Comparison
Project tracking with Excel or SmartPM?
For a small, single-person to-do list, Excel is sufficient; but if tasks are dependent, multiple people work simultaneously, or sharing with customers is needed, project management software like SmartPM saves time.
What is the difference between Excel and SmartPM?
A comparison of doing the same things two different ways.
| Requirement | Excel spreadsheet | SmartPM |
|---|---|---|
| Task dependencies | Set manually with formulas; may break when rows are added | Four dependency types, delay by working days |
| Downstream tasks shift automatically | Each date updated manually | Dependent tasks shift automatically |
| Critical path | Not calculated | Marked in red in the Gantt chart, showing slack |
| Simultaneous work | File copies and version confusion | Changes visible on everyone's screen without page refresh |
| Who sees what | Everyone who accesses the file sees everything | Administrator, member, viewer, and customer roles |
| Sharing with customers | Separate file or email | Customers see only the tasks you open, leave comments, and approve |
| Reminders and notifications | None | Assignment, comment, mention, and completion reminders; instant email or daily summary |
| Change history | Cannot track who changed what | Task history, undo, and audit log |
| Time logging | Collected manually on a separate sheet | Timer on task, weekly chart, CSV |
| Return to Excel | — | Tables, reports, and time logs can be downloaded as CSV |
When is Excel sufficient?
If your tasks are not interdependent, the list is updated by a single person, and you do not need to share it with anyone, Excel or a similar spreadsheet will suffice. As the number of tasks increases, dates begin to influence one another, and when multiple people start editing the same list, keeping the spreadsheet up to date becomes a task in itself.
How do I migrate my project from Excel to SmartPM?
SmartPM imports Excel and CSV files; you map columns to task name, list, person, date, and label. Up to 3,000 cards can be imported at once. Exports from Trello, Asana, and Jira are also supported; see the steps in the import documentation.
Move from spreadsheet to plan
Start with your existing Excel list, let SmartPM handle dependencies.