Pacer vs. Smartsheet

From Spreadsheets to Systems of Execution

‍Smartsheet brought structure to project management by extending the familiarity of spreadsheets.

Pacer goes further, delivering a purpose-built system for managing execution across locations, teams, and timelines at scale.

‍When operations become complex, spreadsheets require management. Systems provide control.

‍The Core Difference: Configurable Tool vs. Operational System

‍Smartsheet is highly configurable built on a spreadsheet foundation that can be adapted to many use cases.

Pacer is purpose-built designed specifically to manage repeatable, multi-location execution with precision and consistency.

Multi-Location Execution, Without Manual Work
Scaling execution shouldn’t require duplicating work or managing multiple versions of the same project.

No cloning = less admin work to manage projects.

In Smartsheet, projects are managed as individual sheets. Pacer uses Baselines as a single source of truth, letting administrators and PMs assign projects to hundreds of locations instantly.

Update and communicate in real time.

Adding or editing projects in Smartsheet requires copying or recreating your existing sheets. Pacer baselines can be edited in-flight, with control to update all locations or only those in-scope. Tasks and dashboards update automatically.

Manage projects with consistency.

Maintaining consistency in Smartsheet requires manual effort and extreme attention to detail. Pacer eliminates version control issues across parallel locations running the same project.

Project dashboard for Brand Standard Audit showing task and milestone completion chart and project details fields with active project toggle enabled.
Built for Locations, Not Just Tasks
Enterprise operations aren’t flat, they are hierarchical. Pacer reflects how organizations actually operate.

Manage based on location or project.

Smartsheet organizes work by sheets, reports, and workspaces. Pacer is built around location-based architecture.

Pacer speaks your language.

Smartsheet lacks inherent concepts of "locations," regions," and "teams." In Pacer, data organizes across locations, regions, brands, and roles.

Keep users on-task.

Smartsheet manages user access and roles at the sheet or workspace level. Pacer automatically grants access based on organizational structure

Dashboard showing Brand Standard Audit with task milestone completion chart, certified completions, coach assignments, and a list of locations with status and managers.
Dashboard showing task completion status for various teams by location, with color-coded semi-circular gauges indicating counts of complete (green), past due (red), in progress (blue), and not due (gray) tasks.
Dashboard showing task completion by responsible persons Amanda Brown, John Greenfield, and Rebecca Anderson with progress bars and totals, plus sales goals for revenue, room nights, and F&B goals with detailed legends.
One Change, Instantly Applied Everywhere
Consistency is impossible when every project becomes its own version. Pacer ensures one version of truth, everywhere.

Communication and collaboration across projects.

Smartsheet template updates require configuration and ongoing maintenance. In Pacer, tasks stay linked to a master template that enables real-time updates.

Admin control of all updates.

Changes in Smartsheet often require manual propagation. Pacer updates automatically cascade from the template level to all active locations.

Track success at the project level.

Smartsheet timeline updates rely on formulas and manual oversight. Pacer allows timeline changes (e.g., opening date shifts) to recalculate instantly.

Pacer project dashboard showing five projects with task progress bars, milestone counts, and overdue indicators; right panel displays editable resources for 'Phase 2 Tech Services' including project name, coach, dates, manager, and active status.
Dashboards That Work, Without Constant Maintenance
Leadership requires insights that guide immediate action, not data that admins build and maintain.

Automated dashboards that provide deep insights.

Smartsheet dashboards require manual configuration. Pacer delivers out-of-the-box dashboards aligned to operational roles.

Track progress by project or location without endless custom development.

New locations in Smartsheet require manual updates or dashboard creation. In Pacer, each new project or location is automatically added to dashboards and reporting.

Connect your data for more powerful insights.

Interactive dashboards in Smartsheet require even more advanced programming and maintenance to function as intended. Pacer dashboards are fully interactive, with "click-to-drill-down" visibility that toggles from project to location to individual tasks in two clicks.

Dashboard showing task completion status for various teams by location, with color-coded semi-circular gauges indicating counts of complete (green), past due (red), in progress (blue), and not due (gray) tasks.
Dashboard showing seasonal menu rollout progress with 12 tasks total: 11 complete and 1 past due. Summary section shows 0 tasks due this week, 139 location tasks (108 complete, 15 past due, 16 not due), 13 tasks in human resources (3 complete, 2 past due, 8 not due), and 8 tasks assigned to user (4 complete, 4 past due). Weekly task bar chart from Sep 14 to Jan 4 highlights past due and not due tasks. Task completion details by discipline show Accounting with 24 total tasks (21 complete, 3 past due) and Engineering with 8 total tasks all complete.
Administration That Scales With You
With some software, administrative overhead compounds as organizations grow. Pacer reduces it at every step.

Let your teams focus on completing the work, not managing software.

Smartsheet has moderate administrative complexity, but advanced features can require advanced training or certifications. Pacer offers a centralized, intuitive admin console built for non-IT users.

Automated access to keep teams on-task.

Smartsheet access is often managed by workspace or sheet-by-sheet. Pacer automatically assigns access based on region, brand, or role. New users and locations instantly appear in their proper dashboards and locations.

Real-Time Visibility Without Workarounds
Timely decisions require timely data, without friction.

No lost data or mismatched versions.

Smartsheet requires frequent saving or refreshing to process updates. All Pacer dashboards and reports automatically display real-time data for unmatched accuracy.

Monitor performance at a glance...

Smartsheet reporting often depends on configuration and refresh frequency. Pacer's dashboards offer immediate visibility into performance across locations and projects.

...or dive deeper with ease.

Drill-down in Smartsheet requires additional configuration and setup, plus ongoing maintenance. Pacer dashboards are fully interactive, taking users from location overview to task-level data in as few as two clicks.

Dashboard showing workload distribution for various hotel teams from October 2024 to May 2025, with a colored bar chart and speedometer-style gauges summarizing team task pacing for St Regis Bangkok, Luxury Collection Hong Kong, and Ritz-Carlton Shanghai.
Dashboard showing multi-team project progress with circular charts for tasks, milestones, and project implementation states including complete, past due, in progress, not due, and not applicable.
Pacer project dashboard showing five projects with task progress bars, milestone counts, and overdue indicators; right panel displays editable resources for 'Phase 2 Tech Services' including project name, coach, dates, manager, and active status.
Not Just for Admins and Analysts
Adoption drives outcomes. Simplicity drives adoption. Pacer lets end users hit the ground running and keeps them engaged and on-task.

Comfort vs. confidence: empower your teams to execute at their highest level.

Smartsheet offers a familiar, spreadsheet interface, but may intimidate novice Excel users. Pacer's intutive interface is designed for operational teams, not just admins and analysts.

Stop training, start delivering.

Smartsheet is a powerful tool, but advanced workflows often require high-level configuration, training, or certification to function properly. Most end users can start using Pacer to complete tasks and projects on day 1.

Simplify your teams' processes.

Smartsheet can introduce complexity and confusion for non-technical users, or the burden to maintain projects falls on PMs and admins managing dozens of location team members. Pacer aligns with real-world execution processes and lets location teams access and manage their own tasks in a user-friendly application.

Pacer application interface showing a baseline task checklist on the left and a Bulk Pushdown task assignment panel on the right with filters and search results for hotel locations.
Pacer project management calendar view for February 2026 showing tasks scheduled for Corfu Resort and Spa, including training sessions and office relocation.
Project management interface showing tasks and milestone details for Newport Beach Resort with task list, comments, tags, links, and step details.
Purpose-Built for Repeatable, High-Stakes Projects
Flexibility helps you build processes. Pacer ensures those processes are executed consistently.

Choose the right tool for the job.

One project, many locations? One solution.

Monitor performance at a glance...

Smartsheet works best for teams looking to build customized, single-use workflows. Pacer is ideal for environments where many locations run one project simultaneously, timelines shift frequently, and consistency and accountability are critical.

Gantt chart from the Pacer project management app showing tasks for Corfu Resort and Spa from December 2024 to January 2026, with task dependencies and a critical path toggle.

Why Pacer is the better choice:

Smartsheet is a powerful, flexible platform built on a spreadsheet foundation. Pacer is a system of execution, purpose-built for organizations managing complex, multi-location operations.

If your priority is control, consistency, and scalable execution, Pacer is the better system.
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‍Take Control of Execution

‍Spreadsheets can organize tasks. Pacer ensures they get completed across every team, every location, every time.

‍See how Pacer transforms execution across your organization:

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