Tips and Tricks: Customized list with email capabilities (Yes, it is possible)
I had an interesting request from a workshop participant today: How can I create a custom list that has an Assigned to column that automatically emails a person when the list item is assigned to them? She looked and saw the Assigned to field as an available site column, but when implementing it, there was no configuration for automatically sending an email.
Reusability is a top priority of mine, so I started thinking about the list types available in SharePoint that incorporate Assigned to emails: Tasks, Project Tasks, Issue Tracking. The simplest in this list is Tasks. Why not create a task list and customize it for your needs by keeping the Assigned to field configured to auto-email and customize the rest of the list columns.
She created a new Task List:
- Site Actions -> Create
- Name: DELETEME-CustomizedList
- Description: Proof of concept for auto-email from a customized list
- Display this list on the Quick Launch: Yes
- Send email when ownership is assigned?: Yes
- Click Create button
With the creation of the list, she could now go into the list settings, delete all unnecessary fields/columns, create her own columns and have a highly customized list that automatically emailed a notice when a new list item was created.
It worked like a charm. Not bad for a thirty second fix.
I was asked to add email capability to a custom list just yesterday. I created a simple workflow using SharePoint Designer that sent an email to the user specified in “Assigned-To.” Your solution is simplier. The only advantage using workflow that I see is that it waits until the “Assigned-To” column is set and not just on creation. It also will “resend” if the column is changed. Nice to know there’s a way without workflow. Thanks.
Jake,
Good to know you could put it to use. That was a quick solution to a problem described during a workshop, so it’s interesting to see the comparison between it and a formal workflow.
Regards,
Mark
Too bad one can’t make the “Assigned To” column from that list a Site Column. Then you’d be able to include it as a column in any list in the main site or sub-sites.
I tried to do this, but found that the Assigned To column didn’t appear in the list of selectable fields.
Site Actions, Site Settings, Site colunmns under Galleries, Create.
(WSS 3.0)
hi all!
In this month i have created for my company, a sharepoint site named “Group Mail”. It is a shared mail box.
To do this “application” i have created 2 workflows, 3 custom controls, and 4 custom actions for wss/moss.
If you like to get information about its, please write me an email.
Bye!
Hi Andrea can I have some more info about your project.
Thanks
Hi,
I want to send a email notification to a resource whenever a task is assigned to that resource. I tried it by setting
Send email when ownership is assigned?: Yes
but resources are not receiving any email notification. Even outgoing Email settings is configured. Can any one help me?
thanks in advance.
And how would you do it if you need to send email TO the list as well?
Basically I need an issue/task type list that receives emails, as well as notifying on ownership change…
Good tip though.
Hey Jake J. can you please clear me about workflow you created to send email on creation/edit of list items to ‘assigned to’ feild. my query is here.
1. I don’t have MS exchange server setup for my users email syste. we are using pop email, so how my workflow will pull email id for ‘assigned to’ feild.
2. can you send me steps for this work flow.
Thanks a Lot
Is there any way to add the email notification to an existing custom list? Your solution only covers lists where the E-Mail notification is already an option.