Is SmartSheet Really the Smart choice?
Updated November 26, 2014
Is SmartSheet Really the Smart choice?
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Software Version
Advanced
Overall Satisfaction with Smartsheet
As a Project Manager, I currently use SmartSheet as project management tool only. This system allows me to manage (via predefined templates) what milestones we are trying to achieve on each project, track the status of those milestones as well as send updates; request updates; set reminders for myself and run reports for the key stakeholders who need to be notified on the progress. I utilize the progress reporting with gantt charts and back out timelines for the business to better understand when they can anticipate the launch of a product. I also manage several reports within SmartSheet to allow me to automate some of the updates that I give on a weekly basis. This allows me to focus on the details of the project and working through tasks without having to spend a portion of my week making manual updates to a dashboard. This tool also allows me to set reminders for myself (as mentioned before) so I remember when and who I need to follow-up with while we are working through our launch plans. Because our Marketing team needs a specified amount of time to prep for a launch of a project, I pre-set reminders for myself to communicate with that team in advance so they are ahead of the game. This has really helped in managing the overall project.
- Alerts: this functionality has been particularly helpful to me as a Project Manager because of the sheer amount of projects my organization runs simultaneously. I would never keep up and remember all of the details and schedules for each project.
- Templates: this functionality has been very helpful for me.
- KanBan Board View/Scrum Board View: As a Project Manager within an organization that utilizes Kanban it would be great to see functionality that would allow me to see tasks for a specific project or roll-up of all projects in a KanBan board view. Because my technical team works in a different system (only because of the KanBan board) it makes it difficult to manage projects within separate systems.
- Dashboards: I would love to see SmartSheet start thinking outside the box with their reporting. I would love to be able to create a dashboard view instead of a report list view for my Management Team. This would allow greater visibility into what we are working on and status of each project. Not only would it give visibility but this allows for more automated information as I am updating projects the dashboard should automatically update as well.
- Reporting on a Primary Column: There is a primary column in each sheet within SmartSheet. When running a report to roll-up several sheets you see the primary column which generally is the name of the line item you are working on. I have an issue as a Project Manager that each project goes through the same process (or real close) for every project, so the line items are named identically. When running the report you will see these same names show up multiple times because you are rolling up multiple sheets. The only work around is to add the name of the project in each line item to differentiate between them. It would be great if SmartSheet allowed you to view all line items within a report under the title of the project you are working on as an option.
- Automation Efficiency: I have found SmartSheet to help with efficiency by allowing the user to get reports that automatically update with information that has been entered on each individual project sheet.
- Multiple Cross Functional Uses: We may have the ability to reduce cost because SmartSheet has predefined templates that help to understand how Project Management, Marketing, Finance, Sales, etc. could be using SmartSheet to allow for management of tasks, projects and clients within each of those departments.