Used For

• +**Your project timelines live in 15 different Excel files and nobody knows which is current** → One shared workspace with real-time updates, automatic notifications when deadlines slip
• +**You're manually chasing status updates via email for 10 hours every week** → Automated workflows send reports to stakeholders, team updates itself through forms
• +**Campaign launches keep getting delayed because approval processes happen in email threads** → Built-in proofing and approval workflows with clear handoffs and deadlines
• +Gantt charts that actually update dependencies automatically - change one date and everything downstream shifts without breaking
• +AI formula builder turns "sum all sales over 30 days" into working spreadsheet formulas without the syntax headaches

Best For

• >Your team is drowning in Excel chaos and missed deadlines are becoming a weekly tradition
• >You need Gantt charts and dashboards but don't want to become a project management software expert
• >Marketing or ops teams juggling 20+ campaigns who are tired of email status update hell

Not For

• -Teams under 5 people — you're paying $9/user minimum when free alternatives work fine for small groups
• -Developer teams who need custom scripting — it's built for business users, not code-heavy workflows
• -Anyone hoping for truly unlimited free usage — you'll hit the 400-row limit faster than you think

Pairs With

• *Microsoft 365 (for calendar syncing so Outlook deadlines actually match your project timelines)
• *Slack (where notifications about overdue tasks spam your channels until someone updates their status)
• *Jira (for developer handoffs when marketing campaigns need actual code changes)
• *Salesforce (to track sales pipeline projects and lead nurturing workflows)
• *Google Sheets (the old system you're migrating from, probably with 47 versions named "FINAL_v2_REAL")
• *Tableau (where executives want prettier dashboards than Smartsheet's built-in reports provide)

The Catch

• !Row limits (20,000 per sheet) fill up fast with real data, forcing expensive upgrades mid-project when you least expect it
• !The mobile app crashes frequently on complex Gantt charts, making field updates frustrating when you're away from your desk
• !Enterprise add-ons like advanced integrations can double your costs — that $25/user Bridge connector adds up quick for larger teams

Bottom Line

Excel's overachieving cousin that actually keeps projects on track without making you learn rocket science.