You can automatically deliver weekly sponsor updates from Smartsheet as an email attachment.

Weekly sponsor updates, the easy way

If you’ve ever seen a project sponsor’s inbox flood with scattered notes, you know how fragile updates can be. One missed email, one late attachment, and the whole picture gets fuzzy. So what if you could set up something that sends a clean, timely update every week without you babysitting it? That’s where Smartsheet’s automation shines: you schedule the sheet to send weekly as an attachment. Simple, reliable, and surprisingly liberating.

Let’s unpack why this matters and how to set it up so your sponsor stays in the loop without you chasing deadlines.

Why automated weekly attachments beat ad hoc updates

• Consistency breeds trust. When the sponsor knows to expect a fixed format on a fixed day, they don’t have to wonder about status or last-minute updates.

• Time is money. Scheduling a weekly email means you’re not drafting, attaching, and sending every week. You free mental space for real work rather than reminder logistics.

• Clear, uniform data. An automated attachment creates a standard view—no one has to wade through a flood of emails to find the latest numbers or milestones.

• Less noise, more signal. Automation reduces the risk of human error—forgotten sends or mixed up data can derail a decision cycle; automation minimizes that chance.

What to put in the weekly update

The goal is clarity, not clutter. A concise attachment with a quick narrative works wonders.

• Status snapshot: A one-liner on progress (on track/slightly behind/on hold) and any critical blockers.

• Milestones at a glance: What’s done, what’s next, and any shifts in timing.

• Key metrics: A few essential numbers (budget burn, remaining tasks, risk level) presented in a clean table or chart.

• Risks and mitigations: A brief note on the top risk and how you’re handling it.

• Next steps: What you’ll do by the next update and what you need from the sponsor, if anything.

A practical setup in Smartsheet (the how-to)

Let’s walk through a practical approach. You’ll be leaning on automation, a reliable companion in any Smartsheet toolkit.

1. Prepare a focused view

• Create a dedicated view (a sheet or a Report) that includes only the data your sponsor needs. Think of it as a digest, not the entire project dump.

• Keep columns tight: status, milestones, owners, dates, risks, and a short narrative field. If you like visuals, a small chart can live here too.

2. Build the automation blueprint

• Open Smartsheet’s automation center and choose to create a new workflow.

• Set the trigger to a weekly schedule. Pick the day and time that best fits your sponsor’s rhythm and your team’s cadence.

• For the action, choose to send an email with the sheet or a report as an attachment. If the option exists, attach the latest version of the focused view you prepared.

• Add the sponsor as the recipient. Include a clear subject line like “Weekly project update — [Project Name]” and a brief message in the body that explains what’s in the attachment.

• If you want, include a CC for your team or other stakeholders.

3. Fine-tune the attachment and delivery

• Attach the latest version: ensure the automation pulls the most recent data so the sponsor sees current information.

• Decide on the format: an attached sheet copy works well for detail, while a PDF version can be easier to skim. If Smartsheet offers multiple formats, pick what your sponsor prefers.

• Time zone and timing: confirm the time zone used by the automation, so the email lands when your sponsor expects it.

4. Test, then trust

• Run a quick test with a dummy recipient or a personal inbox. Check the attachment for accuracy, the subject line, and the body text.

• Verify the schedule after the first run. A one-time tweak can keep future emails perfectly aligned with real-world timing.

What the email should look like (a clean, human-friendly template)

Subject: Weekly project update — [Project Name] | [Date Range]

Body:

• Quick status: [One-liner]

• Highlights this week: [2 bullets]

• Risks and mitigations: [1–2 bullets]

• Next steps: [3 bullets max]

• Data snapshot: See attached sheet for the latest figures

Attachment: [ProjectName_Summary_[Date].xlsx or .pdf]

The language should be brief and direct. Think of it as a friendly executive summary that happens to arrive automatically each week, not a long memo that requires a careful read every time.

A couple tips that keep the flow smooth

• Use a single source of truth. The attachment should come from a filtered view or a focused report. It minimizes the “which version is the latest?” questions.

• Keep the framing consistent. A standard paragraph for risks or milestones helps the sponsor scan quickly and compare weeks.

• Don’t overload the attachment. A digest is more effective than a sprawling data dump. If needed, offer a link to a live dashboard for deeper dives rather than embedding everything in the email.

• Build in a quick feedback loop. A short line inviting the sponsor to reply with questions or requests for extra detail can turn these updates into a dialogue, not a one-way broadcast.

Common gotchas—and how to dodge them

• Wrong recipients or timing. Double-check the automation’s recipient list and the scheduled day/time. A small misalignment here can defeat the purpose.

• Data freshness issues. If the data in the sheet isn’t up to date by the time the automation runs, the attachment will send stale numbers. Schedule around data refresh cycles and test after any data model changes.

• Over-reliance on automation. Automated emails are great, but they don’t replace thoughtful communication. A note when a major milestone arrives or a sudden risk appears still belongs to you.

• Format friction. Some recipients skim better on PDF; others want a dynamic, editable sheet. If possible, match the attachment format to the sponsor’s preference.

A quick, human tangent you might appreciate

Imagine you’re running a weekly newsletter at a small shop. You don’t handwrite every issue; you’ve built a simple system where your receipts, stock levels, and comment boxes feed into a single digest. Then you press a button, and boom—the email lands in the editor’s inbox every Friday morning. It’s not magic; it’s a well-tuned habit. The project updates feel the same—less drama, more predictability, more trust. That’s the power of smart automation.

Real-world impact—and a tiny success story

A product rollout team I worked with embraced weekly automated updates. They created a focused sheet with key milestones, a risk log, and a short narrative field. The automation sent the latest version every Friday to the sponsor. Within a couple of cycles, the sponsor reported: “I always know where things stand before our Friday check-in.” The team saw fewer status meetings hijacked by data requests and more time spent on actual problem-solving. It wasn’t a miracle; it was a tiny shift toward consistency that paid off.

Bringing it all together

Scheduling the sheet to send weekly as an attachment isn’t just a neat trick; it’s a practical stance on communication. It puts reliable data in the sponsor’s hands with minimal effort from your side. You gain time, and they gain clarity. It’s a small automation with big impact—one that fits naturally into the modern workflow where every stakeholder expects things to work smoothly, without chasing down updates.

A final nudge to make it your own

If you haven’t tried automation for weekly updates yet, give it a shot. Start with a lean, readable view, pick a reliable day and time, and craft a straightforward email template. Then test, tweak, and let the system handle the routine. You’ll likely notice two things: you spend less time on status emails, and your sponsor’s confidence in the project grows.

If you want, I can help you map out the exact steps in Smartsheet for your specific sheet structure and stakeholder list. We’ll tailor the view, the attachment format, and the message so it fits your project rhythm like a glove. After all, the right automation isn’t about replacing effort; it’s about ensuring your effort always lands where it counts.