,"urlcode":"Up","name":"Vote Up","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":1,"count":0},{"tagID":13,"urlcode":"Awesome","name":"Awesome","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":1,"count":0}],"tags":[]},{"discussionID":106835,"type":"question","name":"Can I use Form collected Data to Pre-populate another form?","excerpt":"I have created a Credit App for our company... The form works great for collection of data. Once I have the data though, we need to follow up with Credit References, etc. What I would like to do is have a new form that is sent to someone to follow up with each of the references provided by our customers. What I would love…","categoryID":321,"dateInserted":"2023-06-23T15:12:05+00:00","dateUpdated":null,"dateLastComment":"2023-06-23T19:21:09+00:00","insertUserID":142957,"insertUser":{"userID":142957,"name":"PaulPerger","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/profile\/PaulPerger","photoUrl":"https:\/\/us.v-cdn.net\/6031209\/uploads\/defaultavatar\/nWRMFRX6I99I6.jpg","dateLastActive":"2023-06-23T19:18:38+00:00","banned":0,"punished":0,"private":false,"label":"✭✭✭"},"updateUserID":null,"lastUserID":142957,"lastUser":{"userID":142957,"name":"PaulPerger","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/profile\/PaulPerger","photoUrl":"https:\/\/us.v-cdn.net\/6031209\/uploads\/defaultavatar\/nWRMFRX6I99I6.jpg","dateLastActive":"2023-06-23T19:18:38+00:00","banned":0,"punished":0,"private":false,"label":"✭✭✭"},"pinned":false,"pinLocation":null,"closed":false,"sink":false,"countComments":6,"countViews":27,"score":null,"hot":3375084794,"url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/discussion\/106835\/can-i-use-form-collected-data-to-pre-populate-another-form","canonicalUrl":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/discussion\/106835\/can-i-use-form-collected-data-to-pre-populate-another-form","format":"Rich","lastPost":{"discussionID":106835,"commentID":382087,"name":"Re: Can I use Form collected Data to Pre-populate another form?","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/discussion\/comment\/382087#Comment_382087","dateInserted":"2023-06-23T19:21:09+00:00","insertUserID":142957,"insertUser":{"userID":142957,"name":"PaulPerger","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/profile\/PaulPerger","photoUrl":"https:\/\/us.v-cdn.net\/6031209\/uploads\/defaultavatar\/nWRMFRX6I99I6.jpg","dateLastActive":"2023-06-23T19:18:38+00:00","banned":0,"punished":0,"private":false,"label":"✭✭✭"}},"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Home","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/"},{"name":"Using Smartsheet","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/categories\/using-smartsheet"},{"name":"Smartsheet Basics","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/categories\/smartsheet-basics%2B"}],"groupID":null,"statusID":3,"attributes":{"question":{"status":"accepted","dateAccepted":"2023-06-23T19:18:53+00:00","dateAnswered":"2023-06-23T19:12:52+00:00","acceptedAnswers":[{"commentID":382086,"body":"

It depends on your automation settings. If you set it to unrestricted, you can send to an email address in a cell without giving them access to the sheet. You can also specify which cells are provided in the update request within the automation builder.<\/p>"}]}},"status":{"statusID":3,"name":"Accepted","state":"closed","recordType":"discussion","recordSubType":"question"},"bookmarked":false,"unread":false,"category":{"categoryID":321,"name":"Smartsheet Basics","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/categories\/smartsheet-basics%2B","allowedDiscussionTypes":[]},"reactions":[{"tagID":3,"urlcode":"Promote","name":"Promote","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":5,"count":0},{"tagID":5,"urlcode":"Insightful","name":"Insightful","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":1,"count":0},{"tagID":11,"urlcode":"Up","name":"Vote Up","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":1,"count":0},{"tagID":13,"urlcode":"Awesome","name":"Awesome","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":1,"count":0}],"tags":[]},{"discussionID":106840,"type":"question","name":"Report not showing all rows that match the filter parameters","excerpt":"Hello! I have a sheet that has 3424 rows with a specific Due Date. When I look at that filter option in the report, I see that it sees 3424 for that field. However, when I add that parameter, only 2500 rows display. I can't find a row limit to reports that would cause this. Is there a row limit to reports that I'm unaware…","categoryID":321,"dateInserted":"2023-06-23T16:50:36+00:00","dateUpdated":null,"dateLastComment":"2023-06-23T17:36:10+00:00","insertUserID":74136,"insertUser":{"userID":74136,"name":"asimcock","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/profile\/asimcock","photoUrl":"https:\/\/us.v-cdn.net\/6031209\/uploads\/defaultavatar\/nWRMFRX6I99I6.jpg","dateLastActive":"2023-06-23T17:45:49+00:00","banned":0,"punished":0,"private":false,"label":"✭✭"},"updateUserID":null,"lastUserID":45516,"lastUser":{"userID":45516,"name":"Paul Newcome","title":"","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/profile\/Paul%20Newcome","photoUrl":"https:\/\/us.v-cdn.net\/6031209\/uploads\/userpics\/082\/nQPUTVFKKWDJ2.jpg","dateLastActive":"2023-06-23T19:11:32+00:00","banned":0,"punished":0,"private":false,"label":"✭✭✭✭✭✭"},"pinned":false,"pinLocation":null,"closed":false,"sink":false,"countComments":4,"countViews":33,"score":null,"hot":3375083206,"url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/discussion\/106840\/report-not-showing-all-rows-that-match-the-filter-parameters","canonicalUrl":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/discussion\/106840\/report-not-showing-all-rows-that-match-the-filter-parameters","format":"Rich","tagIDs":[265],"lastPost":{"discussionID":106840,"commentID":382043,"name":"Re: Report not showing all rows that match the filter parameters","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/discussion\/comment\/382043#Comment_382043","dateInserted":"2023-06-23T17:36:10+00:00","insertUserID":45516,"insertUser":{"userID":45516,"name":"Paul Newcome","title":"","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/profile\/Paul%20Newcome","photoUrl":"https:\/\/us.v-cdn.net\/6031209\/uploads\/userpics\/082\/nQPUTVFKKWDJ2.jpg","dateLastActive":"2023-06-23T19:11:32+00:00","banned":0,"punished":0,"private":false,"label":"✭✭✭✭✭✭"}},"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Home","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/"},{"name":"Using Smartsheet","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/categories\/using-smartsheet"},{"name":"Smartsheet Basics","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/categories\/smartsheet-basics%2B"}],"groupID":null,"statusID":3,"attributes":{"question":{"status":"accepted","dateAccepted":"2023-06-23T17:47:12+00:00","dateAnswered":"2023-06-23T17:02:03+00:00","acceptedAnswers":[{"commentID":382031,"body":"

See this article. There is a 2500 row limit for reports.<\/p>

https:\/\/help.smartsheet.com\/articles\/2482082-configure-grouping-to-organize-results-in-report-builder<\/a><\/p>"},{"commentID":382036,"body":"

That is only for grouping. If you are not grouping, there should be a small link if you scroll all the way to the bottom of the report to go to the next page.<\/p>"}]}},"status":{"statusID":3,"name":"Accepted","state":"closed","recordType":"discussion","recordSubType":"question"},"bookmarked":false,"unread":false,"category":{"categoryID":321,"name":"Smartsheet Basics","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/categories\/smartsheet-basics%2B","allowedDiscussionTypes":[]},"reactions":[{"tagID":3,"urlcode":"Promote","name":"Promote","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":5,"count":0},{"tagID":5,"urlcode":"Insightful","name":"Insightful","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":1,"count":0},{"tagID":11,"urlcode":"Up","name":"Vote Up","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":1,"count":0},{"tagID":13,"urlcode":"Awesome","name":"Awesome","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":1,"count":0}],"tags":[{"tagID":265,"urlcode":"Reports","name":"Reports"}]}],"initialPaging":{"nextURL":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/api\/v2\/discussions?page=2&categoryID=341&includeChildCategories=1&type%5B0%5D=Question&excludeHiddenCategories=1&sort=-hot&limit=3&expand%5B0%5D=all&expand%5B1%5D=-body&expand%5B2%5D=insertUser&expand%5B3%5D=lastUser&status=accepted","prevURL":null,"currentPage":1,"total":5404,"limit":3},"title":"Trending in Using Smartsheet","subtitle":null,"description":null,"noCheckboxes":true,"containerOptions":[],"discussionOptions":[]}">

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