Clarizen vs Smartsheet

August 10, 2023 | Author: Adam Levine
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Clarizen
Clarizen's online project management software facilitates team collaboration and project execution, ensuring data is always up-to-date and aligned with business objectives. No complex software or hardware installations are required due to Clarizen's software-as-a-Service (SaaS) structure, resulting in immediate business impact as teams and projects get up and running instantly.
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Smartsheet
Smartsheet is an online project management and crowdsourcing tool. It allows owners of information to comprehensively involve contributors through authenticated access, publicly-accessible published sheets, or via embeddable survey forms. Functionality is focused on the ability to organize, share, and update tasks and files.
Clarizen and Smartsheet are both popular project management and collaboration tools, but they have key differences in their features, functionalities, and target users.

Clarizen is a comprehensive project management platform that offers a wide range of features to plan, execute, and track projects. It provides capabilities such as project scheduling, resource management, task management, budget tracking, and customizable workflows. Clarizen is designed for larger organizations and complex projects that require detailed planning, collaboration, and extensive reporting. It offers advanced features to manage multiple projects, allocate resources effectively, and monitor progress in real-time.

Smartsheet, on the other hand, is a versatile work management and collaboration tool that allows teams to organize and track their work using spreadsheet-like interfaces. It offers features such as task management, Gantt charts, automated workflows, document sharing, and collaboration. Smartsheet is designed to be flexible and customizable, catering to a wide range of industries and project types. It focuses on providing a familiar spreadsheet-based interface with additional project management capabilities.

See also: Top 10 Project Management software
Clarizen vs Smartsheet in our news:

2021. Planview acquires Clarizen and Changepoint



Planview has made significant moves in the industry through the acquisition of two renowned companies: Clarizen, a global leader in enterprise Collaborative Work Management, and Changepoint, a prominent provider of enterprise Portfolio Management solutions. This strategic transaction will bring together Planview, Clarizen, and Changepoint customers, creating a premier community of PMOs, PPM, and Professional Services Automation (PSA) practitioners. With an expanded portfolio of solutions, customers will have access to enhanced tools and resources to strategically plan and successfully execute their critical initiatives. This transformative combination has garnered positive feedback from customers thus far, signaling its potential to revolutionize the industry. These acquisitions closely follow Planview's acquisition by TPG Capital and TA Associates in December 2020, demonstrating the commitment to accelerating Planview's growth and advancing its vision for Agile and PPM for Enterprises. With Clarizen and Changepoint as its largest acquisitions to date, Planview sets the stage for its growth strategy in 2021.


2019. Smartsheet acquires Slope to help creatives collaborate



Smartsheet, the renowned project management and collaboration tool, has recently completed the acquisition of Slope, a collaboration tool specifically designed for sharing creative assets. This integration of Slope into the Smartsheet platform empowers users to seamlessly share assets such as videos and photos directly within the application. Moreover, it introduces the functionality to annotate, comment on, or approve these assets. Smartsheet envisions this native integration from a broad enterprise perspective. It facilitates various scenarios, including HR teams sharing training videos, marketing departments exchanging product photos, or construction company employees inspecting a site and collaboratively addressing code violations by sharing annotated photos to highlight the issues at hand.


2018. Smartsheet got $1.9 billion valuation after IPO



Upon its debut in the public markets, online project management and crowdsourcing company Smartsheet witnessed a surge in its share prices. Smartsheet concluded at $19.50, representing a 30 percent increase from its initial price of $15, resulting in a market capitalization of $1.9 billion. Although the company recorded net losses in its financial statements, it exhibited robust revenue growth. In its IPO filings, Smartsheet disclosed a substantial user base of 3.6 million, including notable business clients such as Cisco and Starbucks. For the fiscal year 2018, the company generated $111.3 million in revenue. However, similar to many Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies, Smartsheet is going public while reporting a loss.


2017. Collaboration service Smartsheet gets $52M



The spreadsheet software service, Smartsheet, has recently secured $52 million in funding. With approximately 70,000 businesses currently subscribed to its product, ranging from small and medium-sized businesses to large enterprises, Smartsheet has amassed around 550,000 licensed customers. Additionally, there are "a few million" individuals who utilize the service free of charge. Since its establishment in 2006, Smartsheet has positioned itself as an early entrant in the market, offering an alternative to Google Docs, Excel, and other spreadsheet applications. Its distinctive focus lies in facilitating collaboration among multiple users within these documents, allowing for dynamic utilization and efficient teamwork.


2014. Smartsheet helps companies to visualize their teamwork


The spreadsheet-based project and work management platform, Smartsheet, has introduced new features to enhance companies' understanding of their employees' work processes and provide improved visibility into their operations. The primary objective is to effectively track various projects and the individuals involved within the organization. With the introduction of Smartsheet Account Maps, users can easily identify the key contributors and project leaders within a group, which can be advantageous when requesting a raise. Conversely, it also highlights those who may have limited involvement, which may be less favorable during annual performance evaluations. Additionally, Smartsheet Account Maps enable users to visualize the connections between different groups within the organization. By default, a basic map is made available to all users, facilitating a better understanding of project dynamics and team interactions.


2009. Clarizen 3.0 add Issue and Expense management

Clarizen 3.0 introduces a range of new features, such as the ability to handle business issues, track expenses, and access Gantt charts. Additionally, the company has made enhancements to Clarizen's design and expanded its website tutorials to facilitate user learning. The two major updates in this version are Issue management and Expense management. With Clarizen's Issue management pane, project managers can easily identify project problems, assign responsible individuals to address the issues, and provide detailed descriptions of what needs to be resolved. In the Expenses pane, users can generate expense reports, entering their own expense descriptions or selecting from those predefined by the project manager. If expense categories have been created by the project manager, users can choose the appropriate items from a drop-down list; otherwise, they can add their own categories. Clarizen offers various pricing plans, starting from $24.95 per user per month and ranging up to $49.95 per user per month, depending on the number of licenses required and the subscription duration.


2009. Clarizen: Project Management for Non-Project Managers

Israeli startup Clarizen positions itself as a project management and collaboration tool specifically targeted at individuals who are not project managers. Despite entering the market relatively late, Clarizen boasts several essential features: a user-friendly interface and a touch of distinctive differentiation. Unlike traditional project management tools, Clarizen was designed to cater to operational and functional managers. This strategic decision addresses a crucial aspect of project management, namely the challenging setup stage that often requires meticulous planning before implementation. Non-professional project managers frequently struggle with this process due to their limited familiarity with such methodologies. To overcome this obstacle, Clarizen enables project participants to contribute to the planning, even if the project is already underway. This collaborative approach to planning and execution is beneficial for teams within the same organization as well as those spanning multiple companies with distributed resources.


2008. Smartsheet Ships Online Business Bundler for Small Business

Etherpad, a new group productivity app developed by Appjet, has been launched with support from ex-Googlers, Y Combinator, and the founders of Friendfeed, among others. Despite its unattractive interface, Etherpad proves to be an incredibly useful tool. Similar to Google Docs or a wiki, it surpasses them in terms of functionality. To begin, users create a workspace and can freely type text on numbered lines. They can then invite others to join and collaborate in real time, with each user's edits highlighted in a different color. Etherpad's real-time editing capabilities surpass even Google Docs, which updates every fifteen seconds. The application also offers a chat feature in the sidebar, allows users to save versions, and provides options to customize settings such as removing line numbers. Additionally, Etherpad includes an optional feature that highlights JavaScript syntax, making it ideal for collaborative coding. Currently, the website has minimal design elements, but future plans include exporting documents to various formats like text files and Word documents. Premium features, such as controlled access and private URLs, will be offered to businesses for a fee, and a non-hosted version will be available for companies seeking higher security by installing it on their own servers. Etherpad has quickly become a must-use application due to its ability to enhance productivity during phone calls by allowing users to open a workspace and take real-time notes together.


2008. Smartsheet Launches New Version With Enhanced Features

When I first covered the beta version of Smartsheet Task Manager and Project Collaboration service in July, I had reservations about fully adopting it due to certain missing core features. However, with the official launch of V2, I decided to revisit the platform and assess the changes. During this process, I had the opportunity to chat with Brent Frei, the founder and chairman of Smartsheet, who shared insights into the design philosophy and productivity focus of the service. According to Frei, Smartsheet is built on 5 Foundational characteristics that define and guide the user experience, addressing the needs of real users at each phase. One of the most intriguing aspects is their "No Adoption Required" philosophy, aimed at overcoming the challenge of incorporating a project management tool into a team environment. Smartsheet enables contributors to participate without creating an account by utilizing secure live links that allow access and updates via email. This seamless process also extends to file attachments, status updates, threaded discussions, and change management, ensuring transparency and accountability. The platform offers branding and customization options, and a new branded distribution program with customized templates and revenue sharing. These refinements, along with upcoming reporting options, have made Smartsheet a more compelling and accessible option for project and task management. While the spreadsheet metaphor may not suit everyone, Smartsheet's comfort, familiarity, and affordability make it easy to jump in and start working. Pricing plans range from a free 2-sheet Starter Account to higher levels with additional sheets and reporting options, and all plans allow for an unlimited number of users, fostering inclusivity and collaboration.


2008. Smartsheet Offers List Based Project Collaboration

In my ongoing search for the perfect Project Management solution, I recently tested the capabilities of the smartsheet service to determine its suitability. Marketed as an Online Project Collaboration tool, it adopts a familiar spreadsheet-like interface for presenting data, which may appeal to many users. However, I quickly found that smartsheet did not meet the minimum level of functionality I expected from a project management tool, leading me to disqualify it for my purposes. I kept hoping for a moment of revelation where everything would fall into place or hidden menu options would unlock the project management features I sought. While smartsheet does offer enhancements like integrated file uploading and upcoming discussion features, they fall short of providing the comprehensive messaging, task tracking, and deadline management I anticipated from a project management application. For instance, I couldn't find a way to view all tasks assigned to me across different project sheets. I believe the fundamental issue lies in the fact that using a spreadsheet as the foundation for project management is inherently flawed, and building upon enhanced functionality won't change that, regardless of how well it's executed. Smartsheet is not a bad application, and if you insist on using a spreadsheet for this purpose, it can be an improvement. However, I would recommend exploring other project management solutions such as Basecamp, DeskAway, or Joint Contact before making a decision. Smartsheet Version 2, currently in Beta, is an update to their existing Classic service. Free beta accounts are available, but pricing for the post-launch version has not been disclosed yet.

Author: Adam Levine
Adam is an expert in project management, collaboration and productivity technologies, team management, and motivation. With an extensive background working at prestigious companies such as Microsoft and Accenture, Adam's in-depth knowledge and experience in the field make him a sought-after professional. Currently, he has ventured into entrepreneurship, owning a thriving consulting and training agency where he imparts invaluable insights and practical strategies to individuals and organizations, empowering them to achieve their goals and maximize their potential. You can contact Adam via email adam@liventerprise.com