Smartsheet

Smartsheet Review: Spreadsheet Power Users' Project Management Tool

Smartsheet has a specific thesis: spreadsheets are the project management tool most people actually use, so project management software should look like a spreadsheet. Founded in 2005 and publicly listed (NYSE: SMAR) since 2018, Smartsheet has built a substantial enterprise business on this premise, with more than 90% of Fortune 500 companies using it in some capacity.

The Spreadsheet Paradigm

The core Smartsheet interface is a grid. Rows are tasks, columns are attributes — exactly like a spreadsheet, but with project-management-specific column types: Date, Duration, Predecessors, Assigned To, Status, Percent Complete. The Gantt chart is built directly from the grid; no separate data entry required. Change a duration in the grid and the Gantt bar updates. Restructure the hierarchy using indent/outdent and the Gantt reflects the new WBS structure.

For teams whose current "PM system" is a shared Excel file with conditional formatting and date columns, Smartsheet is the most natural migration path in the category. The transition requires almost no conceptual retraining — just additional capability layered onto a familiar model.

Gantt and Auto-Scheduling

Smartsheet's Gantt view supports dependency types (finish-to-start, start-to-start, etc.), predecessor lag/lead time, and auto-scheduling. When the start date of a predecessor task changes, dependent tasks automatically shift. This is standard behaviour in traditional PM tools like Microsoft Project but is surprisingly rare in modern SaaS PM platforms, where many tools require manual date updates.

For operations managers who need to communicate schedule impact when a task slips, this auto-scheduling prevents the tedious manual cascade updates that plague simpler tools.

Dashboards and Reporting

Smartsheet's dashboard builder is one of the best in the category. Widgets pull data from multiple sheets — metrics, charts, rich text, images, shortcut links — into a single executive-facing view. Portfolio managers can build programme dashboards that aggregate status, budget, and schedule data from dozens of underlying project sheets. The dashboard is read-only for stakeholders with viewer permissions, which makes it safe to share broadly.

Collaboration and Forms

Smartsheet includes a form builder that populates rows in a sheet — useful for intake processes, change request submissions, and project initiation questionnaires. Combined with automated workflows ("When form is submitted, notify project manager and move row to intake review"), it creates light-weight request management without a separate tool.

Limitations

Smartsheet's main weakness is the absence of a free plan. The 30-day trial is sufficient for evaluation but not for the long-term low-urgency pilot that many enterprise procurement cycles require. At smaller team sizes (under 10 users), the per-seat pricing is competitive; at larger sizes, monday.com or Wrike's enterprise pricing may be more negotiable.

The mobile experience is functional for viewing and basic editing but lacks the depth of the web interface — a limitation for field teams and construction managers who do their primary work on mobile devices.

Verdict

Smartsheet is the strongest option for operations professionals, programme managers, and teams migrating from Excel. Its spreadsheet paradigm removes adoption barriers and its Gantt depth is genuine. The absence of a free tier limits low-stakes experimentation, and mobile limitations affect field-heavy industries.

Score: 7.8/10 — Excellent for spreadsheet-native teams; no free plan and limited mobile experience reduce accessibility.