Consonance - Smartsheet Integration and Automation

Common Integration Use Cases Between Consonance and Smartsheet

1. Publishing Project Intake and Schedule Synchronization

Data flow: Smartsheet to Consonance, bi-directional status updates

Use Smartsheet as the front-end planning layer for new book projects, where editorial, production, and marketing teams submit title requests, launch dates, and milestone plans. Approved projects are then created or updated in Consonance with the core publishing workflow, manuscript details, and title metadata. Consonance sends back status updates such as manuscript received, copyedit complete, design in progress, and production approved so Smartsheet dashboards always reflect the current publishing schedule.

Business value: Improves visibility across the publishing portfolio, reduces duplicate project entry, and gives non-publishing stakeholders a simple planning view while Consonance remains the system of record for title execution.

2. Editorial and Production Milestone Tracking

Data flow: Consonance to Smartsheet

As manuscripts move through editorial review, copyediting, proofreading, design, and production in Consonance, key milestone dates and task completions are pushed into Smartsheet for portfolio-level tracking. Publishing operations teams can use Smartsheet to monitor overdue tasks, compare planned versus actual dates, and report on bottlenecks across multiple imprints or series.

Business value: Enables leadership and operations teams to manage deadlines in a familiar reporting environment without disrupting the detailed publishing workflow managed in Consonance.

3. Launch Readiness and Go-to-Market Coordination

Data flow: Bi-directional

Consonance manages the title metadata, publication date, format readiness, and final assets required for release, while Smartsheet coordinates launch activities such as marketing copy approval, sales enablement, catalog updates, and retailer submission tasks. When a title reaches a launch-ready stage in Consonance, a corresponding launch plan is created in Smartsheet. If a launch task is delayed in Smartsheet, the issue can be reflected back in Consonance to flag the title as at risk.

Business value: Aligns editorial, production, marketing, and sales teams around a single launch timeline and reduces the risk of missed publication dates or incomplete market readiness.

4. Rights and Contract Workflow Oversight

Data flow: Consonance to Smartsheet, with approvals from Smartsheet back to Consonance

Consonance stores rights information, licensing details, and contract-related metadata for titles and authors. Smartsheet can be used to manage the operational workflow around rights renewals, permissions requests, contract approvals, and territory-specific follow-ups. Rights teams can track due dates, assign legal review tasks, and escalate approvals in Smartsheet, while final rights decisions and updated status are written back to Consonance.

Business value: Creates a controlled process for rights management, reduces missed renewal deadlines, and improves coordination between editorial, legal, and business development teams.

5. Cover and Marketing Asset Approval Workflow

Data flow: Smartsheet to Consonance, bi-directional asset status updates

Marketing teams can manage cover review, jacket copy approval, and promotional asset sign-off in Smartsheet using forms, approval workflows, and task assignments. Once assets are approved, links or references to the final files are pushed into Consonance and associated with the title record. Consonance can then indicate whether the approved assets are ready for production, distribution, and retailer feeds.

Business value: Speeds up creative approvals, ensures the correct assets are attached to the correct title records, and reduces errors caused by version confusion across teams.

6. Portfolio Reporting and Executive Dashboards

Data flow: Consonance to Smartsheet

Consonance provides detailed publishing pipeline data, including manuscript stage, publication readiness, format status, and title metadata. This data can be aggregated into Smartsheet dashboards for executive reporting across imprints, genres, or seasonal lists. Leadership teams can track throughput, on-time delivery rates, title volume by stage, and production workload without needing to work directly in the publishing operations system.

Business value: Gives executives and department heads a clear view of publishing performance and resource demand, supporting better planning and prioritization.

7. Cross-Functional Launch Task Management for Multi-Format Publishing

Data flow: Consonance to Smartsheet, bi-directional for task completion

For titles being released in print, ebook, and audio formats, Consonance can provide the master title record and format-specific readiness dates. Smartsheet can then manage the detailed cross-functional tasks required for each format, such as audiobook narration scheduling, ebook conversion checks, print proof approval, and metadata validation. Task completion in Smartsheet can update Consonance so the title record reflects which formats are ready for release.

Business value: Helps publishers coordinate complex multi-format launches, avoid format-specific delays, and maintain accurate release status across the organization.

8. Exception Management for Delayed Titles and Escalations

Data flow: Consonance to Smartsheet

When a title in Consonance misses a milestone, such as late manuscript delivery, unresolved editorial comments, or delayed production approval, the issue can automatically create an exception record in Smartsheet. Operations managers can assign owners, set escalation rules, and track remediation actions until the title is back on schedule. Smartsheet dashboards can highlight at-risk titles by imprint, editor, or publication month.

Business value: Improves issue visibility, accelerates escalation handling, and helps publishing teams protect release dates by focusing attention on the highest-risk titles.