Pause the Smartsheet workflow to stop notifications during a manager’s absence while keeping your setup intact

When the boss is out, your Smartsheet notifications should pause, not panic. If you rely on automated alerts to keep a project humming, a temporary absence can create a twang of chaos unless you handle the workflow with care. So, what’s the cleanest way to stop those alerts for a week without losing track of what’s been set up? The short answer is: pause the workflow temporarily. Let me explain why and how that works, and what to watch out for along the way.

Pause, don’t vanish

You’ll see four common options people consider when a key manager is away:

• A. Pause the workflow temporarily

• B. Disable the workflow

• C. Change the notification settings

• D. Assign a different manager to monitor the workflow

For a one-week window, pausing is the sweet spot. It stops all automatic actions and notifications, but it preserves the entire setup—so nothing is lost when the manager returns. Think of it as hitting the pause button on a movie you’ve started. The plot stays the same; you just stop the screen from changing scenes until you press play again.

Disabling, while tempting, can be costly

If you opt to disable the workflow, you’re essentially turning off the automation entirely. That might feel like removing the plug, but it comes with a cost you won’t notice until you try to pick up where you left off. The context—the preferences, triggers, and conditions—often get harder to rebuild after you re-enable. It’s not just a toggle; it’s a reset that can introduce gaps in reporting, data updates, and the way tasks are carried forward. In a pinch, it might save a moment, but it risks leaving you with a messy reassembly later.

Tinkering with notification settings isn’t a guaranteed shield

If you choose to “change the notification settings,” you’re adjusting the levers for who gets alerted and when. That sounds sensible, but it isn’t foolproof for a longer absence. Certain conditions will still fire under the standard rules, and you could end up with a mismatched mix of alerts. It can feel like rearranging chairs on a sinking ship—cleaner on the surface, but the ship is still taking on water in the back room.

Assigning a different manager? It’s not always feasible

Handing the reins to another manager might seem practical, yet it can introduce inconsistencies. Different people have different levels of familiarity with the workflow’s nuances, exceptions, or dependencies. If the alternate manager isn’t fully up to speed, you risk miscommunication, skipped steps, or delays. It’s a good contingency in some setups, but not a universal fix.

The practical path: pause with purpose

Here’s the bottom line: pausing the workflow preserves your configuration and gives you a clean slate to resume. It’s not about stopping work forever; it’s about giving the team a clear signal that alerts are quiet for a short stretch. When the manager returns, you can resume with minimal disruption and no need to reconstruct how the automation was originally built.

A quick tour of how to pause in Smartsheet

If you haven’t paused before, here’s a simple, practical path you can follow. It’s straightforward, and it won’t leave you scrambling when the week is up.

• Open Smartsheet and head to Automation.

• Go to Manage Workflows. You’ll see a list of your active workflows.

• Find the workflow you want to pause.

• Toggle the status to Pause (or use the Pause button, depending on your version).

• Add a quick note or calendar reminder about the pause—for your team and for you when you return. A little context goes a long way.

• If needed, communicate the pause via your team channel. A short heads-up reduces confusion and sets expectations.

After you pause

• Check related notifications. If there are dependent sheets or reports, confirm they won’t run in the paused state.

• Review any urgent tasks. If something requires immediate attention, make sure there’s a manual workaround in place.

• Schedule a precise reactivation date. A calendar cue helps you pick up exactly where you left off.

Back-to-basics: why pause really works

Pausing is not a gimmick; it’s a practical workflow discipline. It respects the smart architecture you’ve built—the rules, triggers, and pathways you’ve already tested. You’re not re-creating a process from scratch later; you’re simply taking a temporary breath and letting the system hold steady until the manager walks back in the door.

A few quick pro tips you’ll thank yourself for later

• Leave a visible note. A one-liner on the workflow or the project plan explaining you’ll pause for a week helps new teammates catch up quickly.

• Test after reactivation. Once the week is up, run a dry test or schedule a light check-in to confirm all notifications ping as intended.

• Keep stakeholders in the loop. If customers or external partners rely on updates, send a gentle message about the temporary pause and when you’ll resume.

• Review dependencies. Some automation is chained to other sheets or automations. A quick glance ensures nothing slips through the cracks during the pause.

• Consider a standing protocol. If someone else might need to step in again, document a brief playbook for pausing and resuming.

The bigger picture: balancing efficiency and clarity

Automations are built to save time, not to create blind spots. When a key manager is out, the goal isn’t just to silence alerts. It’s to preserve clarity, maintain structure, and ensure everyone knows what to expect. Pausing does just that: it quiets the noise while preserving the tune.

A gentle detour into related ideas

If you enjoy exploring how these decisions ripple across a broader workflow system, you might think about a few adjacent topics. For instance, how does Smartsheet handle approval cycles when a key approver is away? What about using conditional alerts to avoid unnecessary notifications during holidays or quarterly close periods? These aren’t separate worlds; they’re parts of the same toolkit—designed to keep teams aligned while staying human about the real world of vacations, sick days, and busy weeks.

Putting it into a culture of care

Teams thrive when tools respect their rhythm. A well-timed pause communicates that you value focus and accuracy, not just speed. It’s a small signal with big impact: transparency about status, respect for colleagues’ time, and a plan that’s easy to pick back up.

Wrapping up with a clear takeaway

If you’re faced with a week where a manager is out, the simplest and most reliable course is to pause the workflow temporarily. It keeps your configuration intact, avoids the risks tied to disabling settings, and doesn’t force a complicated handover to another manager. When the manager returns, you’ll be ready to resume—no fuss, no guesswork, just a smooth handoff.

In the end, it’s about keeping the gears turning without adding noise. Pausing offers that balance: quiet, predictable, and reversible. It’s the steady approach for steady teams, and it’s a reminder that sometimes, a gentle pause is exactly what keeps the project moving forward. If you want, I can tailor these steps to your exact Smartsheet layout or walk you through a quick mock setup based on your current automations.