What is Smartsheet? A complete guide to features, pricing and use cases

If you've ever outgrown a spreadsheet but felt like full project management software was overkill for what you actually need, Smartsheet sits right in that gap. It looks familiar enough that your team can get started without a training week, but it's powerful enough to run serious project workflows, automate repetitive tasks, and keep cross-functional teams aligned in real time.

This guide covers what Smartsheet is, what it's used for, how it works, and what it costs.

If you're already using Smartsheet, or planning to, we'll also show you how IFTTT can help. IFTTT is an automation platform that connects over 1000 apps and services so they can work together without manual input. New rows get created automatically, status changes get routed to the right people, and your project data stays in sync with the tools your team already lives in, without anyone having to move it by hand.

What is Smartsheet?

Smartsheet is a cloud-based work management platform that combines the familiar interface of a spreadsheet with the functionality of a project management tool. Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, it's used by over 90% of Fortune 100 companies and millions of teams worldwide for planning, tracking, and collaborating on work.

Unlike traditional spreadsheets, Smartsheet is built for collaboration. Multiple people can work in the same sheet simultaneously, rows can be assigned to team members with due dates and attachments, and automated workflows can trigger notifications, update rows, and move work forward without manual intervention. It sits somewhere between Microsoft Excel and a full project management platform like Asana or monday.com, which is exactly why so many teams find it useful.

What is Smartsheet used for?

1. Project management teams use it to plan timelines, track milestones, manage resources, and report on progress across multiple projects at once.
2. Marketing teams use it to manage campaign calendars, creative briefs, and approval workflows.
3. Operations teams use it to track processes, manage vendor relationships, and build repeatable workflow templates.
4. IT teams use it for ticket tracking, change management, and asset inventory.
5. And HR teams use it for recruiting pipelines, onboarding checklists, and performance review cycles.

Because Smartsheet is built on a spreadsheet foundation, it's particularly popular in organizations where Excel is already deeply embedded in the culture, and teams want more collaboration and automation without abandoning the row-and-column mental model they already know.

How does Smartsheet work?

Smartsheet organizes work around sheets, which look and feel like spreadsheets but with project management capabilities layered on top. Each row represents a task, item, or record. Columns hold the attributes of each row, like assignee, due date, status, priority, and any custom fields your workflow requires.

From there, several features extend what a traditional spreadsheet can do. Views let you see the same sheet as a grid, Gantt chart, card view, or calendar without changing the underlying data. Dashboards pull data from multiple sheets into a single visual summary for reporting and oversight. Forms let you collect data from external stakeholders and route it directly into a sheet. And automations let you set rules that trigger notifications, update cells, move rows, and send approval requests based on conditions you define, all without any code.

Smartsheet also supports hierarchical rows for indenting subtasks under parent tasks, cross-sheet formulas for pulling data between sheets, and robust permission controls for managing who can view, edit, or comment on any given sheet.

Is Smartsheet free?

Smartsheet does not have a permanent free plan, but it offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card required. Here's how the paid plans break down:

The Pro plan starts at $9 per user per month billed annually and covers unlimited sheets, 250GB of storage, and core collaboration features for up to 10 users.

The Business plan starts at $19 per user per month and adds unlimited users, advanced automations, activity logs, and admin controls.

The Enterprise plan offers custom pricing with enhanced security, compliance features, and dedicated support.

Smartsheet also offers an Advanced Work Management plan for organizations that need premium add-ons like Dynamic View, DataMesh, and WorkApps.

For most small to mid-sized teams, the Business plan covers the majority of use cases. Larger organizations with governance and compliance requirements typically move to Enterprise.

Smartsheet vs. Excel: what's the difference?

Smartsheet is often compared to Excel because they share the same visual language of rows and columns. But they're built for fundamentally different purposes. Here's how they compare:

The bottom line: if you're doing data analysis, financial modeling, or complex calculations, Excel is still the better tool. If you're managing projects, coordinating teams, and tracking work across people and departments, Smartsheet is purpose-built for it.

What are Smartsheet's limitations?

Smartsheet is powerful, but it's not without trade-offs. The pricing can feel steep for smaller teams, particularly on the Business plan where the per-seat cost adds up quickly. The free trial is generous, but the absence of a permanent free tier means there's no low-commitment entry point for teams that want to evaluate it slowly.

The automations are capable but have limits on lower plans, and some of the more advanced features like dynamic views, data connectors, and WorkApps are locked behind premium add-ons that aren't included in the standard plans. For teams with complex reporting needs, building dashboards in Smartsheet requires some learning and isn't as intuitive as dedicated BI tools.

And while Smartsheet's spreadsheet-like interface is an advantage for Excel-fluent teams, it can feel limiting for teams that want a more visual, card-based, or timeline-first experience out of the box. Tools like Asana, monday.com, or Trello may feel more natural for those workflows.

How IFTTT works with Smartsheet

Smartsheet handles your project data. IFTTT connects it to everything else. Whether you want to create rows automatically from other tools, get notified when something changes, or sync Smartsheet activity with your communication and CRM platforms, IFTTT bridges the gap without any custom code.

Here's what that looks like across the most useful use cases:

Automatically create rows from other tools

One of the most common friction points in project management is getting data into Smartsheet in the first place. With IFTTT, that process can be fully automated. A new Trello card gets added to a list and a corresponding Smartsheet row is created automatically. A Google Sheets row is added and it flows straight into Smartsheet. A webhooks JSON event fires and creates a new Smartsheet row from the payload. A button widget press creates a row on demand. Or create a new Smartsheet row at a set time each day, useful for recurring daily tasks or standup logs.

Stay on top of status changes and assignments

Smartsheet generates activity that your team needs to know about, and IFTTT makes sure that activity reaches them wherever they're working. When a Smartsheet row status changes, post an update to Slack automatically. When Smartsheet assigns a row to someone, send a notification so the assignee knows immediately. Send Smartsheet status changes to webhooks for custom downstream workflows. Or get a push notification on your phone the moment something in your sheet changes.

Connect Smartsheet to your content and data feeds

IFTTT can also push external data into Smartsheet automatically. Log RSS feed items directly to Smartsheet as new rows, so content updates, news feeds, or blog post notifications land in your sheet the moment they're published. Append Smartsheet matches to Google Sheets on a QR scan. Or post Smartsheet matches to Discord when a Google Assistant scene activates, connecting your project data to your smart home or voice workflow setup.

Explore Smartsheet integrations

Some of the most useful Smartsheet automations connect it to the tools your team already uses, so data flows in and out automatically without anyone having to copy, paste, or manually update a row.

Webhooks to Smartsheet

Trigger Smartsheet row creation from any external system that can send a webhook. Useful for developers and ops teams who want to push data into Smartsheet from custom apps, forms, or third-party platforms.

• - Create a Smartsheet row from a Webhooks JSON event automatically
• - Upload webhook files to Google Drive using Smartsheet
• - Send Smartsheet status changes to Webhooks for custom downstream workflows

Set up Webhooks → Smartsheet

Google Sheets to Smartsheet

Keep your Google Sheets and Smartsheet data in sync automatically. Useful for teams that collect data in Sheets and want it reflected in Smartsheet without manual imports.

• - Add a new Smartsheet row when Google Sheets gets a new row
• - Append new Smartsheet rows to Google Sheets automatically
• - Append Smartsheet matches to Google Sheets on QR scan

Set up Google Sheets → Smartsheet

Smartsheet to Notifications

Get instant alerts when something changes in Smartsheet, without having to check the dashboard manually. Useful for anyone who needs to stay on top of assignments and status changes in real time.

• - Get a notification when Smartsheet assigns a row to you
• - Send Smartsheet row data to Notifications on a button press
• - Receive an alert when a Smartsheet row status changes

Set up Notifications → Smartsheet

Trello to Smartsheet

Bridge your Trello boards and Smartsheet projects automatically. Useful for teams that plan in Trello and track execution in Smartsheet, or want both tools reflecting the same work.

• - Create a Smartsheet row when a Trello card is added to a list
• - Create a Trello card from a new Smartsheet row automatically
• - Keep Trello and Smartsheet in sync across your project workflow

Set up Trello → Smartsheet

Smartsheet and IFTTT: better together

Smartsheet is already doing a lot of the work for your team's project management. IFTTT makes sure it stays connected to the tools around it, so data flows in automatically, your team gets notified at the right moments, and nothing has to be moved or updated by hand.

Ready to connect Smartsheet to your workflow? Get started on IFTTT today, no code required.

Frequently asked questions

Is Smartsheet a Microsoft product?

No. Smartsheet is an independent company, not a Microsoft product. It's headquartered in Bellevue, Washington and has been publicly traded on the NYSE since 2018. While Smartsheet integrates with Microsoft products like Teams, Excel, and SharePoint, it operates independently of the Microsoft ecosystem and is available to users on any platform.

How do I export Smartsheet to Excel?

To export a Smartsheet sheet to Excel, open the sheet, go to File in the top menu, and select Export, then Export to Microsoft Excel. Smartsheet will generate an .xlsx file that you can download and open in Excel. Note that some Smartsheet-specific features like cell linking, automations, and attachments won't carry over to the Excel export, but all row and column data will be preserved.

How do I use Smartsheet for project management?

To use Smartsheet for project management, start by creating a new sheet and setting up columns for the key attributes of your project: task name, assignee, due date, status, and priority are a good starting point. Add your tasks as rows, assign owners, and set due dates. Switch to Gantt view to visualize your timeline and add dependencies between tasks. Set up automations to notify assignees when tasks are due or when a status changes. Use dashboards to roll up progress across multiple sheets for a high-level project overview.

Does Smartsheet use AWS?

Yes. Smartsheet's infrastructure runs on Amazon Web Services. The platform is hosted across multiple AWS regions and uses AWS services for compute, storage, and security. Smartsheet maintains SOC 2 Type II compliance and offers data residency options for enterprise customers with specific regional requirements.

How do I create a dashboard in Smartsheet?

To create a dashboard in Smartsheet, go to the Home tab and click the plus icon to create a new item, then select Dashboard. From there, you can add widgets that pull data from your sheets, including charts, metric tiles, shortcut links, report summaries, and rich text blocks. Dashboards update automatically as the underlying sheet data changes, making them useful for real-time project status reporting without any manual refresh.