Smartsheet review 2024: Reviewed by Digimagg

Our Verdict

Our Verdict

Smartsheet is a versatile and robust tool for project management and collaboration. While its interface resembles a spreadsheet, it offers much more functionality. Some users may find the spreadsheet-like layout challenging at first, but with mastery, Smartsheet can be utilized for various purposes, including project management, task tracking, CRM, and online collaboration.

Pros

• Gantt charts
• Task management
• Collaboration features
• Flexible interface

Cons

• Offline access
• Collaboration limitations
• Customization complexity
• Limited spreadsheet features

4.8

Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting price

$7 per user, per month

Forever free plan available

No

Views available

Grid, Gantt, Calendar and Card views

What is Smartsheet?

Smartsheet, a cloud-based collaboration platform, empowers teams to plan, track, automate, and report their work. Known for its high flexibility and customization, Smartsheet offers a diverse array of templates tailored for various industries such as IT, HR, and product development. These templates streamline project setup, enabling users to avoid starting from scratch and customize them according to their needs. Moreover, Smartsheet Inc. boasts an ecosystem of work management products that seamlessly integrate with its project management application, enhancing work efficiency and security.Several of these products comprise:

• Bridge facilitates the creation of intelligent workflows.
• Brandfolder manages digital assets effectively.
• Content collaboration organizes, manages, and reviews content production.
• WorkApps streamlines work processes and enhances collaboration.
• Dynamic view ensures secure request management.
• The calendar app creates shareable calendars with customizable details.
• Pivot app analyzes and summarizes large datasets.
• DataMesh prevents duplicated data entry and maps data between large sheets and reports.
• Resource management tracks projects, budgets, and resource allocation.

All Smartsheet Inc. tools seamlessly integrate, offering a cohesive user experience. While certain tools are inherent features within the project management platform across various subscription plans, others are premium add-ons requiring additional payment.

Core features of smartsheet

Smartsheet, a potent cloud-based project management and collaboration platform, offers a diverse array of features to empower teams in planning, tracking, automating, and reporting project progress. Below, we explore some of its key features.

Role assignment

Smartsheet provides four preconfigured user roles—admin, owner, editor, and viewer—each with distinct permissions and access levels that can be tailored to suit project or team requirements. Users can share sheets with individuals, groups, or the entire organization, setting separate access levels (view, edit, comment, etc.) for each recipient. Additionally, sheets can be shared with external collaborators, such as clients or vendors, with defined roles, permissions, access expiration dates, or passwords for enhanced security.

Timelines

Smartsheet's timeline view presents tasks, milestones, and events in a chronological format, facilitating easy monitoring of project progress. Users can personalize their timeline view to include additional details like start and end dates, duration, task dependencies, milestones, etc. The timeline view can also be filtered to display specific tasks or milestones exclusively.

Gantt charts

A robust visual tool in Smartsheet, the Gantt chart enables project managers to monitor tasks, milestones, and project timelines effectively. Utilizing a timeline format, the Gantt chart showcases additional information such as start and end dates, duration, milestones, and task dependencies. With its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, users can effortlessly establish task dependencies and develop intricate project schedules within moments.

Smartsheet's Gantt chart dynamically adjusts timelines in response to changes in other task dates and dependencies, such as delayed predecessor tasks. It automatically calculates the project's critical path, enabling project managers to identify critical tasks and prioritize them accordingly.

Software integrations

Incorporating integrations can enhance workflow efficiency and maintain data consistency across applications utilized within your organization. Smartsheet seamlessly integrates with various third-party tools, including Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, Slack, and Salesforce. Additionally, Smartsheet's Business and Enterprise plans offer integrations with Brandfolder, Adobe Creative Cloud, Tableau, and Power BI.

Dependencies

Smartsheet provides various features to manage project dependencies and automatically generate dynamic schedules for paid plans:

• Dynamic Gantt Chart: Smartsheet's Gantt chart adjusts automatically based on changes to task dates and dependencies. If a task is delayed or rescheduled, the Gantt chart updates accordingly to reflect the impact on other tasks and the project schedule.
• Critical path: Smartsheet automatically calculates the critical path of a project—the sequence of tasks ensuring the shortest project duration. This allows project managers to identify tasks critical to project success and prioritize them accordingly.
• Predecessors and successors: Users can establish task dependencies by setting predecessors and successors in Smartsheet. This ensures that a task cannot begin until all preceding tasks, marked as predecessors, have been completed.
• Dependency reports: Smartsheet offers dependency reports displaying tasks dependent on others, as well as tasks without dependencies. This helps project managers identify missing dependencies and ensure the accuracy of the project schedule.

Budgeting

Smartsheet's budgeting templates enable quick and easy initiation of budgeting processes. Additionally, Smartsheet facilitates tracking costs associated with tasks and projects, enabling teams to stay within budget. Resource management features empower managers to optimize resource allocation, ensuring efficient utilization while considering budget constraints.

Smartsheet pricing options and plans

Smartsheet offers a perpetual free plan for a single user with access to up to two sheets. For a comprehensive trial of additional features, there's a complimentary 30-day trial available. However, complete access to all features and functionalities is not included. Paid plans commence at $7 per user per month, encompassing unlimited sheets and dashboards, along with supplementary features like extra automations and editors.

Free

The Free tier provides an excellent starting point for exploring Smartsheet, acquainting oneself with its fundamental features, and determining its suitability for your requirements. It offers unlimited dashboards for one user and permits up to two editors. Users can create a maximum of two sheets alongside unlimited dashboards and reports. Integrations are limited to Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Slack. Basic web forms can be generated for data collection, and up to 100 repetitive tasks can be automated using built-in rules and alerts. Support is available from the online community and Smartsheet's comprehensive online knowledge base.

Pro

The Pro tier, as the initial paid option, furnishes additional functionalities suited for small teams handling intricate projects. It encompasses critical path analysis, portfolio management, and resource management. Users can implement conditional logic and cross-sheet workflows for advanced automation. Moreover, a broader range of integrations and enhanced storage and sharing capabilities are accessible.

Business

Tailored for large teams prioritizing security and compliance, the Business tier offers advanced governance and administrative features such as single sign-on, audit logging, and user provisioning. Automation features are enhanced with capabilities like data routing and data visualization. Collaboration and reporting capabilities are bolstered, with additional integrations including Tableau, Power BI, and Okta. A dedicated account manager and on-demand onboarding and training services are also provided.

Enterprise

The Enterprise tier is a bespoke solution crafted for organizations necessitating sophisticated and large-scale deployments catering to extensive teams. In addition to Business tier features, the Enterprise plan unlocks Smartsheet Advance, boasting premium capabilities for project, program, and process management at scale. Advanced governance and administrative capabilities, intelligent workflows, CRM and software development integrations, and heightened security measures are hallmarks of Smartsheet Advance. Three levels—Silver, Gold, and Platinum—are available, each offering distinct features tailored to organizational requirements.

Smartsheet setup and customization

Signing up for a Smartsheet free trial (30 days) is straightforward; just complete a sign-up form with basic details: name, email address, company name, role, and number of company employees. Upon submission, a confirmation email is sent to the provided address. Click on the link within the email to access Smartsheet.

When logging in for the first time, you'll be prompted to set personal details, although you can skip this step. You can also invite team members by simply entering their email IDs.

By default, Smartsheet presents a spreadsheet-like grid view, but this can be easily customized. To kickstart your experience, Smartsheet offers an array of templates for various use cases, all of which can be fully tailored to your specific requirements.

Smartsheet ease of use

In Smartsheet, every project or task begins with a sheet—a departure from other project management apps that often start with a list or board view. If you're familiar with spreadsheets, the interface feels intuitive, as you input data into rows within the sheet, whether starting from scratch or using a template. However, for those unaccustomed to spreadsheets, the interface may appear daunting initially.

Smartsheet security

Smartsheet adheres to enterprise-grade security standards, boasting multiple security features such as two-factor authentication (2FA), single sign-on (SSO), AES 256-bit encryption, and secure data centers. Compliance with regulations like HIPAA, GDPR, ISO, SOC, ITAR, and FERPA is also ensured, although these features are exclusive to Business and Enterprise plans.

Smartsheet customer service and support

For all plans, Smartsheet offers a self-serve learning center and community, featuring comprehensive tutorials and articles covering every aspect of the app. Enterprise users gain access to online web support, 24/7 global phone support, and Smartsheet University. Premium add-ons include technical support managers, packaged solutions, and other professional support options.

Smartsheet additional features

Aside from the core features, Smartsheet boasts additional functionalities that elevate its status as a robust project management tool.

Customizable templates

Smartsheet offers a diverse range of templates tailored to various project categories, including clients and customers, finance and accounting, general management, human resources (HR), marketing, product development, and information technology (IT). Within each category, multiple use case templates are available. For example, within the projects category, templates cover use cases such as project budgeting, Agile projects with Gantt charts, project tracking and roll-up, and Lean Six Sigma. Smartsheet also suggests useful add-ons for each project category.

Even when starting from a blank sheet, basic formatting is already provided. Essential columns such as task name, due date, completion status, assigned to, status, and comments are pre-set for immediate use. Each row allows for file attachments, comments, proofreading versions, or reminders, facilitating seamless collaboration among team members. However, proofing functionality is exclusive to Business and Enterprise plans.

Milestone tracking

In Smartsheet, milestones are utilized to signify significant events and tasks. Milestones have a duration of 0 in the Gantt view, and to set a milestone to be a day long, ~0 is entered in the Duration column. The sheet must be in Gantt view with dependencies enabled in settings to establish a milestone.

Once created, milestones can be assigned tasks, progress tracked, and resources allocated similarly to any task. Reporting and analytics tools facilitate the generation of milestone progress reports and communication of updates to stakeholders.

Expense tracking

Non-labor project costs are termed as expenses in Smartsheet. The expense tracking feature enables capturing expense submissions, creating and receiving expense approval workflows, tracking project expenses, sharing expense approval status, and obtaining real-time insights into overall project expenses.

Team members can submit project expenses for approval via simple forms on the desktop or app interface.

Kanban board

While Smartsheet defaults to the Grid View, it also offers a Kanban board-style view known as Card View. Existing sheets can be viewed in Card View or new ones created from scratch. Filtering of old sheets can be done based on various column names in the Grid View. Once the board is set up, new tasks can be added as cards with details such as start and end dates, assignees, priority, etc.

Billing and invoicing

Smartsheet does not include built-in billing and invoicing functionality but integrates with several third-party invoicing tools such as QuickBooks, Xero, and Invoice2go, allowing for invoice creation and billing management.

Guest/client access

Smartsheet's Viewer role enables granting access to clients, vendors, or other stakeholders for transparent communication. In addition to permissions, access expiration dates can also be set for guests.

How Smartsheet compares to other solutions?

Smartsheet vs. Asana

When comparing Smartsheet to Asana, both are potent tools for project management and collaboration, yet they diverge in their functionalities. Smartsheet emphasizes traditional project management methods like Gantt charts, while Asana adopts a contemporary approach with features such as boards, calendars, lists, and timelines.

While both platforms offer robust task management tools, Smartsheet boasts a wider array of templates for various use cases. However, Asana excels in advanced collaboration features like direct messages, team pages, and team conversations. Smartsheet outperforms in reporting and analytics capabilities, whereas Asana's reporting is more basic.

Both Smartsheet and Asana offer a forever free plan. Regarding paid plans, Smartsheet proves to be more economical for smaller teams, but as team size increases, it may become pricier compared to Asana.

Smartsheet vs. monday.com

Comparing Smartsheet to monday.com, monday.com offers a sleek and modern interface that's intuitive even for new users, while Smartsheet's grid-style interface may pose challenges for those less familiar with spreadsheets.

Smartsheet leans heavily on Gantt charts and timelines for project management, whereas monday.com offers a visually appealing approach with boards, lists, and calendars. Both platforms offer robust collaboration features like commenting, file sharing, task assignment, automated workflows, custom notifications, and team conversations.

monday.com typically has a simpler pricing structure and may be more cost-effective for larger teams. It's ideal for teams seeking flexibility and enhanced collaboration tools. However, if extensive customizable templates and robust reporting and analytics are your priorities, Smartsheet may be the better fit.

Smartsheet vs. Notion

Both Smartsheet and Notion are widely-used tools for project management and collaboration, offering a variety of features to enhance team productivity. They both include strong task management capabilities, automated workflows, integrations, Gantt charts, and calendar views.

However, Notion has a stronger emphasis on note-taking and knowledge management, making it particularly appealing to writers and creatives. Notion also offers additional features like databases, wikis, and document collaboration, which further cater to these user needs.

Who benefits most from using Smartsheet?

Are you seeking a versatile project management and collaboration solution with a broad selection of customizable templates for various scenarios? Do you prioritize robust analytics and reporting over user-friendliness? If so, Smartsheet is an ideal choice.

By dedicating some effort to learning Smartsheet's customization options and investing in additional features, you can transform it into an optimal tool for project and task management.

If you've been accustomed to using spreadsheets for project management, you can seamlessly import them into Smartsheet, saving you from starting anew.