Smartsheet
Streamline workflows, automate tasks, enhance team collaboration.. [Paid]
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What is Smartsheet?
Smartsheet is an AI-powered intelligent work management platform that enables teams and organizations to plan, track, automate, and report on work at scale. It combines the familiarity of a spreadsheet interface with powerful project management, portfolio management, and workflow automation capabilities, making it suitable for everything from small team projects to enterprise-wide initiatives.
Key features include multiple visualization views (Grid, Gantt, Timeline, Card, Calendar), powerful workflow automation with up to unlimited automations on higher plans, centralized dashboards for real-time insights, resource management with workload balancing, advanced reporting capabilities, and AI-powered tools for data analysis, formula generation, and text/summary generation. The platform also offers content management with file libraries, brand asset management through Brandfolder, and secure request management with centralized intake.
Smartsheet is designed for project managers, PMOs, IT teams, marketing teams, construction companies, healthcare organizations, services delivery teams, and enterprises needing to manage complex portfolios. It serves over 80,000 leading brands including 75% of the Fortune 500 and 85% of Fortune 100 companies like NASA, Pfizer, Alaska Airlines, and LEGO. The platform is particularly valuable for business PMOs, enterprise PMOs, IT portfolio leadership, and operations management teams.
Smartsheet pricing
Pricing model: Freemium
Smartsheet offers multiple plan tiers: Free plan (legacy, limited to 2 sheets, 2 editors/viewers, 500MB storage, 100 automations/month); Pro plan at $9/Member/month (unlimited sheets/forms/reports, Gantt/table/board/calendar views, rich formulas, 250 automations/month, unlimited free Contributors); Business plan at $19/Member/month (includes Pro features plus Timeline view, Workload tracking, Admin capabilities, unlimited automations, 1 TB attachment storage, unlimited free Guests); Enterprise plan (custom pricing, includes Business features plus AI formulas/texts/charts, Scenario Planning, Portfolios, SAML-based SSO, Enterprise Plan Manager, unlimited attachment storage, Directory integrations); Advanced Work Management plan (custom pricing, includes Enterprise features plus Control Center, Dynamic View, Data Shuttle, Connectors, DataMesh, Calendar App, Pivot App, Premium Support). All plans include unlimited free Viewers/Guests. 30-day free trial available with full Business plan features, no credit card required.
Smartsheet pros
- AI-powered features for data analysis, formula generation, and text summaries
- Familiar spreadsheet-like interface that's easy to learn for first-time users
- Multiple flexible views including Gantt, Timeline, Card, Grid, and Calendar
- Powerful workflow automation reducing manual follow-ups and updates
- Unlimited free Contributors and Guests on all paid plans
- Real-time collaboration with shared workspaces and integrated communication
- Enterprise-grade security with SAML-based SSO and compliance certifications
- Centralized dashboards providing live portfolio and project status insights
- Extensive pre-built integrations with Jira, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, Tableau
- Resource management with workload balancing and capacity planning
- 30-day free trial with full Business plan features, no credit card required
- Hundreds of customizable templates in the Template Gallery
- Portfolio-level management with scenario planning on Enterprise plans
- HIPAA-compliant with encrypted data during transit and at rest
- Scalable platform that grows with business needs from teams to enterprise
- Control Center and Dynamic View available on Advanced Work Management plan
- Real-time automated updates and alerts for task dependencies and overdue items
Smartsheet cons
- No true free tier - only legacy Free plan with severe limitations (2 sheets, 2 editors)
- Pro plan at $9/user/month may be expensive for small teams or individuals
- Cannot merge or split cells since each cell is a database field
- Enterprise and Advanced Work Management plans require contacting sales for pricing
- 250MB per attachment limit on lower plans
- Limited automation on Free plan (100/month) and Pro plan (250/month)
- Reports limited to one source sheet with no grouping/summary on Free plan
- 24/7 phone support only available on higher-tier plans, not Free or Pro
Frequently asked questions about Smartsheet
What is Smartsheet?
Smartsheet is a powerful project management and enterprise resource planning software tool. Use Smartsheet to plan, track, and collaborate on complex projects, manage resources, and organize and share data with integrated sheets, reports, and dashboards, all in one place. It is an AI-powered work management platform trusted by more than 75 percent of the Fortune 500 and 85 percent of Fortune 100 companies.
What does Smartsheet do?
Teams use Smartsheet to plan, track, and collaborate on projects of all sizes and types, in any industry. With Smartsheet, you can organize complex project data, automate notifications and emails, track time spent on project tasks and phases, assign tasks, set deadlines, and streamline processes and workflows. It supports project management, portfolio management, resource management, automation, and centralized dashboards for real-time insights.
How much does Smartsheet cost?
Smartsheet offers three main plan tiers: the Pro plan at $9/Member/month, the Business plan at $19/Member/month, and custom Enterprise plans. There is also an Advanced Work Management plan with custom pricing. All plan types include unlimited free Viewers and Guests. Features vary by plan, so visit the pricing page for details on what each includes.
Is there a free version of Smartsheet?
You can try Smartsheet free for 30 days with access to all features included in the Business plan, no credit card required. There is also a legacy Free plan with limited functionality including only 2 sheets, 2 editors/viewers, 500MB attachments, and 100 automations/month. The Free plan is a legacy capability with restricted task and project management features.
How do you use Smartsheet for project management?
Smartsheet makes it easy to organize project data, assign tasks, set deadlines, and track progress. Collaborate effectively with teams using automatic notifications and reminders, easily share updates, and streamline processes and workflows. Use flexible views like Gantt, Timeline, Card, or Calendar to visualize work. Smartsheet Pro Desk includes access to Smartsheet University for robust self-paced training.
Can I use Smartsheet if my business is subject to HIPAA?
Yes; Smartsheet provides customizable settings and controls within the service that allows customers to meet their HIPAA obligations. Healthcare teams can securely share, store, and access protected health information (PHI) in Smartsheet. Data, attachments, personal information, and other content stored or processed by Smartsheet remain encrypted during transit and at rest.
Why is Smartsheet better than Excel?
Smartsheet goes beyond Excel by offering integrated project management tools, workflow automation, and real-time collaboration. It allows teams to create comprehensive systems with forms and dashboards, streamlining processes and enhancing visibility across projects. This makes it easier to manage and execute work effectively compared to Excel's spreadsheet-only approach.
What other software integrates with Smartsheet?
Smartsheet integrates seamlessly with popular software including Jira, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Salesforce, Adobe Creative Cloud, Tableau, Google Workspace, Microsoft Office 365, Box, and Dropbox. With pre-built integrations, APIs, and connections to workflow automation tools, it ensures seamless data flow and breaks down data silos.
Is Smartsheet hard to learn?
Smartsheet is easy to learn because it has a familiar, spreadsheet-like interface that is easy to navigate, even for first-time users. Smartsheet plans include free training, helpful resources, and a knowledgeable support team to onboard your team quickly. A 5-day crash course is available to see how easy it is to get started without formal training.
How do you create a Gantt chart in Smartsheet?
It is easy to create a Gantt chart in Smartsheet from a template or from scratch. Input your data into a sheet in Grid View, then click Gantt View to switch your display. Smartsheet automatically populates a Gantt chart using the data from your sheet. Templates like the Project with Gantt & Dependencies Template help get projects up and running quickly.