Smartsheet failure

jb@59069

A few weeks ago, Smartsheet released an update that removed free user ability to make changes to Report Builder. This is a vital function for our contractors to make one simple change to a date range field when they need to run a time and/or expense report for invoicing us. Please see the attached image for the single thing that our free users need to edit.

On the Tuesday this became an issue with multiple free users reporting they were receiving a message informing them they could not use Report Builder without a license, I sent an email to Support asking for help.

As is my typical experience with Smartsheet Support, nothing. I called support and had to leave a message. Again, no response. Finally late Thursday at which Ian asked that I provide a time on Friday after 11:30am PDT that we could connect. I responded that any time on Friday would work and that I had rearranged my Friday to ensure that whatever time worked for him, I would be available.

Friday came and went with nothing from Ian, zero responses to my multiple emails reassuring Ian that I was ready and available.

The following Monday I finally received an email from Ian apologizing, saying that his Friday got busy and he didn't even have the courtesy to let me know.

More emails to various people at Smartsheet until I finally got to James, a Tier 2 tech.

Sadly after several screen sharing sessions showing James how we use Smartsheet and determining that the multiple ways that NONE of the "workarounds" proposed will work without:

1. Increased work on my part on a daily or weekly basis, costing our company time and money by taking my time away from billable work and redirecting to Smartsheet administration;
2. Increased work on the part of our free users on a daily or weekly basis, for which they would begin billing our company for the time, again negatively affecting our bottom line;
3. Both of the above;
4. Increasing the complexity of our already complex sheets, increasing the administrative overhead and the number of “points of failure”;
5. Creating conflicts that just plain will not work based on our process.

As each of these "workarounds" failed to resolve our situation, James response was basically: "Oh, I see how that won't work" or, "I see how that would create a conflict".

I have invested over 12 hours in screen sharing, discussing and implementing these "workarounds", with zero success.

James did supply codes for three (3) free 30-minute Pro Desk sessions, but if he could not come up with a solution given the hours of work, both with and without me, how likely is it that a couple of 30-minute sessions will resolve this, especially when I would have to go through the whole process of familiarizing a new person on our process and the numerous "workarounds" that have failed?

Finally last week, James solution was to refer me to Sales in order that we buy 10 more licenses just so our users can edit a date field.

NONE of these users creates, owns or administers ANY process, project in Smartsheet. Adding an additional cost of $3,000+ per year for users to edit an "is between" date field is NOT fiscally responsible nor sound. As we bring on more contractors, this cost would only grow.

Couple this with delays in just getting a response from Smartsheet on this and multiple other issues, one of which is updating an email address with Finance that has still gone unresponded to for over a week now, and I see little reason to stay with Smartsheet.

This WAS a process that we had working very well, everyone in our company loved the way it HAD been working for nearly two years. But now Smartsheet has created a situation where the benefits of time and expense saving we had with Smartsheet is diminishing.

"Workaround" seems to be the new thing at Smartsheet and that is greatly disappointing.

I am now actively looking for a solution to replace what we had hoped would be a long term, permanent relationship with Smartsheet. Unfortunately the lack of support and their idea of developing in a vacuum is pushing us away.

 

Andrée Starå

Hi Jerry,

Any news, or are you still planning on leaving Smartsheet?

Have a fantastic week!

Best,

Andrée Starå

Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD

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