Is this the correct takeaway for the new seat type called Collaborator?
This is AI generated, that is why I am asking for confirmation:
How Contributor compares to the old Free Internal User
Where they are similar
Both roles were designed for active collaborators who don’t need a paid license:
- Can edit existing sheets when shared as Editor
- Can update rows, add comments, and attach files
- Cannot create or own sheets, reports, or dashboards
- Do not consume a paid seat
This mirrors how free internal users worked in the legacy model—helping teams collaborate without expanding paid licenses
❗ Key difference (this is the important part)
Legacy Free Internal User | New Contributor |
|---|
Informal / implicit | Explicit seat type |
Loosely enforced | Actively governed in Admin Center |
Limited visibility | Tracked and auditable |
Harder to manage cost | Designed for cost control |
Under USM, Smartsheet cannot rely on implicit “free editors” anymore, so the Contributor role was introduced to formally represent that usage pattern while giving admins visibility and control.
