Migrating from Smartsheet to Pendo
The main reason teams move from Smartsheet to Pendo is roadmapping. Pendo's approach — retroactive analytics — captures all user interaction data from install without requiring pre-defined event tagging, so pms can answer questions about past behavior immediately — suits scaleup and enterprise teams that have outgrown Smartsheet's model. Here's how to migrate without losing historical context.
At a Glance
- Spreadsheet-familiar interface makes adoption easy for teams transitioning from Excel — minimal training needed for basic use
- Extremely powerful Gantt chart and dependency tracking capabilities, ideal for traditional project management and waterfall methodologies
- Robust automation engine with conditional logic, approval workflows, and automated notifications that scale across the organization
- Retroactive analytics — captures all user interaction data from install without requiring pre-defined event tagging, so PMs can answer questions about past behavior immediately
- No-code in-app guide builder allows PMs to create onboarding walkthroughs, tooltips, and announcements without engineering involvement
- Combined analytics + feedback + in-app guidance in a single platform reduces tool sprawl compared to using separate point solutions
You gain with Pendo
- +roadmapping
You leave behind
- −Kanban boards
- −Gantt charts
- −mobile app
Migration Steps
Audit and export your current workspace
Before touching Pendo, document what lives in Smartsheet: projects and tasks, custom fields, automations, integrations, and team permissions. Export a full CSV backup — most tools support this from Settings → Export. Pay particular attention to any custom fields and workflow automations that your team relies on daily.
Set up your Pendo workspace
Create your Pendo workspace and replicate your project structure using tasks and projects. Start with the free tier — it covers the core workflow before you commit to a paid plan. Run with a single pilot team before migrating everyone.
Map your workflow equivalents
Find the closest Pendo equivalent for each Smartsheet feature your team relies on. projects and tasks in Smartsheet maps to tasks and projects in Pendo. Pendo supports custom fields — recreate your Smartsheet field schema here first. Prioritise the critical path: task creation, status tracking, and assignment.
Import your data
Pendo supports CSV import for tasks and projects and has 27+ native integrations. After importing, rebuild your key automations — Pendo's automation engine can replicate most rules you had in Smartsheet. Start with your most active project rather than importing everything at once.
Onboard your team
Run a 30-minute walkthrough covering the daily workflow: how to create tasks and projects, update status, and find your board. Expect a moderate ramp — most engineers and PMs hit their stride within a week. The biggest adjustment is usually the project hierarchy.
Run Smartsheet in parallel for two weeks
Keep Smartsheet read-only while your team works primarily in Pendo. This reduces risk and lets people reference historical context — old decisions, archived tickets, past sprint data — without slowing the migration. After two weeks with no new work going into Smartsheet, archive the workspace and make Pendo the official home.
Ready to switch?
Read the full Pendo review for pricing, integrations, and team fit details.