Help understanding the new user subscription model

DeliverEdLLC

TL;DR In the new model, is it possible to have people outside your organization edit sheets without having to pay for them (or do some kind of weird change in permissions and re-share every 3 months)?

We are trying to understand what the new user subscription model means for us. We are a small consulting organization that works with school districts. Essentially, we've created a dashboard that our partners use to monitor their strategic plans. Right now, we only give them one license for the "power user" who needs to make revisions to dashboards etc., but the remainder (roughly 25ish people) of their users are just free collaborators. They need to be able to view and edit data on established sheets (to enter new metrics, mark milestones complete, etc.). In the new model - will we need to pay for a license for every one of those people? Or is it possible to share it with them as an external member (but my understanding is that we will have to re-share each item with them every 3 months at the end of the reconciliation period to avoid having them switch over to a paid user)? Honestly, our account manager has not been very helpful and has confused me more so I'm looking for better guidance here.

Kristin N

TL;DR- Yes

Users outside of your organization with “commenter” or “editor” as their highest permission level are considered “guests”. Guests are free for business, enterprise, and advanced plans.

kowal

hi @DeliverEdLLC,

The USM is pretty straight forward. If you share any sheet/report/dashboard with anyone with permissions above viewer (so administrator, editor, commenter) automatically such person is added to your organisation for extra licence and the SysAdmin has 90 days to downgrade such person to viewer so no extra cost will be calculated.

We have now two options:

a) if the sheet is shared with someone who is from your organisation (same email domain) and this person does not have a license already in those 90 days such person needs to be downgraded to viewer only - otherwise the extra license will be assigned to such person and costs will occur.

b) If the person is from outside your organisation (different email domain) such person needs to be downgraded to Guest (which can also edit sheets) in those 90 days or the license will be assigned to such person on your cost.

The biggest advantage of the USM is that everybody now has 3 months to fully test Smartsheet as admin but you need to have a very agile SysAdmin to downgrade people on time not to pay extra.

Hope this helps.

Kristin N

TL;DR- Yes

Users outside of your organization with “commenter” or “editor” as their highest permission level are considered “guests”. Guests are free for business, enterprise, and advanced plans.

KareinPA

We collaborate with teams that have their own Smartsheet accounts? Will these charges occur even if you share content at an Admin or Editor level with a person that has their own Smartsheet account separate from your account?

Genevieve P.

Hi @KareinPA

For users outside of your account and company:

• Admin = Paid Member
• Editor = Free Guest

I personally find the images and bullet points in this Help Article useful: https://help.smartsheet.com/articles/2483245-User-Subscription-Model-System-Admin-overview#toc-user-types

Cheers,
Genevieve

EBECI

So, for those who would be guests (outside of our organization with an outside domain) would be "free guests".

But does that individual (or their company) need to have their own paid license/membership to access Smartsheet in general (WorkApps, Dashboards or Sheets themselves) in USM?

Are they called "free" because WE aren't paying for them?

Or is the free guest, actually FREE, from all sides?

We have contractors (outside domains) with current access to our sheets (in Legacy). They currently have an Enterprise account, but we don't know at this time if they are staying with Smartsheet. We want to know how their access to our sheets will be affected going forward with the User Subscription Model, for both, if they continue with their own USM or if they leave Smartsheet.

Thanks,

E

Rebecca_Kolker

Thanks @EBECI We are in the same situation and I too would like to understand what happens when a contractor (different domain) has their own Smartsheet license (either through their own Enterprise plan or otherwise). How does this play out when we share them to our work? Will they be able to edit without being included in our company's true up at the end of three months. In essence, have to pay for a license with their company and ours? Hope this makes sense.

sdeclerk

I have this same question. I am the contractor. I've just had 2 sets of clients realize that they have paid for MY access to their sheets even though I have a Business Plan as well. They are NOT happy. And I COMPLETELY understand why. Now I feel like I have to offer to reimburse them for the entire year they have paid for in advance even though I may only be working with/for them for another month. Very frustrating to say the least.

Genevieve P.

Hi @EBECI, @Rebecca_Kolker and @sdeclerk

For users outside of your company, whether or not they are a paid member of your account depends on the level of sharing:

• Admin = Paid Member
• Editor = Free Guest

This is specific only to your plan, which means it is separate from whatever they have on their own account or any other interactions they have on other plans.

I would recommend reviewing this article for more information: https://help.smartsheet.com/articles/2483245-User-Subscription-Model-System-Admin-overview

Thanks,
Genevieve

Rebecca_Kolker

Thanks, I have read that article @Genevieve P. It just seems so unfair that someone has to pay for two licenses.

sdeclerk

@Genevieve P. @EBECI @Rebecca_Kolker
Good morning, after lots of reading up on the new USM last night, I am still not clear on a few things. If my client is paying annually and has already paid in advance for their employees as internal Members and unintentionally for me as an external Member, if they remove me during the next reconciliation period, do they get credited for the cost of my seat? Also, how in the world are contractors/consultants like myself supposed to do meaningful work for my clients as a Guest with limited access? Surely, SURELY business owners all over the globe are not just passively agreeing to pay for SS access for a 3rd party, in addition to paying them their regularly rates? I read about the Workapps access being a work around but that's not an option for some of my clients because of the additional cost. I am really hoping that there is some big piece of the puzzle I'm missing? I walked away from a job after 12 years to go out on my own with Smartsheet because it is SUCH an amazing platform and I believe in it wholeheartedly. I am now low key panicking that I've possibly made a terrible mistake. Any light you can shed is appreciated. ~Shelley