Using Smartsheet for Scrum
Spreadsheet-familiar interface makes adoption easy for teams transitioning from Excel — minimal training needed for basic use. When combined with Scrum, this makes Smartsheet a strong candidate for teams who want a structured, repeatable workflow without sacrificing flexibility. Scrum works best in Smartsheet when you leverage its core workflow features to implement the framework's key practices directly in the tool your team already lives in.
Scrum structures work into fixed-length sprints (typically 2 weeks) with defined ceremonies: sprint planning, daily standup, sprint review, and retrospective.
How to set up Scrum in Smartsheet
Set up your project and backlog
In Smartsheet, create a new project and use a list view filtered to "Not started" as your backlog. Add a custom field for story points — Smartsheet supports custom fields. Keep the backlog sorted by priority.
Create your first sprint
Smartsheet doesn't have a native sprint container. Create a filtered view or milestone representing the sprint window. Use a label like "Sprint 14" and filter cards by it on your board.
Configure your sprint board
Set up a board view in Smartsheet with columns: To Do → In Progress → In Review → Done. These map directly to Scrum board stages. Use custom workflows to add team-specific stages (e.g. "Blocked" or "Testing").
Set up velocity tracking and retrospective workflow
Enable Smartsheet's analytics or reporting to track velocity over time (story points completed per sprint). After each sprint, run a retrospective in Smartsheet using a dedicated section or template to capture What Went Well, What Didn't, and Action Items.
Which Smartsheet features matter for Scrum
Smartsheet has 0 of 2 core Scrum features natively.