Smartsheet
Smartsheet is a work management platform with a spreadsheet-style interface that combines familiar tables with powerful automation.
Smartsheet is a work management platform that looks and feels just like a spreadsheet. The trick is that anyone coming from Excel will feel right at home, but you get features a spreadsheet doesn't have, such as automations, sharing, forms, and reports linked across multiple sheets.
It’s primarily used for data-heavy projects and portfolios in larger companies, such as construction projects, rollouts, and program management. You can generate a Gantt view, a Kanban board, or a management dashboard from the same rows as needed, without having to maintain the data in two places.
The spreadsheet-centric approach is both a strength and a weakness: it’s familiar and flexible, but visually plain and less modern than monday.com or Asana. Airtable, also in this directory, feels fresher and more like a database, but Smartsheet wins when it comes to large, formal project structures and reporting.
The right choice for companies that want to manage projects in a familiar spreadsheet format and need comprehensive reporting. If you’re looking for a modern, visual interface or a flexible database, check out monday.com or Airtable instead.
Functions
- Familiar for anyone coming from Excel, but with real automation
- Designed for large, data-heavy projects and portfolios
- Connects multiple spreadsheets into comprehensive reports
- Established enterprise platform, publicly traded
- Governance and permissions features for large corporations
Core Functions
- Project and task management in a spreadsheet-style interface
- Grid, Gantt, Kanban, and calendar views from the same data
- Automations for reminders, approvals, and status changes
- Forms that write entries directly into the table
- Dashboards and reports for company-wide reporting
Alternatives to
Smartsheet
Smartsheet
Smartsheet is a work management platform with a spreadsheet-style interface that combines familiar tables with powerful automation.
Wrike
Wrike is a work management platform designed for mid-sized and large teams, with a focus on marketing and professional services.
Trello
Trello is a simple Kanban board from Atlassian: just drag and drop cards across lists, get up and running in minutes, and use it for free.
monday.com
monday.com is a colorful Work OS toolkit that lets teams manage projects, processes, and tasks on vibrant boards.