Create custom, real-time notifications in Smartsheet using the Automation menu

Notifications that actually feel personal can be a game changer in Smartsheet. When your team gets the right ping at the right time, workflows hum, decisions land faster, and work moves forward without you babysitting every update. So let’s talk about how to craft custom notifications in Smartsheet—the kind that adapt to what matters for your project, not just what Smartsheet can do out of the box.

Where the magic happens: the Automation menu

If you’ve spent time in Smartsheet, you’ve probably seen the Automation menu. This is where you tailor reminders, alert rules, and workflow automations to your real-life needs. Think of it as the control panel for how and when people get notified about changes on a sheet.

Here’s the thing: you don’t just set a blanket alert and call it a day. You can specify triggers, conditions, and recipients so the notification lands only when something truly important happens. That’s the core idea behind custom notifications—keeping the message relevant and timely.

Triggers you’ll actually use

The beauty of Smartsheet’s automation is that you can base notifications on real changes, not just on a calendar date. Common triggers include:

• When a row is changed

• When a due date approaches (for example, within 3 days)

• When a status column changes

• When a new comment is added to a row

These triggers let you automate updates around the work that matters, without flooding inboxes with noise. It’s like having a smart assistant that knows what your project needs to know, and when.

Conditions that tune the signal

Triggers are powerful, but the real refinement happens with conditions. That’s where you can say, “Only notify if X is true.” For example:

• Notify the project manager only if the status changes to “Blocked”

• Send a reminder only when the due date is within a specific window and the task is still open

• Alert a stakeholder if a new comment is added to a task that’s assigned to them

Conditions let you avoid blanket alerts and focus on meaningful moments. They’re your filter, so you’re not chasing every single update.

Who should receive the notices?

Recipients can be individuals, teams, or even distribution lists. You can choose:

• People directly named on the sheet (like a project manager or owner)

• Stakeholders who never want to miss the latest updates

• A group or contact list that keeps everyone in the loop

Smartsheet also gives you flexibility about how recipients are derived: you can pull them from a column (for example, the “Owner” or “Assignee” fields) or specify them manually for a given workflow. This means you can scale notifications as your team grows, without rewriting the rules every time someone new joins.

What the message actually says

Custom messages are where you turn data into context. You’re not limited to a generic line; you can tailor the content to the situation. A well-crafted notification might include:

• The task name, sheet name, and a direct link back to the item

• The current status, due date, and any critical fields

• A brief note on what happened (for example, “Status changed from ‘Not Started’ to ‘In Progress’”)

You can also keep it concise or add a little color with a quick follow-up line. The goal is to give recipients enough context to act, without making the message feel like a novel.

Delivery methods: beyond the inbox

Smartsheet notifications aren’t limited to one channel. You’ll typically see:

• Email alerts, which land in the recipient’s inbox with a direct link to the sheet

• In-app or in-sheet pop-ups, where available, for quick visibility

• Reminders that ping on a schedule (handy for recurring tasks)

Pro tip: combine channels for critical items. For a high-priority task, you might want both an email and an in-sheet alert, so no one misses the update even if their email is momentarily buried under other messages.

A practical setup: a quick example

Let me explain a common setup you’ll probably recognize in real projects. You want to alert the project lead when a task’s due date is near and the status isn’t marked as complete. Here’s how you could configure it:

• Trigger: When a row is changed (the status or due date changes)

• Condition: If Due Date is within 3 days AND Status is not Complete

• Recipients: PM and the assigned person

• Message: “Task ‘Launch Website Copy’ is due in 3 days. Status: In Progress. Please confirm you’re on track or update the status.”

• Delivery: Email plus an in-app notification if available

This kind of rule delivers a targeted nudge at the precise moment you need it, without turning everyone into a copy editor for every little change.

Best practices that keep things sane

A smart notification setup isn’t just about making alerts work—it’s about keeping them useful. Here are a few calm, practical guidelines:

• Start small, then expand. Begin with a single critical workflow, then add others as you get a feel for what’s actually needed.

• Limit recipients to people who truly need the alert. Too many emails equals fatigue.

• Test your rules. Make a few dummy changes to see how notifications land and refine wording and triggers.

• Use specific, actionable messages. “Update needed” is less helpful than “Please update the task status and due date.”

• Prefer one clear channel for urgent updates, then use secondary channels for less critical notifications.

• Document your rules in a shared place. A quick note about why a rule exists helps teammates understand the workflow and reduces back-and-forth questions.

Common missteps (and how to sidestep them)

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by alerts, you’re not alone. A couple of typical pitfalls to watch out for:

• Too many triggers, too little value. If every tiny change sends a ping, you’ll ignore the alerts. Trim to only the moments that truly matter.

• Missing context in the message. A link to the sheet is good, but a sentence or two about what needs action is even better.

• Blind spots about recipients. If you rely on a single owner to receive everything, you might miss updates for others who care about the task.

Think of it like setting up a dashboard you can trust. You want signals you can act on, not a noise machine that makes you scroll forever.

Real-world touchpoints: where this sits in your toolkit

custom notifications are a powerful piece of the Smartsheet toolkit, but they don’t live in isolation. They complement dashboards, reports, and calendar reminders. Dashboards give a live pulse on project health; notifications push specific people to act. Reports help you see trends across multiple sheets, while alerts keep the day-to-day progress visible. When you stitch these together, your collaboration begins to feel more natural—like a well-tuned orchestra, where every instrument knows when to come in.

A quick reference checklist to take with you

• Open Automation in Smartsheet and choose to create a new workflow.

• Pick a trigger that matches how your team works (row changes, due dates, comments, etc.).

• Add conditions to refine when the alert should fire.

• Choose recipients from the sheet or manually specify them.

• Craft a clear, concise message with relevant fields and a direct link.

• Decide the delivery method(s) and test the rule with a real or mock change.

• Review periodically and adjust as the project evolves.

The human side of automation

Remember, these tools exist to support people, not replace judgment. A well-tuned notification system helps your team stay aligned, pick up blockers faster, and pivot when needed. It’s reasonable to tweak rules as projects shift—what worked in week one might need a trim in week four. The key is to stay observant: if teammates start replying with “Can you turn this off? It’s too noisy,” you’ve got feedback you can turn into a smarter rule.

A closing thought: the everyday win

Custom notifications aren’t flashy, but they’re quietly powerful. They help you capture the moments that matter—the moment a risk appears, the moment a deadline shifts, the moment a comment adds context to a decision. When set thoughtfully, notifications become a trusted, efficient heartbeat for your work.

If you’re exploring Smartsheet right now, take a moment to peek into the Automation menu and sketch one or two targeted rules. You’ll likely notice how much less scrambling you do just to stay in the loop. And isn’t that the point? To focus more on what matters and less on chasing updates?

In short, the right automation setup makes your sheet feel like it’s reading your mind—only it’s the data, not a person, doing the anticipating. And that’s not just convenient; it’s empowering for teams who want to move fast without skimming through a flood of noise. Give it a try, tune it as you go, and watch your collaboration take on a smoother, more intuitive rhythm.