Smartsheet Reviews

Pros

- Ease of Use - No need to involve programmers to create custom solutions
- Versatility - customizable sheets and dashboards for different departments and needs
- Support - AMAZING user forum, help pages, support department

Cons

Row and cell link limitations - I bump up against the cell link limitations often, although I can work around them by saving my metrics into multiple sheets.

Pros

it is part of Microsoft it is a trusted one , i can use it as a free users i can collaborate (view, edit where applicable, comment) it is good for me as a small company ,

Cons

i have to make a small training on it first

Pros

Accuracy in outputting reports and ease of modifying inputs

Cons

Slow response at times when multiple tables are in one capacity

Pros

I like Smartsheet for its ability to streamline and manage projects. The product is easy to use and has a lot of features that make it impactful. I particularly like the powerful automation and collaboration features that enable me to easily manage, assign, and track tasks. The project timelines are also great, as they help me to visualize progress and ensure deadlines are met. Integration with existing business processes was also easy, and I was able to set up and get started quickly. Overall I'm very pleased with Smartsheet and would highly recommend it.

Cons

One con of Smartsheet is that it can be difficult to use for complex projects or tasks, as the user interface is not as intuitive as other project management tools. Additionally, its integration with other tools and systems can be difficult and time-consuming. Some features could be improved, such as customizing views and adding more automation.

Pros

Flexibility: Smartsheet offers the flexibility to create customised spreadsheets, Gantt charts, dashboards and forms to meet specific needs. We can customise the platform to fit their unique workflow.Collaboration: Smartsheet enables real-time collaboration, with tools to share spreadsheets, files and tasks with team members, and to collaborate on projects simultaneously.Automation: Smartsheet enables task and workflow automation, using rules and alerts to send notifications and trigger actions based on certain conditions.Integrations: Smartsheet integrates easily with other project management, CRM, cloud storage and other applications to enable a seamless user experience and collaboration.Analytics: Smartsheet provides analytics and reporting capabilities to track and evaluate project performance, which can help users identify issues and make informed decisions.Overall, Smartsheet is a valuable project management platform for teams looking to improve their project collaboration, planning and execution, with great flexibility, automation and analysis tools, and ease of use.

Cons

Learning curve: Smartsheet is a complex tool that may take some time to get used to its features and interface. we may need training or assistance to fully use the platform.Limited customisation: Although Smartsheet offers many customisation options, some features may be difficult to customise to meet specific needs. we may also need advanced technical skills to make advanced customisations.Feature dependency: Smartsheet is a very feature-dependent platform that requires regular updates to stay current. We run into problems if we don't have the latest version of the application or if certain plug-ins or extensions are not compatible.Limitations of the free version: The free version of Smartsheet may be limited in terms of storage, project sharing and advanced features. We may need to upgrade to a paid version to access more advanced features.In summary, although Smartsheet is a very useful project management platform for teams, we encounter drawbacks such as high costs, a learning curve, limitations on customisation or dependencies on features and regular updates.

Pros

I liked the following most about Smartsheet:Intuitive project management tool with flexible grid structure.Real-time collaboration and communication features.Integration with other tools and apps.Robust reporting and tracking capabilities.Customizable templates and forms.Mobile app availability.Advanced security and permissions options.

Cons

Following I liked least about the smartsheet:Steep learning curve for some users.Limited visualization options compared to other project management tools.No built-in time tracking features.Limited customization options for the user interface.Price can be a barrier for small businesses.Limited integration options with certain apps and tools.

Pros

It is a comprehensive platform for app development, particularly in the area of project management. I love the notifications and automation. Smartsheet's collaborative features enable multiple users to work on the same document. It enables me to arrange data and instantly distribute it to others.

Cons

Personally, I have no major issues, however, occasionally it is slow. More than one page on the same document is something I would like.

Pros

I like the most is that I can organize the specific task into neat spread sheet that use to summarize reports of the task. I like it also because there is a very nice collaboration between me and my employee regarding the specific task need to be accomplish and data collection. It is also easy to use and user friendly and it works similar to spread sheet and this software is good to collaborate with others.

Cons

This software has some limitations like because there is limited tabs but over all is very nice and useful and helpful.

Pros

It helps to keep track of every work we do for our project.

Cons

It is difficult to use as beginner and need more experience.

Pros

1. Easily upload the data of customers over CRM using this.2. Easy to use interface and easily learnable by new users .3. alot of features which allow employer to manage the productivity of the employee/

Cons

1. SOmetimes stuck into error which only got resolved by signing in again .

Pros

Easy to integrate, just log in and go. It's so easy that anyone can use the system - not much training is required. SmartSheet's online community of job aids, training items, etc. is fantastic and robust - and gets you through every issue from small to advanced, if needed - and if not, you can reach out to a wonderful support team. This product brings together all your team members, especially in this remote Covid-19 world. You'll love using SmartSheet - it's SO much better than desktop-based PM solutions.

Cons

There is a learning curve due to the fact there are slight differences in using SmartSheet vs. what you might be used to already. But, that's really it - there are some things it just can't do - and other things that require a lot of setup and tweaking - but they're worth it - if you have the right project for it!

Pros

Very good with basic project management features. Kanban is great, and you can view data multiple ways (kanban, gantt, table). The workspaces tool is cool, it's a good way to organize reports and data. Reports are great for showing users only the data they need, and keeps them out of source data tables. There is also good cross sheet functions like you would see in excel.

Smartsheet is also one of the most widely available tools to be integrated with. Tools like Zapier make it easy to integrate with, and you can also upgrade to a live data connector to visualize your data in a tool like tableau.

Cons

Features can be way behind. They just introduced features like pivot, and group to analyze data. Their internal workflow tools are behind what's commonly available in the marketplace. And if you want to use a separate workflow tool like Zapier, you will pay to use it. Their row limit just went up from 5,000 to 20,000 in a sheet in 2020, which was always a limit of how much we could scale the tool.

Alternatives Considered

Quickbase and Microsoft Excel

Switched From

Zoho Projects

Reasons for Switching to Smartsheet

Smartsheet is cost effective, and has better control rules and UI than spreadsheets.

Pros

This is the tool we use every day, every hour, to track all of our enrollments and clients. Our team monitors enrollments and other CRM tools don't give us the flexibility to track multiple events and data points. It's Excel but on steroids with multiple functions and features. We're using it more and more every day for reporting up to our management team on progress for our client events.

Cons

I'm not so good at the formulaic side of things and making sheets talk to each other, or building a dashboard, is not an intuitive process. There are not step by step instructions or visuals which is something I need personally. It's a lot of trial and error in getting things set up. When I first started, it was very expensive to work with someone who helped build the infrastructure base and looking back there are many things I'd have done differently if I'd understood it a little better. A lot of the consultation time was wasted in trying to get the person to understand what we were trying to achieve.

Pros

My favorite tool in Smartsheet would have to be a combination use of automated reminders, overdue milestone reports, assigning staff to tasks, and running detailed reports to check on my team's current progress. Paired with cross sheet cell linking, index/match where needed, and Datamesh when running large scale reporting when conditional formatting may be needed is a bundle of brilliance. Simply a great batch of tools for the job.

Cons

No file renaming option. Limited sheet summary report functionality. Limited batch update tools to revise and align current project sheets. Lack of permission settings without additional purchased feature packages.

Alternatives Considered

Microsoft Project

Reasons for Choosing Smartsheet

After reviewing the functionality of Smartsheet and the tools it had to offer, we quickly realized that we were missing out on this toolset and Smartsheet could automate the repetitive tasks that our humans were completing. Now we have freed up the extra time needed to allow our current staff to problem solve, rather than spending the day stuck in repetitional tasks.

Reasons for Switching to Smartsheet

MS Project simply does not have all of the tools needed for success. Smartsheet captures all of the vital points that MSP has to offer and pairs it with real time linking and much more.

Pros

Many are using MS Excel to track projects and orders... If this is your world, then you have to try out Smartsheet! Excel like User Interface that does a whole lot more. Schedule reminders, automate tasks, work flow, and the list goes on... and yet, the with the straightforward simplicity of a familiar EXCEL like environment. Other Project Management tools are great, but for those of us that like the EXCEL look and feel, you will find Smartsheet super easy to adopt and you will love the awesome features it provides. Smartsheet also regularly sends out tips on how to improve your processes and ideas on how to use it in many other ways.

Cons

When compared to some of the other solutions like Trello, BaseCamp or Asana, Smartsheet may not be as 'flexible' since it adheres to an Excel like user interface. Maybe this is because of my lack of knowledge in all aspects of Smartsheet's features? Overall, there's not much I don't like about Smartsheet for the way me and my team has to use it.

Alternatives Considered

Trello, Basecamp and Asana

Reasons for Choosing Smartsheet

Most of our team members were using Excel and the familar user interface ensured a high adoption rate versus the other PM tools.

Reasons for Switching to Smartsheet

We love the user interface that is similar to Excel and knew more of our team members would embrace Smartsheet because of this.

Pros

Love workflow capabilities, automations, ability to designate column types, column types that allow multiple selections (not available in Excel data validation), collaboration, ability to immediately see cell changes, ability to track cell changes via cell history.

Cons

Lack of worksheet tabbing often means sheets have way too many columns than I prefer (makes navigation unwieldy). I use the product a lot to track descriptive/narrative changes to cells; while it's easy to see a cell that has been changed based on an update request, and the history of the before and after, it would be very beneficial to be able to see the changes in change-tracking mode like Word such that edits are more readily visible. While I like the ability to designate columns by type, for example a checkbox column, there are times when I'd like to be able to designate only a range of cells in a column as a certain type, then be able to use a different type in the rest of the column.

Pros

I love how easy it is to collaborate and share information with Smartsheet. With the different permission levels and how easy it was to get our whole company set up with Smartsheet, it has made so much of our project work so much easier and has enabled us to keep all relevant teams, and even just interested parties, up to speed on all that we have going on.

Cons

The one feature that I do wish would be added would be a visual timeline feature like MSP has. A lot of times our executive management team would like to see a simplified timeline with key milestones, but in order to do that with Smartsheet, we have to transfer things into PPT Timeline, which isn't impossible, it's just an added step that is a little inconvenient.

Pros

My favorite thing about this software is the simplicity of creating a very complex set of sheets, automation and forms. I work as a business person within the IT department and it is a tough limbo to exist in. You aren't really IT's customer, but you are not as skilled as an IT professional. I am often left to my own devices and de-prioritized so they can concentrate on our true customers. Smartsheet provided me a system that I did not need my IT department help. I was able to create a set of products (on a very base level, my own small Enterprise Resource Program) entirely alone that has improved my efficiency, quality of work and accuracy! I needed nothing more than my own skills and occasionally Smartsheet's Solution Center.

Cons

I am unfond of a few of the tiny limitations. I wish that reports weren't limited to 500 rows per page, and if that limit must exist, I wish there was a function to skip to a specific page. I reference a report that has 400+ lines of data multiple times throughout the day and it's mildly annoying to have to skip through 9 pages on the report to get to what I'm looking for.

I have also had very lukewarm success with Data Uploader. It does not work as expected about 50% of the time. I would honestly give up on it entirely if it wasn't SO useful the other 50% of the time. I waste a lot of time saving and resaving documents and deleting and recreating configurations just to get data to upload.

Pros

Very easy to learn and get users onboard quickly. Works much like Excel yet with much more document sharing functionality and the notifications service is most beneficial to us. Very cost efficient in that our clients don't need to purchase a license so we use this to collaborate with them for our project work.

Cons

Very little not to like. Advanced functionality we need to not alwasys there, however, Smartsheet comes out with new features a few times a year and they always very helpful. Biggest complaint is that we have not yet figured out how to provide users edit access to a group and yet limit certain sheets within that group to viewer only. Would also like to see more options for backups and restores.

Alternatives Considered

Microsoft SharePoint

Reasons for Switching to Smartsheet

We still use Sharepoint for some internal PMO functions but it is too slow. Smartsheet is much faster and more efficient for most of our processes

Pros

Projects are easy to set up with the built in functionality. There are lots of built in templates that you can use. But we have found it most helpful to build our own templates. We really appreciate being able to add dependencies, working and non working days, and duration. Then the start and end dates fill in automatically. We have found that the learning curve is not nearly as steep for Smartsheet as it was for Microsoft Project.

Another really helpful feature is being able to use formulas in the Project Plan. Our team schedules our work using a points system. I was able to create formulas that take the number of points for that task and who is assigned to that task to create a point breakdown for each person or team assigned. We then use the linking feature to link the total points for the project, the points accomplished, and the status of the project to a master "Queue" sheet.

Smartsheet has special formula values available for children and ancestors of a task. So, we use a simple =Sum(Children()) formula to add up the points. Actually, the formulas end up being more complicated because we can test whether the row has children or not and do different things depending on the test. For instance, when summing the work completed if the task has no children, then the product of the percent complete and points gives us the number of points completed. If the row is a parent, then the formula sums the children.

Cons

For project planning the resources feature is not as helpful as it could be. The main reason is that if a staff is assigned to a row during a particular time, the resource function assumes that they are 100% allocated for that time. So, if you have three tasks that overlap, the resource allocations shows 300%. We have mitigated that by routinely filling in 30% allocation for each resource. This helps to take into account the fact that a task although it lasts a full week won't take up all the staff's time. One idea I have had recently--but haven't tried yet--is to make a formula that takes the number of points for the task and assigns an appropriate allocation number based on points per week.

The other feature that we haven't found useful is the "Critical Path." How the software determines what is on the critical path is a mystery. I'm not sure why it chooses some tasks that have dependencies filled in, but not others that seem to be just as important.

Pros

Smartsheet has so much going for it. It truly fits the new technological world that we live in by providing more than just the basics. Being a cloud-based application (SaaS), and compatible with mobile devices, makes it more functional across the board. It mostly touts itself as a project management tool, which is very true. Most project managers utilize certain applications that require the project to be saved down to a file, which is not easily shareable. Smartsheet can handle the same project management tools and live in cyberspace that can be utilized by numerous people, which different levels of access (viewing, editing, administering) and different views (tasks, gantt, kanban, etc.), and allow people to make comments, add attachments, and more. The most use I have made of Smartsheet within my organization is using it like a spreadsheet. I'm able to have numerous sheets for different departments where they have access to only their own sheets and update only what they need to update. Then I can create a new sheet that combines information from all of the sheets that will auto-update from the original sheets. I can also create reports and dashboards (with charts, metrics, etc.) based on information from all the different sheets. It's quite functional and utilizes much of the same fundamental logic that Excel provides. The Smartsheet website has an extremely detailed (and searchable) Help section and very active Community. Even includes videos to help guide!

Cons

Smartsheet does have some limitations. Most specifically, it isn't Excel and it isn't Project, so users shouldn't expect it to do everything those applications can do. However, there are times when it seems obvious that a particular functionality should be included that isn't. With that said, Smartsheet does a great job of listening to the Community and is constantly improving the application with enhancements to help the Community with its most voted on requests. Another thing that is frustrating is when an error pops up. More often than not, the error is written in a way that doesn't tell the user how to fix the error. Again, when this happens, I just reach out to the Community and get the answers I need.

Pros

easy to set-up processes, ongoing product improvements and additions, great team capabilities, quick and easy adoption due to familiarity of tool to MS Project/Excel style, many different uses outside of projects timelines, very cost effective

Cons

interface feels dated (although they're continuously working on this) and not created for non-project team members, dashboard tool and capabilities could use some improvements, sometimes creating cross-functional sheets can be clunky and unnecessarily complex.

Pros

Smartsheet is an amazing product and helps keep our whole company on schedule and collaborating in real time. It is really flexible and easy to start using.

Once you have used it for a while, you will want to do more and more with it, and there never seems to be a limit to what you can do. They are also constantly adding new helpful features. One that was really useful to me was a kanban view called cardview. But there is also classic spreadsheet view, gannt view, and calendar view.

In addition to sheets, you can also run reports off the sheets which filter the data down for particular users or departments. These reports can be editable or read-only. You can also look at your data in real time using dashboards.

We have been using Smartsheet for several years now, and we still feel like we are only scratching the surface of its capabilities.

Another great feature is that you can have unlimited free collaborators. These people can use the sheets/reports/dashboard and enter data. However, it is only the paid users who can create and maintain the sheets. Over time, you may find more people in your organisation want to be creators, and it is easy to add licenses as needed.

Cons

There's not much I can say negative about this software. On rare occasions there can be unexpected outages or loss of functionality, but that is very rare indeed. There are sometimes maintenance windows on the weekend which can last up to 4 hours at a time, but these are advised well ahead of time. I think the only business that wouldn't want to use smartsheet is one that operates 24/7. If you are a normal Monday to Friday business, smartsheet will be fine for you.

Pros

Collaboration
Action features
How to tutorials/onboarding is good
Webforms

Cons

Lack of a chat support system or ticketing system
The upsell on functions - have free collaborators now having to pay to do things they could of done prior even though they had been using the system for years. Understand if certain features are now paid to commercialise the product, however I think it is unfair to penalise historic users. If you looked at a micro level with us you will see a 200% growth in our subscription over its lifetime and I feel this short term and automated upsell could and has damaged perceptions of the overall product. 18 months ago I would of been a 10 regarding recommedations and now it is less.

Pros

I love the Smartsheet Community who will help you find ways to adapt Smartsheet to suit each individual need you may have. I've been using the software for years and every time I've wanted to use it for something new we've found a way! Sometimes there have been delays due to the capacity not being there YET, but it's easy to submit a Product Enhancement Request.

There are updates and innovations ALL THE TIME and while they're not shoved down your throat, there's plenty of support out there if you want it, not only from the Community but also videos and webinars (live or recorded). If you've got the motivation and imagination then I think the possibilities are unlimited, without needing to be a programmer or have any coding knowledge.

Cons

There's not much I can say that's bad about Smartsheet. I find it slightly difficult that it's very US based and I'm in the UK, but that's true of most comparable software.

I'm also not keen on the Learning Centre as it sometimes assumes a level of knowledge that is beyond me and I find it incomprehensible! It's not a problem though as I can easily turn to the Community!