Smartsheet - Axiell Integration and Automation

Common Integration Use Cases Between Smartsheet and Axiell

1. Collection Digitization Project Tracking

Direction: Axiell to Smartsheet

When museums or archives launch digitization initiatives, Axiell can remain the system of record for collection metadata while Smartsheet manages the project execution layer. Item records, digitization status, and priority flags can be pushed from Axiell into Smartsheet to create work plans for scanning, photography, metadata review, and quality control.

• Automatically create Smartsheet tasks for each collection item or batch
• Track progress by department, vendor, or object type
• Give project managers visibility into bottlenecks and overdue work
• Improve coordination between curators, archivists, and digitization teams

2. Exhibit and Loan Preparation Workflow

Direction: Bi-directional

For exhibitions and external loans, Axiell can provide authoritative object data, condition notes, and location details, while Smartsheet manages the operational checklist for approvals, packing, transport, insurance, and installation. Updates in Smartsheet can be reflected back into Axiell to maintain accurate object status and movement history.

• Generate exhibition preparation tasks from selected collection records
• Track approvals, courier arrangements, and installation milestones
• Update object location and loan status in Axiell when tasks are completed
• Reduce manual handoffs between collections staff and operations teams

3. Conservation and Preservation Action Management

Direction: Axiell to Smartsheet

Conservation teams often identify preservation needs directly in Axiell, such as condition issues, treatment recommendations, or environmental risks. Those records can trigger Smartsheet workflows for treatment scheduling, vendor assignment, budget tracking, and follow-up reviews.

• Convert conservation recommendations into actionable work items
• Assign treatments to internal staff or external specialists
• Track costs, deadlines, and approval status in one place
• Maintain a clear operational trail from issue identification to resolution

4. Public Access Content Readiness Process

Direction: Axiell to Smartsheet

Before collection records, images, or archival materials are published to public portals, Axiell can feed metadata completeness and rights information into Smartsheet for review workflows. This helps teams manage content validation, copyright clearance, and publishing approvals across curatorial, legal, and communications stakeholders.

• Flag records that require rights review or metadata cleanup
• Route items through approval steps before public release
• Track publishing readiness by collection, campaign, or exhibit
• Improve consistency and reduce the risk of publishing incomplete records

5. Cross-Department Request Intake and Fulfillment

Direction: Smartsheet to Axiell

Smartsheet forms can be used to capture internal requests from researchers, educators, exhibition planners, or external partners. Approved requests can then create or update records in Axiell for object pulls, reference access, reproduction requests, or archival retrieval, ensuring the collection team works from a controlled intake process.

• Standardize request submission through Smartsheet forms
• Validate request details before creating collection work in Axiell
• Track request status and turnaround times
• Improve service levels for internal and public-facing collection services

6. Portfolio Reporting for Collection Programs

Direction: Bi-directional

Smartsheet can aggregate operational data from Axiell to provide leadership dashboards for digitization, preservation, exhibition preparation, and access initiatives. In return, milestone updates and completion metrics from Smartsheet can be written back to Axiell or used to enrich collection program records.

• Provide executive dashboards showing project status and throughput
• Compare planned versus actual progress across collection programs
• Support budget and resource planning with real operational data
• Improve accountability across curatorial, archives, and IT teams

7. Vendor and Service Provider Coordination

Direction: Smartsheet to Axiell

When external vendors handle digitization, conservation, or cataloging, Smartsheet can manage schedules, deliverables, and communication, while Axiell stores the authoritative collection context. Integration ensures vendors receive the right object metadata and that completed work is linked back to the correct collection records.

• Assign vendor work packages from Smartsheet based on Axiell records
• Track deliverables, deadlines, and acceptance status
• Maintain traceability between outsourced work and collection assets
• Reduce errors caused by manual rekeying and disconnected spreadsheets