Program reports

Program reports offer a more efficient and scalable way to maintain portfolio-level reports. They allow the solution to automatically update the scope of a standalone report (a report that lives outside the blueprint toolkit and isn’t replicated) with only the necessary blueprint toolkit source sheets.

Keep in mind

  • Program reports typically use sheets across many active or archived Control Center projects. Use report grouping to format and display the data in a more consumable format.
  • Include hidden columns in the blueprint source sheets to store key project profile data for grouping. Some examples of columns are:
    • Project Name/ID
    • Project Manager (or other important contacts)
    • Organizational Data (program, department)
  • Consider Smartsheet’s standard report limits to ensure optimal performance.
  • Create program reports anytime and apply them to in-flight or archived projects (archived projects refer to those archived via Control Center).
  • Only Program Leads or Additional Leads can create program reports.
  • Program reports are standalone and not part of templates, so global updates don’t apply.

When to use program reports

Program reports are ideal for:

  • Automatically minimizing the scope (number of sheets) included in the report, enhancing scalability.
  • Program reports can include:
    • High-impact risks by project (Scope: Project RAID log)
    • My Tasks by project (Scope: Project schedule)
    • Tasks by department or region
    • Unassigned tasks or placeholder resources for planning
    • Pending approvals
    • Open RAIDs
  • Program reports can span multiple programs and blueprints without requiring changes to the blueprint configuration.
  • Filter data based on project status (active, archived, or both).

Limitations

  • Program reports are subject to the same limitations as standard Smartsheet reports.
  • Modifying existing columns won’t update any program reports.
  • Save as New doesn’t work on program reports.
  • Sheet summary fields don't work as the base for program reports.

Best practices

Do

  • Give Admin permissions to Primary Leads for all required program reports.
  • Use a prefix or suffix in the report name to identify program reports easily.
  • Organize program reports in a single location, such as the folder used for portfolio reporting.

Don’t

  • Don't include program reports in the Control Center blueprint template folder.
  • Don't expect end-users to modify program report filters for ad hoc needs; instead, consider using current user filters or creating multiple program reports.
  • Don't delete templates used by provisioned projects, as this may block global updates.