Show the combined value of approved purchase requests in Smartsheet by building a single report and using the SUM function

Outline (a quick roadmap for readers)

• Set up the problem: multiple sheets hold purchase requests; we want one number that shows the total value of approved items.

• The smart move: build a single report that pulls approved requests from all sheets, then apply SUM to get the total.

• Why not the other options: individual reports, piling everything into one sheet, or a dashboard with many widgets.

• How to apply it in practice: quick steps, plus tips for clean data and smoother updates.

• Extra context: when to prefer reports vs dashboards, data hygiene, and a few real‑world analogies.

• Takeaway: a practical pattern that saves time and keeps numbers honest.

Article: How to show the combined value of approved purchase requests across sheets (without the clutter)

Let’s face it: sometimes your data lives in more than one place. You’ve got purchase requests rolling in from different teams or departments, each on its own sheet. The mission is simple in theory—show the total value of all approved requests—but the execution can get messy fast. The good news? Smartsheet gives you a clean, scalable way to pull those bits from every corner of your workspace into one view, then do the math for you. The right move is to create a report that combines approved requests and then sum the values. Here’s why and how to do it smoothly.

Why a consolidated report beats other approaches

Think of your sheets as puzzle pieces. When you try to cram the whole picture into one sheet, you usually end up with a Frankenstein—lots of manual copying, potential errors, and a workflow that’s hard to maintain. A report, by contrast, is designed to assemble just the pieces you need from across sheets and present them in a single, coherent view. It’s like having a smart telescope that pulls in data from every window and lines up the stars for you.

• A report pulls in data from multiple sheets automatically. You don’t copy-paste, you don’t chase updates in multiple places. The data you need appears in one place.

• You can filter by status and category so you’re looking only at “Approved” requests. No noise, just the numbers that matter.

• You can sum the numeric column right in the report. No extra spreadsheets, no manual totals, no guesswork.

Putting the other options under the microscope

• A. Create individual reports for each category. It sounds neat at first glance, but it creates clutter. You’ll end up with several separate outputs, then you have to tally them yourself if you want the grand total. It’s a lot of clicking, and the total can drift as things get updated separately.

• B. Compile all requests into one sheet before reporting. That might feel like a one-and-done solution, but it disrupts workflows and introduces risk. Moving data into a single sheet can trigger manual steps, version control headaches, and extra maintenance as new requests arrive.

• D. Create a dashboard with widgets for each category. Dashboards are fantastic for visualization and quick status checks. They’re great to show what’s approved, pending, or over budget. But a dashboard by itself doesn’t always give you a clean total unless you wire in extra calculations. It’s more of a top‑down view than a single, trustworthy sum across sources.

The practical approach: step-by-step to Bobbi’s scenario

Step 1: Identify the data you need in the report

• Decide which sheets contain approved purchase requests. Note the column that holds the value, like Amount or TotalCost, and the column that indicates status (Approved/Submitted/etc.).

• Make sure the numeric column you’ll sum is consistently named or at least easy to map across sheets.

Step 2: Create a new report and pull in the right fields

• In Smartsheet, create a new Report. Choose Source Sheets: those approved-request sheets.

• Add the relevant columns to the report: a primary identifier (like Request ID), a description, the Amount/TotalCost column, and the Status column.

• Apply a filter so only rows where Status equals Approved are included. This is your “clean slice” of data.

Step 3: Sum the approved values

• In the report, use the Sum (Total) function on the numeric column to derive the grand total. Think of it as your automated calculator that lives inside the report.

• If you want a breakdown by category later, you can add a Category column and group or sort, but the core goal—one total—gets handled by the sum.

Step 4: Keep it current

• Reports refresh as the underlying sheets update. If a new request goes from Submitted to Approved, it automatically flows into the report and the total updates.

• If you make changes to column names or add new sheets, revisit the report’s included fields to keep everything aligned.

Step 5: Interpret and share

• The resulting total isn’t just a number; it’s a concise snapshot of committed value. Share the report with stakeholders, or pin it to a dashboard for quick visibility.

• If you like, export the report to CSV or PDF for leadership reviews or external partners.

Tiny tips that make a big difference

• Keep column naming aligned: when you pull data from multiple sheets, having standard column names (like Amount, Status, Request ID) makes the report setup faster and less error-prone.

• Use clear status labels: “Approved” is your signal to count it toward the total. A small taxonomy helps everything stay consistent.

• Consider a separate “Total” line in the report’s footer for emphasis. If someone skims the page, that big number is where their eyes land.

• If you’re tracking more than one currency or unit, plan a normalization step before summing, so you’re not mixing apples and oranges.

• Don’t shy away from a quick test. Create a tiny, sample report with a couple of sheets first to confirm the sums look right before expanding to larger datasets.

A few real-world parallels

• Imagine a grocery list that pulls data from several store receipts. You only want the items you’ve approved for reimbursement, and you want to know the total amount before you hand it in. A consolidated report does exactly that, minus the paper mess.

• Or think about a contractor’s project ledger. You have multiple sheets for different subcontractors, but leadership wants one number that shows the total approved spend. A single, summed report delivers that clarity without fuss.

What to do when you really need visuals

If your audience benefits from seeing trends or a quick glance at how values distribute, you can pair the consolidated report with a dashboard. Use a KPI widget to show the total alongside a few supporting visuals (like a bar showing approved amounts by category). The key is to use the dashboard as a companion—not a replacement—for the reliable totals your report provides. Dashboards shine in storytelling; reports shine in precision.

Common questions you might have

• Can I sum values from different currencies in one report? If needed, normalize currencies in a pre-step (within the sheets or in a helper column) before summing, so the total is meaningful.

• What if some approved requests don’t have an Amount yet? If the Amount column is blank for those rows, Smartsheet will treat that as zero in the sum. If that could be misleading, add a quick validation step or a note in the report to call out incomplete data.

• Is there a limit to how many rows a report can handle? Smartsheet handles substantial data sets, but like all tools, performance improves with clean data and sensible filters. If you’re dealing with thousands of rows, consider segmenting by category and combining results.

A final thought: keep it simple, keep it accurate

The beauty of this approach is its elegance: you pull relevant data from multiple sheets, focus on the approved items, and let a built-in sum do the heavy lifting. It’s a pattern that saves time, reduces error, and scales as your needs grow. If you’re ever unsure which path to take, imagine you’re explaining to a teammate why this total matters. The reason becomes obvious: one trusted total, drawn from all the right places, tells the story without chasing shadows.

If you’d like to explore more Smartsheet patterns that streamline work across teams—like how to build more robust cross-sheet reports, or how to layer in simple validation rules—there are plenty of practical resources and tips you can try. The goal is to keep the workflow smooth, the numbers reliable, and the insights approachable for everyone who relies on them.

So, to wrap it up: for showing the combined value of approved purchase requests from different sheets, the best move is to create a report that pulls the approved rows together and then sum the values. It’s straightforward, it’s accurate, and it keeps your data work tidy—and that, my friend, is a win in any data-heavy day. If you want, we can walk through a quick example with your own sheets to tailor the steps to your setup.