17 years helping New Zealand businesses
choose better software
About Smartsheet
Smartsheet is an online work execution platform empowering organizations of all sizes to plan, manage, automate, and report on work.
Dashboards can be a nice way to have an overview with links to different sheets if you have a project with several documents, and are willing to spend the extra time and money to set it up.
It's also sometimes difficult to tell where user error plays a role in mathematic mistakes. I'd like to see more effort put into these areas.
Filter reviews (3,350)
Usage
Sort by
Filter reviews (3,350)
Great Organization Tool
Comments: I will keep using it as an organization tool to better communicate my needs and accomplishments with other communications teams.
Pros:
We can plan accordingly with other teams and see their scheduled content ahead of time.
Cons:
Sometimes it is difficult to label projects and differentiate which ones need to be public to other teams versus just our team.
Easy to use Excel alternative
Comments: Overall, I enjoy using Smartsheet and it has replaced my use of Excel in most instances.
Pros:
I love the project planning features of Smartsheet and using it as an alternative to Excel to track and monitor simple data sets, especially when these need to be shared with multiple people.
Cons:
Despite having many of the features of Excel, it does not have capabilities such as tabs or pivot tables within a single document. You often have to stitch multiple documents together to manipulate data which can be tricky and a hassle. I would also like it to integrate better with other products.
Not Necessary for Our Business
Comments: Smartsheets works well for what it is but was never a must-use product in our repertoire.
Pros:
Smartsheet worked well overall and had great automation capabilities
Cons:
Personally, I don't see the need for Smartsheet with so many other products on the market.
A tremendous tool for efficiently managing and coordinating our research projects.
Comments: I also valued Smartsheet's robust reporting functionalities. The platform facilitated the generation of real-time reports, offering valuable insights into the advancement of projects, allocation of resources, and identification of potential bottlenecks. These reports played a crucial role in keeping stakeholders well-informed and facilitating data-driven decision-making.
Pros:
Smartsheet's collaborative tools were very impressive. The feature of sharing sheets with team members, assigning responsibilities, and setting permissions ensured a synchronized understanding among all individuals and facilitated their effective contribution. By improving communication, the danger of miscommunication or duplicated efforts is minimized, which is essential for keeping the project on track.
Cons:
Smartsheet's adaptability is a strong point, it can also result in discrepancies in how various team members configure and oversee their sheets. In the absence of explicit instructions, this might lead to a dearth of uniformity among projects, hence complicating the task of upholding a unified project management methodology.
Smartsheet - IS THE BEST!
Pros:
I've worked on Smartsheet for many years and have always said it's like Excel but on steroids! My favorite part of Smartsheet is the automation alerts we can create.
Cons:
That you can't have multiple font colors in one cell. Sometimes the data we enter into a cell needs to have a specific font color which Smartsheet does offer. However, it doesn't allow us to have 2 different font colors in the same cell like Excel has. It would be great to have this feature!
Smartsheet - Great interactive tool
Comments: Very good overall experience. Great tool to use to keep up to date in the moment for many people. Keep tracks of pictures, notes, deadlines and much more.
Pros:
Great interactive tool for working with any individuals for projects. Even multi company uses to avoid email big down
Cons:
Filtering for specific items in the list has to be set up by an admin. Ideally filters can be done easier without having up adjust the sheet. However, once it’s set up it works well. Filtering is done in one list (not the same as excel spreadsheet) harder to find what you want to filter
My Experience With Smartsheet
Comments: We have had an easy time managing and planning projects and tasks thanks to Smartsheet.
Pros:
Handling business projects and tasks has been easy thanks to Smartsheet. It is not only well equipped but also cost friendly customization is easy.
Cons:
All the features are great - zero problems.
Easy to adopt and powerful out of the box.
Comments: I adapted to Smartsheets from Microsoft Project without any training or research. It is a powerful tool and easy to use.
Pros:
Smartsheets has all the classic project management tools in an easy to use intuitive package. The ample suite of templates made getting started really easy.
Cons:
The dashboard portions of the application took some getting used to.
smartsheet personal review
Comments: Smartsheet is like a supercharged spreadsheet designed for teamwork and project management, offering flexibility, collaboration tools, and automation to help teams work more efficiently.
Pros:
Easy to use, especially for those familiar with Excel. Versatile with various views (Grid, Gantt, Card, etc.). Strong collaboration and automation features.
Cons:
Some features might require a learning curve. It’s a paid tool, with different pricing tiers depending on the features.
Review of Smartsheet
Comments: Overall, my experience with Smartsheet has been positive. Smartsheet’s flexibility in handling various types of workflows and projects is a significant advantage. Smartsheet remains a reliable and effective tool for project management and collaboration, particularly for teams looking for a balance between functionality and ease of use.
Pros:
It has a user-friendly interface that combines the familiar look of spreadsheets with powerful project management features. Additionally, its robust collaboration tools, such as real-time updates, commenting, and file sharing, make it easy for teams to work together efficiently.
Cons:
Though Smartsheet has lot of Pros. There are some Cons too. It has Limited advance features, Performance issue with large data sets, and it is expensive when compared with other applications.
Versatile Project Management Tool
Comments: We use Smartsheet in lots of ways -- from spinning up dashboards to show our operations teams how they're doing on any given day to managing data transfers from sales to operations to crafting project plans for implementations to tracking survey responses when projects are completed. It's an incredibly versatile tool that, with a little creativity, can produce amazing results.
Pros:
I love how accessible and customizable the product is. We're able to make it do so much to integrate various departments and help work flow across the organization.
Cons:
Some of the features aren't carried from sheet to sheet when you save as a Template or save a project as "new", and having to reconfigure alert rules can be time consuming.
Best thing since sliced bread
Comments: This software makes everything we do so streamlined and easy. We literally load all of our projects into smartsheet so that we can all manage them. I don't think that I could do my job as efficiently without it. There is s certain project we do once a year where we update pricing on all website items with all of our suppliers. Being able to keep this data in SS, then send our suppliers update requests to load in the data has been a life saver! Keeping track of work along with managing the project has become a breeze.
Pros:
The thing I like the most is the transparency or the collaboration. To be able to easily see what others are doing and manage them together, set reminders and send update requests is what makes our company run well.
Cons:
I think there have been a few times that we have maxed out on number of lines. I don't know why that there is a throttle there, but that's probably my only complaint is that some of our sheets get large and max out!
Critical in daily management
Comments: I absolutely love the software and the company. The system meets our needs and is flexible when we need to make adjustments. While the cost is fairly high to start up, annually it is worth the cost, as it streamlines our processes and allows us to be more efficient.
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.
Smart Technology
Comments: Smartsheet definitely is very smart! It's a very powerful collaboration tool. You can customize forms to send to other. You can set up notification/reminders to others. However, Smartsheet is not so user-friendly. It's an intricate system that takes time to learn. However, once you take the time to learn it, you'll love it!!!
Pros:
In my line of work, I have to send forms to vendors. They submit the terms that they agree with Target. I also have to document their terms. I love that it's so easy to customize forms in Smartsheet. Vendors and key partners also really like the looks of Smartsheet forms too. I also like that Smartsheet organized data from submission forms into a nice master grid. Another functionality that I love is the workflow automation. I'm able to set notification and reminder on when key partners need to approve vendor forms in Smartsheet.
Cons:
Smartsheet provide a very nice, clean form for vendor to submit their terms. However, there is no function to send a copy of the SAME form once the form had been submitted. When vendor sask me to send the a copy of the forms they submitted, Smartsheet isn't able to generate the form in the original format. Smartsheet just generate a simple grid of the submitted data/terms. It would nice if Smartsheet can generate the submitted form in the SAME/original format of the form that I created in Smartsheet.
Alternatives Considered:
Smartsheet Review
Comments: This software can be used in so many applications with no code necessary to create automations, dashboards and data aggregation from other sources. We have been able to redeploy thousands of working hours from administrative duties to value add activites.
Pros:
Product can be purchased with a limited number of licenses to gain knowledge and champions to scale. This allows for a low cost entry point. Users do not have to be licences to use the software only to create or edit an existing Smartsheet.
Cons:
The only issue we have encountered so far was the challenges to get our organization to scale its use. However, after 6 years we now see widespread use of the software with licenced active users in most departments.
Smartsheet streamlines our project processes
Comments: Smartsheet has simplified our team's ability to collaborate by allowing us to easily share and trade spreadsheets and datasheets. The data can only be seen and changed by authorized users.
Pros:
The software provides an intuitive user interface and a wide variety of tools for data visualization and management, including dashboards, grantt charts, and data suttles. What I like best about Smartsheet is how it helps us streamline our project operations, especially while working on a particularly difficult or complex endeavor.
Cons:
Microsoft Excel's formula functions differ from those in other spreadsheet programs, which might be confusing to beginners. When several, sophisticated formulas are included in the data sheet, its storage capacity is quickly exhausted. The sheet needs to be refreshed regularly to ensure that the data is displayed accurately.
Smartsheet - Functionality and Communities make this an indispensable application
Comments: Overall, my experience with Smartsheet has been wonderful. The extremely active Community has made all the difference in the world, answering questions within an hour or two. The staff are also active in the Community and you can see their passion for the application and truly helping their customers. Smartsheet is highly worth the investment.
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.
Quick points
Pros:
·Being able to share a spreadsheet with other users in real-time. · Like that users can complete a form to populate a spreadsheet to include uploading documents and that update requests could be sent to that user if a correction needs to be made or additional info is needed. The user then make the change(s) to the cell requested.
Cons:
·Recently a change was made whereas a non-licensed user can no longer send update requests. We use Smartsheet to have student teachers complete some info pursuant to state law. When the student makes an error, we used to send an update request to have them correct a cell. Now only a licensed user can send those notifications, so we most likely will utilize regular emails for these changes or not use Smartsheet for this work. ·As of Monday (9.30.19), how the system used "comments" changed from a pop-up box that let you enter into a field, save that info and now click anywhere and that pop-up box disappeared. Now it opens "Conversations" which now blocks the right side of the spreadsheet and you must now click on the X to close it out. It also holds all of the comments made to the entire sheet which is more info that I need. Typically if a comment is added to a row, I just click on the comment bubble to that row instead of viewing all of the comments to the sheet. ·When an update request is sent and the person makes the correction, this information is not clearly discernible when viewing the sheet. Turning on notifications turns on too many notifications so this was not an option. The workaround is, I add a "note sent"column that I check when an update request is sent. I then review the sheet and look for rows that have "note sent" checked and now no longer have the pending update icon to look for corrections. ·Need better form controls (field limits, date fields, etc.).
Very robust collaboration tool
Comments: We have used Smartsheet for quite a few years to help manage projects, day-to-day items, operational calendars, and other items at our higher ed institution. This tool has been a tremendous help with making it easier to collaborate with other companies, as well as increase the efficiency with certain tasks among our department and other departments at our institution. Smartsheet is a very easy tool to learn and use and provides a great amount of functionality in one place to collaborate across groups. I would highly recommend this product to companies, large or small, if they have multiple projects that they need to manage frequently. The ROI for this product is good if you use it all of the time. If you don't, it can end up being an expensive tool for collaboration while there are many alternative competitors out there that may be a better option financially.
Pros:
Smartsheet provides a very robust collaboration tool among teams and teams from other companies. The ability to show timelines, comments, attachments, and dates - all in one place - make it very easy to stay on track with projects. This tool also provides a very nice mobile and app platform to work off of while out on the go. We utilize the professional (paid) version to encompass all of the features that we need and are no longer offered in the free version, such as the ability to email directly from the sheet, send for updates, and utilize the reminder functions. Emailing directly from the sheet is a great feature since it allows you to send the comments, attachments, and info from the line all in one easy-to-read email. You can also cc yourself on the email so that you know that it was sent.
Cons:
One of the things about Smartsheet that could be updated is the ability to copy info from one sheet and create a new sheet. For example, my team utilizes this tool for registration for certain programs at our university. The ability to copy the entire sheet (with all of the info and attachments) onto a new sheet and update the dates, or minimal information, would be a great function to have. The other option would be to allow more functionality in the free version (which was previously there). The update to only allowing email sends from a single line in the professional (paid) version now is a bit challenging when we only budgeted for a certain amount of licenses for the academic year (and we all know how stingy higher ed budgets are right now)
Excel on speed
Comments: I have a running joke with my colleagues that goes along the lines of "have I told you how much I love smartsheet?" This is generally when I have discovered a new wow feature - e.g. the ability to lock in column formulae. They smile and say "yes you have mentioned it"
Pros:
It's core infrastructure is very easy to understand. As an accountant I saw a spreadsheet like thing and shouted hurrah I get this. Then I realised that was just a beginning but a beginning that was good because it hooked me. Then I started to get that there are forms and the spreadsheets are really databases in disguise from which you can easily produce reports with no programming skills needed (other than those I knew anyway). Then there are dashboards that you can configure to your own requirements. I particularly love that you can change information on the reports and it changes on the underlying spreadsheets (databases). For one business I worked for I changed what had been a daily and weekend nightmare for the owner into an automated process that took half an hour. Literally life changing for him.
Cons:
It's strength is it's weakness. Like a spreadsheet it can be too flexible which can be dangerous if you don't know what you are doing. Other software has guardrails, this doesn't. If you take care it's fine but you can find yourself changing something and it having knock on effects. It's not that the underlying data is compromised by this but the reporting can be. For example if you change the name of a database column the reports won't be able to find it again which means that on the reports and dashboards you find a blank where there should be data. So take care, but if you do, it's magic!
Great tool for project management
Comments: Collaboration during projects is key to our business. Smartsheet has helped us centralise our project documentation into one central repository and ensure that we have artifacts for each project we complete.
Pros:
My company uses Smartsheet to manage projects. We are a software implementation consulting service working with clients (remotely) and collaboration and instant updates to shared project plans, action items lists and contact information is important to ensure the successful management and completion of a project. The reports and widget functions make dashboard reporting easier and more efficient. The ability to export to Excel or Microsoft Projects means that we can collaborate easily with clients who use other tools within their organisation. The notification functionality is great as well, whether it's getting notified of a change on a sheet, or notified that something has been assigned to you.
Cons:
I would like to be able to copy directly from Smartsheet into Word, PowerPoint or Outlook (in table format) rather than having to copy into Excel, then copying from Excel to another program to get a table. It's a small thing, but frustrating when all you want to do is copy a portion of a project plan or action list into an email and it comes out as text instead of formatted as a table. :-( I would also like to be able to display the Gantt chart in different formats for use in presentations and documentation. The standard Gantt chart view is fine, but it would be nice to be able to change colours, font or even the width of the bars to make it more appealing in presentations.
Smartsheet is like Excel & PowerPoint had a child
Pros:
Smartsheet is a great option for middle of the road users that don't need the powerhouse complexity of excel, but need more standardization and features to organize tasks than simple task management like Trello. Its user friendly and has the capability to move data from one team to another through automations, reports, messaging, and data display. The more users, the data, or the moving parts the more difficult Smartsheet is to use, but in my experience most people don't run into those complexities.
Cons:
Smartsheet is new compared to a lot of other project management software and they're developing new features all the time. In some ways this is wonderful because they take customer feedback seriously and implement changes relatively quickly. However, I feel that it doesn't quite know what its going to be yet and there are limitations around data display that require time consuming work arounds or out of the box thinking. For example. I can aggregate data into a report but I can't display portions of a report on a dashboard in a chart. There are pivot table add ons that are not as simple as say an excel pivot so I essentially have to make my own pivot using formulas to chart data. It works, but its round-about and features that might improve this process are extra.
A Robust Project Management Tool with Collaborative Power
Comments: Overall, my experience with Smartsheet has been positive. The tool offers robust project management capabilities and versatile spreadsheet functionality. Real-time collaboration and automation features enhance teamwork and productivity. Despite a learning curve and some limitations, Smartsheet proves to be a valuable tool for effective project management and collaboration.
Pros:
What I liked most about Smartsheet is its robust project management capabilities. The tool provides a comprehensive set of features for planning, tracking, and collaborating on projects. Its intuitive interface makes it easy to create tasks, set dependencies, and manage deadlines effectively. The real-time collaboration feature allows multiple users to work on the same sheet simultaneously, promoting seamless teamwork and communication. Additionally, the automation and integration options provided by Smartsheet streamline workflows and enhance productivity.
Cons:
What I liked least about Smartsheet are its limitations in terms of advanced formatting options and the learning curve associated with its features. While Smartsheet offers basic formatting capabilities, it lacks some advanced features found in traditional spreadsheet applications. This can be limiting for users who require complex formulas or intricate formatting in their sheets. Additionally, Smartsheet's robust functionality may require some time and training for users to fully grasp and utilize all its features effectively. However, once users overcome the learning curve, the tool proves to be a valuable asset for project management and collaboration.
Smartsheet is So Easy and Effective, you Must Have it!
Comments: I started my current job with 0 Smartsheet experience, and my boss got me an Admin license (only her and I have this license type on our team). She then provided me with a 1-2 slide deck on each project she wanted me to work on. I struggled a little, and found the forum, and continued to go back. I still need help on every project, but each project I need different help. My latest project had one bad issue an "account number" had to be typed/pasted into every parent row (then 5 child rows). This was not user friendly. I had the idea to have a new sheet with the numbers and formulas to them (INDEX/MATCH). Back to the forum, how do I count "parent rows" on a sheet containing only formulas? Well with the assistance of a few helper columns and one text field that indicates Parent or Child, I made the miracle happen. And this sheet feels into a "single line" sheet, which feeds into the dashboard. Bringing projects like these to the next level makes me a better analyst! And when I am not up to my eyeballs in projects, I make time to actively read the Smartsheet Community posts.
Pros:
Smartsheet is easy to learn. The company has webinars, "university" a Community (forum for questions and announcements). The formulas and "nuances" are very similar (and some the same) to Excel, making learning Smartsheet very easy. The Community (forum) is outstanding, I am a regular visitor. Sometimes, I just cannot get something to work, so I post my problem with my formulas and screenshot into the forum and answers come quickly, they are always happy to help, which is appreciated.
Cons:
There are some features of Excel, that are not incorporated into Smartsheet. For example, VLOOKUP exists, however it can cause issues if columns are moved or inserted, or if you need to lookup to the left. To solve this issue in Excel, I would use XLOOPUP, but in Smartsheet, I must still use INDEX/MATCH. But this list is small, it is only because I am an Excel girl.
Smartsheet is a one-stop solution for many companies
Pros:
Smartsheet allows me to do what I want to do in the way I want to do it. I rarely come across limitations that can't be figured out. When anyone asks me for a new request, I don't have to find crazy work arounds or engage in wild goose chases only to find I can't accomplish the ask. I can quickly and easily give them the views they want, the functionality they want to track their projects specific to their organizations or easily organize their specific chaos. The real-time dynamically updated information makes this tool incredibly powerful for all stakeholders needing to stay up to date without requiring some sort of status update meetings. I also love that their product roadmap comes from community suggestions! I have seen functionality go from a great community suggestion to implemented out of the box functionality. I love that they are improving and adapting just like the people that use their software are!
Cons:
There are very few downsides to Smartsheet. The biggest thing I could tell, and I am reaching, is that other companies used for Project Management such as Monday, Asana, Wrike, Rocketlane, etc. all look really modern and sexy. They all pale in comparison to Smartsheet but they have great color schemes and they look pretty and modern which some companies like more than a truly powerful system like Smartsheet.