Notify a specific collaborator in Smartsheet by tagging them with the @ symbol.

Outline (quick skeleton)

• Why focused notifications matter in Smartsheet

• The one-click solution: @ mentions in comments

• How to do it: simple, step-by-step

• Why this beats other methods

• Practical tips to keep conversations clear and efficient

• Troubleshooting quick checks

• Real-life analogies and a warm takeaway

Who gets the ping? The smart way to notify a collaborator in Smartsheet

If you’re juggling deadlines, dependencies, and a flurry of comments, you know how easy it is for someone to miss an important note. In Smartsheet, the trick to keeping everyone in the loop without drowning in email is right there in the conversation itself: mention the person with the @ symbol. Yes, this small character does a big job in directing attention exactly where you want it.

The right move in one line

The correct answer is B: Mention them with the @ symbol in the comment. This feature is Smartsheet’s built-in way to pull a specific teammate into the thread and nudge them to review your note. No extra steps, no separate emails, just a clean, in-platform signal that says, “Hey, this needs your eyes.”

Let me explain why this works so neatly

Imagine you’re coordinating a project with a dozen moving parts. People come and go from different sheets, updates pop up, and you don’t want to waste anyone’s time. The @ mention sits inside the flow of the conversation. It’s intuitive, immediate, and familiar if you’ve ever tagged someone in a chat or on a social post. In Smartsheet, that mention triggers a notification for the person you’ve tagged, guiding them straight to your comment. It’s targeted collaboration without the chaos of chasing people down by email.

What not to do (and why)

• Hashtag tagging in a comment? It won’t ping the person you want. Hashtags are great for filtering or group context, but they don’t send a notification to a specific collaborator.

• Linking a name in the comment? That’s a nice touch, but it won’t automatically notify the person unless Smartsheet’s tagging system recognizes it as a direct @ mention.

• Sending an email separately? That can be useful for a summary, but it steps outside the live conversation in Smartsheet. If your goal is to keep everything in one place, the built-in notification is the best route.

Making it happen: a quick how-to

If you want your colleague to see your comment fast, here’s the straightforward flow:

• Open the sheet and find the right thread or comment box.

• Type your message as you normally would.

• When you want to throw a beacon their way, type the @ symbol, then start typing their name.

• Smartsheet will show a list of matching collaborators. Pick the correct person.

• Finish your comment and post.

That’s it. The moment you post, that teammate gets a notification about your comment and can jump in with context, questions, or approvals. It’s like tapping someone on the shoulder exactly where the work happens.

Bringing clarity to teamwork: practical tips you’ll actually use

• Tag only when a specific person’s input is needed. If a broader audience needs to see something, you can mention a group or leave it in a general comment.

• Keep the note concise and useful. A quick summary, followed by the ask or next step, beats a wall of text.

• Use multiple mentions when several people are essential for a decision. It’s better to loop the right folks up front than to backtrack later.

• Pair mentions with a clear action. If you need a sign-off, say so: “Please review by EOD,” or “Please confirm the dates.”

• Reference related context. If your comment builds on a previous note, briefly recap and point to the thread or sheet area where the background lives.

Common sense, not clever tricks

This approach aligns with how most teams prefer to work: stay in the platform you’re using, keep the conversation thread tight, and minimize back-and-forth emails. It’s not about being “perfect”; it’s about being practical and keeping people aligned where the work happens. If you ever feel unsure, think: “Will this help the person I’m mentioning understand what to do next, right here, without hunting for context?”

A few friendly reminders to keep things smooth

• Not everyone who should see the comment needs a notification. Don’t flood the inbox with mentions; a targeted approach is more respectful of people’s time.

• Mentions are most effective in threads where context is clear. If you’re starting a new topic, a fresh comment with a crisp summary helps everyone catch up quickly.

• Check permissions if someone is missing a notification. They must be a collaborator on the sheet with access to the area you’re commenting in. If they can’t see the sheet, they won’t see the comment, even if they’re mentioned.

Troubleshooting in a pinch

If a teammate says they didn’t get the alert:

• Confirm they’re a shared collaborator on the sheet and have the right level of access.

• Double-check the spelling of their name in the @ command. Misspellings can keep the ping from landing.

• Remind them to review their own notification preferences inside Smartsheet. Users sometimes mute or filter alerts, and that can mute the ping too.

• Ask them to glance at the sheet’s Activity or Comments tab. Sometimes the notification center settings change, but nothing beats seeing the actual thread to understand the context.

A quick analogy to anchor the idea

Think of the @ mention like calling a teammate over to look at a schematic on a whiteboard. You point to the exact thing, you say a few words to set the scene, and the person comes over ready to contribute. It’s fast, efficient, and keeps the room coherent. No detours through other apps, no wandering links. Just a clean handoff in the place where the work happens.

Why this little feature matters for core product literacy

Smartsheet’s collaboration basics aren’t flashy, but they add up. When you can rapidly bring the right people into a conversation, you reduce delays and keep momentum. This isn’t just about getting a yes or no; it’s about preserving context. The team can see who weighed in, when they did, and what decisions followed. That clarity is gold when you’re mapping complex projects, juggling schedules, or coordinating across departments.

A note on tone and flow

You’ll notice this approach is casual enough for daily work, yet precise enough to guide action. It’s a balance that fits many teams: a human touch inside a capable tool. And yes, you’ll get the hang of it quickly. After a couple of comments, you’ll instinctively decide when to tag someone and when to keep things broader. Like any skill, it becomes second nature with use.

Final takeaway: keep the conversation anchored where it matters

When you want a specific collaborator to see your comment in Smartsheet, the move is clear: mention them with the @ symbol. It’s the built-in, no-nuss approach to direct notifications that keeps conversations relevant and teams moving forward. Forget chasing inbox threads or duplicating messages—the ping lands where it should, right in the flow of work.

If you’re curious to explore more Smartsheet essentials, you’ll find that many features work better when you see how they fit into everyday teamwork. The core ideas aren’t about clever hacks; they’re about making collaboration feel natural, immediate, and reliable. And sometimes, all it takes is a well-placed @ mention to turn a stalled discussion into clear progress.