'Add comment or mention' automation – Allow the '@' to be directed at users listed in a 'People' Custom Field
CONTEXT
My organization would like to use a Wrike space to provide a big-picture overview of our projects, detailing the key activities and milestones from beginning to end.
Our idea is that upon the completion of a milestone – which is indicated on Wrike by a Status change – an automatization kicks which notifies the relevant users to proceed with their activities.
This would work as follows:
For [Custom_Item] in Space, when Status changes to 'Status_Milestone_1', then Add Comment or Mention @Job Title #1, @Job Title #2 (to proceed with their activities and to guide the project until the next milestone).
OUR ISSUE
In our organizational context, for some of these job titles we have multiple individuals. For example, for 'Job Title #1', we may have five users with that same job title. They perform the same activity, but are allocated to different projects.
The issue we face is a limitation in the Add Comment or Mention automatization. If I understand correctly, then it can be directed only at: followers, owners, author, approvers, or specific users / user groups.
For us this system is too rigid. Hopefully I can illustrate why with a brief example.
Image a situation where our 'Job Title #1' is an Editor position. We may have 5 editors in our organization. I do not want each editor to be notified for each project.
(Someone may suggest to add each Job Title (e.g., the relevant Editor, Designer, Sales Rep, etc.) as an assignee of the project, but our projects have 20+ milestones and we need to inform 20+ different job titles. Our goal is to streamline communication. I do not want everyone receiving either: (1) updates on all milestone advancements for their allocated projects; or (2) updates only for their relevant activities but for all projects.
The goal is to filter communication for each individual to the: (1) relevant projects; and (2) relevant scope of work.)
POTENTIAL SOLUTION
Wrike has a 'People' custom field. This allows you to assign a user to a custom field.
For example, on Project_1, I could create two custom fields: Job Title #1 & Job Title #2. Assigning the relevant users who have been assigned to that project.
It would be very helpful if the Add Comment or Mention automatization could pull an @ from a people custom field. Our issue could then be fixed as follows:
For [Custom_Item] in Space, when Status changes to 'Status_Milestone_1', then Add Comment or Mention @Job Title #1, @Job Title #2 (to proceed with their activities and to guide the project until the next milestone).
So from the 'Select Specific User or Group' button, you could select a user from a custom field.
Thank you in advance. I hope that this was clear. Should you have any questions or recommendations, please let me know.
Hi Anthony,
please upvote here: Automation Rules: Notify/Mention users from custom field type "user" – Wrike Help Center
Florian
Hi Anthony O'Donnell, thanks for creating and posting this detailed suggestion. Your post has been forwarded to the responsible team. If there's any update in the coming months, I'll be sure to notify you 👍
Rohan V Community Team at Wrike Wrike Product Manager Infórmate sobre las funciones y prácticas recomendadas de Wrike
Rohan V Wrike Team member Infórmate sobre las funciones y prácticas recomendadas de Wrike
Thanks for the redirect, Florian.
Thank you as well, Rohan V.
If anybody is interested in the solution I have currently implemented:
1. For each milestone, make the responsible user add followers.
2. Once milestone complete, then automatic message @ followers.
The proposed solution in the original post would still be very useful, for it would significantly reduce the total amount of manual work which needs to be done as well as make the process more simple to use.
Thank you so much, Anthony O'Donnell, for sharing the solution that you currently use. This would be useful for others! 👍🏽
Basudha Sakshyarika Community Team at Wrike Wrike Product Manager Infórmate sobre las funciones y prácticas recomendadas de Wrike
Basudha Sakshyarika Wrike Team member Infórmate sobre las funciones y prácticas recomendadas de Wrike
Of course, my pleasure. Wishing you a nice week ahead Basudha Sakshyarika.