Start Here: Learn how to Add, modify, duplicate and delete fields in SmartSuite
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Overview
The Checklist field is one of our favorites because we love lists and there's a good chance you and your teammates do too.
Checklist fields allow you to create, assign, and set a due date for action items associated with a record such as a project, milestone, sales opportunity, or client interaction.
Never lose sight of those key follow-ups and to-dos again!
The Checklist field is an essential tool for getting work gets done in SmartSuite. Here, users can create and track their own to-do's, but additional features really level up this field's usefulness:
@Mention members to trigger notifications and bring awareness to checklist items.
Assign a member to a checklist item, effectively creating a formal task for them to complete. Assigned items show in the member's My Work queue.
Set a Due Date for each item. SmartSuite will track how long until the item is due, or how long past due it's remained open.
Display Formats
Solution Managers can select a color for each Checklist field. The color is displayed:
In the Checklist progress bar at the top of the field in the record
For each ✅ checkmark when you crush an action item!
In the field preview of Grid, Card, and Kanban Views showing the progress bar (Checklist Items closed vs. open)
Check out quick articles on Setting Default Field Values and Adding Help Text to fields.
Options
The only additional option in the Checklist field is whether to allow users to create new checklist items. This option is selected by default because in most uses it makes sense for users to be able to add new checklist items.
An example of when you'd want to prevent users from creating new checklist items is when you're using a Checklist field to adhere to a defined and static process where default items are created for each new record. Check out the example below.
Solution Managers can also choose to allow/disallow members from modifying or deleting default checklist values. They can also mark the checklist field as required. If selected, members will be required to add at least one checklist item before the record can be saved.
Checklists & Notifications
Notifications are integrated into checklist field behavior:
When a member gets assigned to a checklist item, they will receive an email and an in-app notification stating they have been assigned an item.
Members or teams that are @mentioned receive an in-app notification if they have been mentioned in a checklist item.
Just turn to your friendly notification center to view mentions or assignments:
Examples of Use
Big Sales Opportunity
You're the owner of a thriving software delivery consulting company. Clients invest serious trust and money in your services to deliver new business capabilities by implementing modern software systems and managing their internal teams through the changes to a new way of doing business.
The projects are complex and the sales cycles are long. Use the Checklist field to track all the important action items, engage team members with @mentions, and assignments to win that new business!
Creating Processes with Checklists
You're the Operations Manager at a commercial cleaning company to maintain pristine work environments for clients of all sizes and shapes.
You've decided to use SmartSuite's mobile apps to arm your staff with a powerful tool to track cleanings and identify issues. Enter the Checklist field!
Create default checklist items that represent the standard process steps to deliver on your service guarantee. Restrict team members' ability to add new items, and every new cleaning record sticks to the same process.
Note: Solution Managers can choose to allow or not to allow members to modify or delete default checklist items.
Checklists in SmartDocs
Every Checklist item has a SmartDoc field trapped inside it. Yes, the richest text formatting available in our favorite field - the SmartDoc - can be used in checklists: @mention, emojis, use code blocks, link records, insert images, and add divider lines & attachments.
To get started, just click Shift+Enter and then start slashing ////////.
Checklist Previews in Grid View
Use shortcuts in Grid View to track checklist item progress and quickly check off those to-dos! Simply hover over the cell and a single click will expand the checklist.
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