There are many collaboration tools available to help manage local and virtual teams but they tend to be fairly complex to use and can be expensive to deploy and manage.  New web-based applications promise to make it easier and more affordable for small business owners to get things done.  Offering a simple and elegant user-experience, SmartSheet may have raised the bar for online collaboration tools.

At first glance, SmartSheet may look like a run-of-the-mill spreadsheet interface but if you dig a little bit deeper it becomes evident that SmartSheet is anything but typical.  This web-based project and work management program has a multi-faceted app-like interface that can be customized to support any aspect of your business.

To get started, users can browse through a library of templates and choose one that will help jump-start their project or start a project sheet from scratch.  The beauty of SmartSheet is how flexible it is.  Every aspect of your project can be accessed from the dashboard view.  The project manager can organize and prioritize milestones and tasks in an intuitive way.  Projects can be managed in real time with up to the minute status updates, file sharing and task alerts and reminders.

SmartSheet’s unique interface is just one more blow to the old concept of comprehensive software suites for your desktop loaded with programs that are rarely if ever used.  It’s an interesting idea.

Want to learn more about The Cloud?  View our archive recording of our latest webinar, “The Cloud Has Finally Landed.  Should Your Company Head In?”