Smartsheet launches new work visualization tool for enterprises

Often the easiest way of getting information across in a meeting or presentation is to have it in a visual form like a graph or chart.

Collaborative work management company Smartsheet is unveiling a new way to visualize work management and show how people contribute to a project. Instead of the traditional organization chart view, Smartsheet Account Map shows how both employees and external contributors form work clusters around processes.

"We're delivering the only comprehensive work visualization tool on the market," says Mark Mader, president and CEO of Smartsheet. "An enterprise can clearly see who's working with whom, what they are working on, and the content related to that work. The next closest thing from any vendor is a Prius compared to our Tesla".

For the individual user, Smartsheet offers a variety of ways to visualize projects via Gantt charts, calendar views, and spreadsheet-inspired grids with graphical status indicators such as RYG (red, yellow, green) balls, check boxes, conditional formatting and alert icons. An enterprise-wide Account Map provides organizations with a high-level view of their Smartsheet usage to identify patterns in work or team collaboration across the organization, visualize hubs of activity, and then map it to corporate priorities. Account administrators can interact with the Map, clicking on individual users to discover projects and contributors.

It works using a patented algorithm that analyzes how work is executed across team boundaries. By identifying the groups of people -- internal employees as well as external contributors such as clients, vendors, and partners -- involved in projects it can be used to manage almost any type of project.

"Because Smartsheet is used to coordinate virtually every kind of work from simple tasks to strategic programs, it’s critical that business leaders have an enterprise-level lens on that work," adds Mader. "From there they can glean insights, shift priorities and make informed investment decisions."

Smartsheet Account Map is available for existing enterprise clients on request, you can find out more on the Smartsheet website.

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