Smartsheet - Detailed Review
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Smartsheet - Product Overview
Smartsheet Overview
Smartsheet is a versatile and user-friendly project and work management platform that helps individuals and teams manage projects, automate workflows, and build solutions efficiently.
Primary Function
Smartsheet’s primary function is to enable users to plan, execute, and track various projects and processes. It allows users to create and manage sheets, which are essentially grids that can be used to organize and track data. This includes managing rows, creating hierarchies, and integrating with other tools to keep all work in sync.
Target Audience
Smartsheet is widely used by teams and organizations of various sizes. It is particularly popular among companies with 50-200 employees and revenues between $1 million and $10 million. The platform is favored in the Information Technology and Services industry, with a significant presence in the United States and Canada.
Key Features
Work Management
Smartsheet allows teams to manage projects, processes, and programs of all sizes. It supports real-time collaboration, enabling teams to share updates and keep everyone informed.
Hierarchy and Organization
Users can build hierarchies using rows to organize, track, and move data. This feature also includes managing attachments and communication with the team.
Automation
The platform offers workflow automation, which helps simplify processes, reduce errors, and save time by automating repetitive tasks.
Integration
Smartsheet integrates with various favorite apps, keeping all work in sync and ensuring teams stay connected.
Security
It provides industry-leading security measures to ensure data safety, giving users peace of mind.
AI Capabilities
Smartsheet includes AI-generated formulas that speed up decision-making by creating complex calculations and helping users gain insights from their data.
Primary Column
Each sheet has a mandatory primary column, which serves as the primary descriptor for each row. This column is always of the Text/Number type and is left-justified.
Overall, Smartsheet is a comprehensive tool that enhances productivity, streamlines workflows, and facilitates effective team collaboration.
Smartsheet - User Interface and Experience
User Interface Overview
The user interface of Smartsheet is designed to be versatile and user-friendly, especially for those familiar with spreadsheet-like environments.Interface and Views
Smartsheet offers multiple views to help users visualize and manage their work effectively. You can switch between Grid, Card, Gantt, Kanban, and Calendar views, each providing a different perspective on your projects and tasks. For example, the Grid view is a refreshed grid interface that supports real-time collaboration, quicker filtering, and custom sorting, making it similar to a spreadsheet but with enhanced project management features.AI-Driven Features
Smartsheet has integrated AI tools to enhance the user experience. These tools allow users to analyze data, generate formulas, and create text summaries, all while ensuring data privacy and security. The AI assistant provides on-the-spot guidance and actionable answers to user questions, making it easier to manage tasks and projects efficiently.Collaboration and Real-Time Updates
The platform is built for real-time collaboration, enabling teams to share project updates, attach files, add comments, and set notifications all within one platform. This keeps everyone on the same page and enhances teamwork. Users can assign tasks to team members, set due dates, and track progress using status columns and checkboxes, ensuring clear visibility across projects.Ease of Use
While Smartsheet is powerful, it may not be the most intuitive for beginners. The interface can feel overwhelming at first, with a steep learning curve for navigating its various features. However, once familiar with the platform, users find it easy to organize information, track progress, and send reminders. The detailed knowledge base and online community are also valuable resources for resolving any issues that arise.Navigation and Accessibility
Smartsheet has introduced a new navigation menu that provides continuous access to recent items, favorites, the Home screen, and the Solution Center. This new menu simplifies accessing frequently used items and reduces the need for multiple tabs within Smartsheet, freeing up more vertical screen space for your work. Users can also use keyboard shortcuts to jump between items, making the overall experience more efficient.Integrations and Customization
Smartsheet integrates natively with popular tools like Google Workspace, Microsoft Office 365, Slack, Salesforce, and Jira, allowing users to connect it with their existing workflows. The platform also offers customizable templates for various use cases, such as project management, marketing trackers, or CRM systems, which can be tailored to specific needs.Conclusion
In summary, Smartsheet’s user interface is highly visual and flexible, with multiple views and AI-driven features that simplify and streamline work management. While it may require some time to get accustomed to, especially for new users, the platform is highly effective for organizing data, facilitating collaboration, and automating workflows. Smartsheet - Key Features and Functionality
Smartsheet Overview
Smartsheet is a versatile work and project management platform that incorporates several key features, some of which are enhanced by AI integrations. Here are the main features and how they work:Project Management
Smartsheet offers essential project management tools, including Gantt charts, timelines, and multiple views such as Grid, Card, Gantt, Kanban, and Calendar. These views allow users to plan and manage projects efficiently from different perspectives.Task Tracking
The platform includes workload tracking and activity tracking, which help identify team availability, monitor tasks, and resolve overallocation issues. However, it does not support live time tracking.Collaboration
Smartsheet facilitates real-time collaboration among teams and stakeholders. Users can share project updates, attach files, add comments, and set notifications all within the platform. This ensures everyone is on the same page and enhances teamwork.Automation
Smartsheet features no-code automation capabilities that allow users to set up workflows for tasks such as reminders, notifications, and approvals. This automation minimizes human error and saves time.Reporting
The platform provides real-time reports that offer project data, enabling better decision-making. These reports help in tracking project progress and identifying potential issues.Integrations
Smartsheet integrates with various popular tools like Microsoft Office 365, Google Workspace, Slack, and DocuSign. These integrations ensure a smooth workflow by connecting Smartsheet with existing systems.Customizability
Users can customize templates and other aspects of the platform to fit their specific needs. This flexibility is crucial for adapting the tool to different project requirements.AI Integration
ChatGPT Integration
Smartsheet can be integrated with ChatGPT through the Smartsheet Bridge, allowing users to send questions or requests directly from a form or sheet to ChatGPT and receive answers back within Smartsheet. This integration offers several benefits:- Automated Project Summaries: Automatically generate project summary texts based on project plan entries, keeping stakeholders updated in real-time.
- Language Translation: Translate tasks or assets into different languages, facilitating real-time collaboration in multi-national teams by overcoming language barriers.
- Content Creation: Automatically create content for marketing and communication, such as blog posts or social media updates, by inputting a few keywords and adjusting the writing style to match the audience’s preferences.
Other AI-Driven Features
While the primary AI integration highlighted is with ChatGPT, Smartsheet’s automation capabilities can also be enhanced through other AI models when integrated with platforms like Zapier. For example, integrating Smartsheet with Read AI via Zapier allows for automated tasks such as extracting, summarizing, and transforming integration data using AI models like OpenAI and Anthropic. These features collectively make Smartsheet a powerful tool for managing projects, automating workflows, and enhancing collaboration, all of which can be significantly enhanced with AI integrations. Smartsheet - Performance and Accuracy
Performance Enhancements
Smartsheet has recently focused on scaling and reliability, leading to several performance improvements:Key Improvements
- The introduction of an adaptive batching mechanism has reduced cell link propagation latency by 10 times for high-traffic sheets, ensuring real-time information updates more efficiently.
- Changes to the formula engine have cut write latencies by approximately 50% on sheets with heavy formula usage, allowing faster saving of complex sheets.
- The platform has increased the default inbound cell links limit from 30,000 to 100,000 per sheet and aims to reach two million cell links per sheet by the end of the year.
- New sheet views, including Grid, Card, and Timeline views, are being developed to be at least 10 times faster.
- Smartsheet is also enhancing its formula engine for 10 times faster and more scalable formulas and aiming for 10 times faster sheet read-and-write operations via public APIs.
AI-Driven Features
Smartsheet has integrated AI tools to enhance user capabilities:AI Tools and Functionality
- The platform now includes AI tools for analyzing data, generating formulas, and creating text and summaries. These tools use generative AI models to provide actionable insights, automate processes, and generate charts and metrics directly from sheet data.
- These AI features are designed to be user-friendly, allowing users to interact with the platform through simple conversational prompts.
Limitations
Despite these advancements, there are several limitations and areas for improvement:Key Limitations
- Sheet Size Limits: Smartsheet has strict limits on sheet size, including a maximum of 5,000 rows, 200 columns, and 200,000 cells. These limits can impact performance, especially with large sheets and complex calculations.
- Formula and Calculation Issues: Users have reported issues with calculations getting misaligned, particularly when moving rows or saving large sheets. This can lead to significant time spent correcting these issues.
- Cell Link Limits: While the cell link limit has been increased, there are still limitations that can affect large-scale project management. For example, there is a hard limit on cross-sheet references and a 100 cross-sheet reference limit per sheet.
- Time and Date Handling: Smartsheet does not support system date values outside of UTC time, which can be problematic for users in different time zones.
- Resource Management and PPM Features: The platform lacks some fundamental project portfolio management (PPM) features, such as project baselines, proper drilldown from reports/dashboards, and adequate resource allocation views.
- User Interface and Usability: Users have reported difficulties with tasks like deleting rows or columns, especially when nearing the sheet size limits. There is also a need for better indicators of sheet size and usage to avoid reaching these limits unexpectedly.
Areas for Improvement
To further enhance performance and accuracy, Smartsheet could address the following areas:Improvement Opportunities
- Standardized Program Deployment: Improve the ability to deploy programs of work in a standardized manner, including better reporting and dashboard capabilities.
- Time Zone Support: Fix the issue with system date values to support different time zones.
- Formula Stability: Enhance the stability of calculations and formulas, especially when moving rows or saving large sheets.
- User Interface Feedback: Provide more intuitive feedback to users about sheet size and usage limits to prevent unexpected performance issues.
Smartsheet - Pricing and Plans
Smartsheet Pricing Plans
Smartsheet offers a range of pricing plans to cater to different needs, from individual users to large enterprises. Here’s a breakdown of their pricing structure and the features included in each plan:Free Plan
Smartsheet has introduced a Free plan, which is available to unlicensed users or new users. This plan allows:- Up to 2 editors
- Access to 2 sheets
- Gantt, Grid, Card, and Calendar views
Pro Plan
The Pro plan is priced at $9 per user, per month (or $108 per user, per year when billed annually). Key features include:- Unlimited sheets, reports, and dashboards (with 10 widgets per dashboard)
- Unlimited forms and private sheets and reports
- Unlimited integrations with tools like Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and Slack
- Grid, Gantt, Card, Calendar views
- Pre-built automation rules (250 per month)
- 20 GB attachment storage
- Single sign-on
- Dependencies and export options to Excel, Google Sheets, Microsoft Project, PDF, or image
- Email support
Business Plan
The Business plan costs $19 per user, per month (or $228 per user, per year when billed annually). This plan includes all the features of the Pro plan plus:- Unlimited users, guests, automations, and integrations
- 1 TB attachment storage
- Resource management and document editing
- Unlimited dashboards and custom chart builders
- Phone support available for an additional fee
- User permissions and workload tracking
Enterprise Plan
The Enterprise plan has custom pricing, which requires contacting Smartsheet’s sales team for a quote. This plan includes all features from the Business plan, along with:- No limits on projects per user and storage
- 24/7 phone support at no extra charge
- Single sign-on (SAML-based)
- AI formulas and text
- Directory integrations
- An Enterprise Plan Manager
- WorkApps and Work Insights
Advanced Work Management Plan
This plan also has custom pricing and is designed for large companies to streamline complex projects. It includes centralized task tracking, governance controls, and other advanced features, but specific details on pricing are not publicly available.Additional Notes
- Smartsheet offers a 30-day free trial for all plans, allowing users to test the features before committing to a subscription.
- The pricing structure may change, as Smartsheet has announced plans to roll out a new pricing and packaging model, which will include broader access to features and potentially lower prices per user for business and enterprise plans.
Smartsheet - Integration and Compatibility
Smartsheet Overview
Smartsheet is a versatile project management tool that integrates seamlessly with a wide range of other tools and platforms, enhancing collaboration, automation, and data synchronization across various systems.Built-in Integrations
Smartsheet offers built-in integrations with over 100 tools, including popular enterprise applications like Jira, Salesforce, Slack, Power BI, and Microsoft Excel. These integrations come in two main forms:Data Shuttle
- Data Shuttle: Automatically creates CSV or Excel files for data in other tools and imports them into Smartsheet, handling larger volumes of data with less depth.
Connectors
- Connectors: Sync data in one or both directions, allowing for deeper relationships between tools. For example, Smartsheet’s built-in Jira integration can sync data back and forth between the two platforms.
Automation Tools
For simpler integration needs, Smartsheet can be integrated using automation tools like Zapier or Make.io. These tools use if-this-then-that logic to push data between Smartsheet and other tools. While they are easy to set up, they may not offer the same level of data modification and updating as other solutions.2-Way Sync Tools
Tools like Unito provide 2-way sync capabilities, allowing for both the creation of new work items and the updating of fields in real-time between Smartsheet and other tools. This ensures that data remains up-to-date across all integrated platforms, making it an ideal solution for complex integration needs.Compatibility Across Platforms and Devices
Smartsheet is compatible with a variety of platforms and devices:Browsers
- Browsers: Smartsheet is accessible on PC, Mac, and Linux operating systems via any compatible browser.
Mobile Devices
- Mobile Devices: It can also be used on mobile devices, ensuring accessibility on the go.
Microsoft and Google Suites
- Microsoft and Google Suites: Smartsheet integrates with products across the Microsoft and Google suites, including Microsoft Teams, Power BI, Outlook, OneDrive, Google Drive, Google Calendar, and Gmail.
ODBC Connectivity
- ODBC Connectivity: The Smartsheet Live Data Connector supports industry-standard ODBC-based connectivity, allowing interactions with Smartsheet data in tools like Tableau Desktop and Microsoft Access.
Additional Integrations
Smartsheet also integrates with other tools through various methods:Guru Integration
- Guru Integration: This allows users to search and access Smartsheet data directly within their workflow, enhancing productivity and collaboration.
Enterprise IT Tools
- Enterprise IT Tools: Integrations with tools like Okta and Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) help in managing users and permissions seamlessly.
Content Collaboration
- Content Collaboration: Smartsheet integrates with Adobe Creative Cloud and digital asset management tools to streamline content creation and management.
API and Custom Integrations
For more customized solutions, Smartsheet offers an API that is free for users with a Business plan or higher. This API allows users to build their own Smartsheet connectors and integrations.Conclusion
In summary, Smartsheet’s extensive integration capabilities and compatibility across various platforms and devices make it a powerful tool for managing and synchronizing data across multiple systems, enhancing team collaboration and productivity. Smartsheet - Customer Support and Resources
Smartsheet Customer Support Options
Smartsheet offers a comprehensive array of customer support options and additional resources to help users effectively utilize their platform.Support Packages
Smartsheet provides several support packages, each with varying levels of service:Standard Support Package
Included in the Enterprise plan, this package offers self-paced learning through Smartsheet University, 24/7 global phone support, and 24/7 web-based ticketing support through the customer support portal.
Professional Support Package
This package includes one-on-one coaching sessions with Pro Desk, self-paced learning with Smartsheet University, 24/7 global phone support, and 24/7 web-based ticketing support.
Premium Support Package
This is the most comprehensive package, featuring prioritization in the support queue, 24/7 live chat support via the support bot, a first response time within 2 hours regardless of the contact method, one-on-one coaching sessions with Pro Desk, self-paced learning with Smartsheet University, and 24/7 global phone and web-based ticketing support.
Customer Support Portal
The customer support portal is a centralized location where users can open support cases, provide additional information, and track their cases until they are closed. Users can also find self-service knowledge articles to solve their own support-related questions. This portal is available 24/7 and supports multiple languages, including English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish.
Phone Support
Smartsheet offers 24/7 global phone support for eligible plans. Users can check their plan details to see if they are eligible for phone support. Phone support is available in English and German.
Live Chat Support
For users with the Premium Support Package, live chat support is available via the support bot. This allows for real-time assistance from support agents in multiple languages.
Smartsheet University
Smartsheet University provides self-paced learning with a catalog of courses covering various topics for all levels of users. This resource is included in the Standard, Professional, and Premium Support Packages.
Pro Desk
Pro Desk offers one-on-one coaching sessions with Smartsheet experts, available in the Professional and Premium Support Packages. These sessions can be scheduled 24 hours a day, 5 days a week (excluding weekends and local major holidays).
Smartsheet Community
The Smartsheet Community is a platform where users can engage with fellow users, ask for help, learn best practices, and find solutions to common questions or product-related issues. The community is available in multiple languages.
In-app Support Bot and AI Chat
For users with the Premium Support Package, an in-app chat powered by AI is available, providing answers generated from Help articles without leaving the Smartsheet application. Additionally, the support bot allows users to contact support and start a conversation directly within Smartsheet.
Additional Resources
Help and Learning Center
This center offers Help articles, training, frequently asked questions, reference guides, tips, and best practices in the Smartsheet knowledge base.
Upcoming Webinars
Users can register for webinars to learn about new features and best practices.
Resource Management
For users on Business and Enterprise plans, Resource Management by Smartsheet provides tools for workload tracking, capacity planning, time tracking, and reporting to optimize resource allocation.
These resources and support options ensure that Smartsheet users have multiple avenues to get the help they need, whether through immediate support channels or self-paced learning and community engagement.
Smartsheet - Pros and Cons
When considering Smartsheet as a project management and AI-driven tool, here are some key advantages and disadvantages to keep in mind:
Advantages
- Collaboration and Task Management: Smartsheet allows teams to work seamlessly in real-time, share files, and communicate effectively, which enhances teamwork and productivity.
- Automation Features: The platform offers powerful automation tools, such as workflows and formulas, that can streamline work processes and save time on repetitive tasks. The new AI tools, for example, can generate formulas and text summaries, making it easier to calculate KPIs and analyze data without needing to learn complex formulas.
- Customizable: Smartsheet provides customizable options like templates and forms, allowing users to personalize the tool according to their needs.
- Efficient Project Management: It offers a comprehensive task management system that enables users to manage projects from start to finish, set deadlines, and track progress efficiently.
- User-Friendly Interface: For users familiar with spreadsheets, Smartsheet’s interface is relatively easy to use, although there may be a learning curve for more advanced features.
Disadvantages
- Steep Learning Curve: While the basic interface is user-friendly, mastering Smartsheet’s more advanced features, such as automation, complex reporting, and formulas, can be challenging for new users.
- Limited Integration Options: Smartsheet integrates with only a limited number of third-party tools and services, which may limit its functionality for some users.
- Cost: Smartsheet requires a paid subscription, and its cost can be prohibitive for users with limited budgets or small teams.
- Inadequate Mobile App: The mobile app is not as robust as the web-based version, which can be a drawback for users who frequently use mobile devices for work.
- Limited Reporting and Data Security: Smartsheet has limited reporting capabilities and data security options, which can make it difficult for users to analyze data and protect sensitive information.
- Single Grid Limitation: Unlike traditional spreadsheets, Smartsheet lacks multiple tabs, forcing users to store all their data in a single grid, which can be inconvenient for managing different aspects of a project.
- Performance Issues: Some users have reported slow loading or response times, particularly when dealing with large amounts of data.
Conclusion
By weighing these pros and cons, you can make a more informed decision about whether Smartsheet is the right tool for your project management and AI-driven needs.
Smartsheet - Comparison with Competitors
Smartsheet Overview
Smartsheet is a project management tool that builds on spreadsheet capabilities, similar to Excel, but with additional features for collaboration, task assignment, and project tracking. However, it can be overwhelming due to its extensive feature set, and its interface can be complex for new users.Nifty
Nifty is often highlighted as a top alternative to Smartsheet. It offers real-time collaboration, integrated task and project management, and powerful integrations with tools like Slack and Google Workspace. Nifty also provides a free-forever plan, which is a significant advantage over Smartsheet’s more expensive plans. Additionally, Nifty’s built-in time tracking and detailed reporting make it easier to monitor progress and manage deadlines.Asana
Asana is another popular alternative that focuses on goal-oriented project management. It includes features like workflow automation, a well-developed milestone system, and a free basic plan. Asana’s pricing is competitive, with a Premium plan at $10.99/user/month and a Business plan at $24.99/user/month. However, Asana’s Gantt chart and workload management tools are somewhat limited compared to other alternatives.Monday.com
Monday.com is a versatile tool that allows users to plan, organize, and track tasks and projects visually through various views such as Calendar, Chart, Files, Kanban, Map, and Timeline. It offers a free plan and paid plans starting at $8/user/month. Monday.com is known for its flexibility and ease of use, making it a good option for teams looking for a visual approach to project management.Wrike
Wrike is a strong competitor that offers advanced project management features, including customizable templates, multiple project views (including Gantt charts), and AI tools to help fill out task details. Wrike’s reporting tools provide quick insights into workload and project status. However, it can be expensive, especially for individual users and small teams, and its Gantt chart features are not as robust as some other tools.Jira
Jira is particularly popular among agile teams for software development. It offers features like workflow mapping, agile reporting, Kanban and scrum boards, and customizable dashboards. Jira has a free plan and various paid plans starting at $7.5/user/month. However, Jira’s functionality can be complicated, which may affect productivity for some teams.Trello
Trello uses interactive Kanban boards to manage projects and activities. It is highly customizable and easy to use, making it a good fit for agile project management. Trello offers a free plan and is known for its intuitive interface and flexibility in managing work and workflows. However, it lacks some of the advanced features found in other project management tools.Unique Features and Alternatives
- Real-Time Collaboration and Free Plan: Nifty stands out with its real-time collaboration features and a robust free-forever plan, which is not available with Smartsheet.
- Goal-Oriented Management: Asana’s focus on milestones and goals makes it a good choice for teams that need to track progress based on specific objectives.
- Visual Project Management: Monday.com’s multiple views and visual approach make it ideal for teams that prefer a more graphical way of managing projects.
- Advanced Reporting and AI Tools: Wrike’s reporting tools and AI integration make it a strong option for teams needing detailed insights and automated task management.
- Agile Project Management: Jira is the go-to tool for agile teams, especially in software development, due to its specialized features like Kanban and scrum boards.
Smartsheet - Frequently Asked Questions
What is Smartsheet?
Smartsheet is a powerful work management platform that helps you plan, track, automate, and report on projects. It enables effective project management from start to finish, including task assignment, calendar organization, document collaboration, and progress monitoring. It is designed to make teams more productive and help businesses deliver projects faster.
What is Smartsheet used for?
Smartsheet is used for a variety of purposes, including better collaboration, reporting, and real-time management of work. It is versatile and can be utilized in different industries for managing processes such as employee onboarding and training, marketing activities, invoicing and billing, as well as project and pipeline management.
How much does Smartsheet cost?
Smartsheet offers several pricing plans. The Pro plan starts at $9 per user per month (or $108 per user per year when billed annually). The Business plan costs $19 per user per month (or $228 per user per year when billed annually). For the Enterprise and Advanced Work Management plans, you need to contact Smartsheet sales for a custom quote. All plans include unlimited free Viewers and Guests.
Is there a free version of Smartsheet?
Yes, Smartsheet offers a 30-day free trial with access to all the features included in the Business plan. This allows you to test the platform before committing to a paid plan.
How do you use Smartsheet for project management?
Smartsheet makes it easy to organize project data, assign tasks, set deadlines, and track progress. It includes features like automatic notifications and reminders, real-time collaboration tools, and the ability to share updates and streamline processes. You can also use Smartsheet to automate workflows, manage resources, and generate reports.
What are the main benefits of using Smartsheet?
The main benefits include real-time project visibility, improved accountability, and enhanced team collaboration. Smartsheet provides a centralized workspace for teams to communicate and collaborate, organize data, and automate workflows to save time. It also offers advanced features like Resource Management, Dynamic Views, and Control Center in some of its plans.
Can Smartsheet integrate with other tools and platforms?
Yes, Smartsheet integrates natively with popular tools like Google Workspace, Microsoft Office 365, Slack, DocuSign, Salesforce, and Jira. These integrations allow you to connect Smartsheet with your existing workflows and keep your workflow smooth and uninterrupted.
Does Smartsheet support HIPAA compliance?
Yes, Smartsheet provides customizable settings and controls that allow businesses to meet their HIPAA obligations. Healthcare teams can securely share, store, and access protected health information (PHI) in Smartsheet, with data remaining encrypted during transit and at rest.
What are the new AI features in Smartsheet?
Smartsheet has introduced new AI tools that include the ability to analyze data via simple conversational prompts, generate formulas to drive processes and automation, and create text summaries. These features help teams remove complexity and uncover actionable insights from their data.
Are there any limitations to using Smartsheet?
Smartsheet has data capacity limits, with up to 20,000 rows, 400 columns, and 500,000 cells per sheet. This might be a drawback for businesses that need to manage large volumes of data. Additionally, Smartsheet is a cloud-based platform and cannot be self-hosted, which could be a concern for businesses with strict data governance and compliance needs.
What kind of support and training does Smartsheet offer?
Smartsheet offers various support and training options, including a 30-day free trial, access to Smartsheet University (a self-paced training program), and additional services like custom training and expert placements through authorized partners like Cheetah Transformation.