Demystifying the Parent-Child Relationship in Smartsheet – Debate at the Dinner Table

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Thursday, September 4

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Join us for a thought-provoking and practical series where we unpack the complexities, challenges, and hidden power of the Parent-Child relationship in Smartsheet. Presented as a dynamic “debate at the dinner table,” this session brings to life the tug-of-war between structure and flexibility, hierarchy and agility, and tips for avoiding circular references—those infinite logic loops that can derail your entire dinner conversation (and your sheet).

What It’s About:

Just like family dynamics around a dinner table, the Smartsheet Parent-Child relationship can get… spirited. This series is designed to help teams and collaborators:

Understand how hierarchy functions in Smartsheet rows
Balance reporting needs with ease of use
Clarify when to nest rows, when not to, and what happens when you do
Explore formula behaviors across parents and children
Learn how to create column formulas that accommodate both parents and children!

Let’s Not Forget the Extended Family – Ancestors & Descendants:

It’s not just about parents and children, sometimes, it takes a whole lineage to get the picture right. We’ll cover:

When to use ANCESTORS() vs PARENT(): for deep hierarchy tracking or simpler summaries
How DESCENDANTS() can be a game-changer: summarizing tasks, counting nested items, and filtering scope
Common pitfalls (like double-counting or broken references) and how to avoid them

What We’ll Cover:

What is a Parent-Child relationship in Smartsheet?
Why it matters, and how to avoid common pitfalls.
Control, dependency, and row hierarchy in complex sheets.
Best practices for organizing related data without over-nesting.
How roll-up formulas, conditional formatting, and automations behave in nested rows.
A live build-and-discuss workshop: we’ll take a chaotic sheet and turn it into a collaborative asset.

Speakers

Dustin Wise

Director of Solution Innovation

Dustin Wise brings over 16 years of experience in engineering, operations, and leadership to his role as Director of Solution Innovation at 10xViz. Known for his innovative mindset and creative problem-solving, Dustin leads client engagement and team leadership efforts, focusing on delivering automated, efficient solutions that transform the way organizations work. His collaborative spirit, curiosity, and ability to inspire action align with 10xViz's mission to empower clients with smarter workflows, enhanced visibility, and measurable results—returning their most valuable resource: time.

Ayelet Weiner

Principal, Systems Analyst & Transformation

Ayelet is a systems and operations leader with expertise in business transformation, process optimization, and enterprise Smartsheet implementations. They’ve led large-scale initiatives across industries to streamline systems and improve end-to-end workflows. Passionate about building systems that truly serve the people using them, Ayelet brings empathy, curiosity, and a collaborative mindset to every project. Their systems-thinking approach blends strategic vision with practical execution to drive lasting change.

Dansong Wang

Certified Solutioner

As a Smartsheet Certified Solution Consultant Dansong’s pleasure dive deeply into formulas, configuration and premium apps to deliver uber-effective solutions that work the way you work, and deliver to you and your team the information you need when you need it. This can only be done because we listen to, and hear, what you are saying. Lots of people can configure Smartsheet but here at 10xViz we design, build, and implement a solution that is tailored to you.

Jennifer Jones

CEO

Jennifer Jones (JJ) is the CEO and Founder of 10xViz, a Smartsheet Platinum Partner, dedicated to revolutionizing the way people work. With over 20 years of experience, Jennifer has helped organizations achieve greater efficiency, visibility, and collaboration—delivering measurable impacts to the bottom line. As a sought-after speaker, Jennifer enjoys sharing her expertise in leveraging technology to streamline workflows, bridge communication gaps, and drive meaningful results. She is passionate about empowering teams to work smarter, not harder.

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