Smartsheet WorkApps in 2026: How to Build a No-Code App, Set Roles and Publish It
Smartsheet WorkApps let you bundle sheets, reports, dashboards, forms and Dynamic Views into one simple app, without code. Each person sees only the pages their role allows. WorkApps come with the Enterprise and Advanced Work Management plans. Both are custom-priced, so you talk to sales. Pro ($9) and Business ($19 per member a month, billed yearly) don’t include WorkApps, as of October 17, 2026. Sharing an app is free for anyone on a Smartsheet plan. People outside your plan need a paid WorkApps Collaborator pack.
I checked every rule below on Smartsheet’s WorkApps help pages and pricing page today.
What a WorkApp is for
Think of a WorkApp as a front door. Behind it are your normal Smartsheet items. Your stakeholders walk in and see only what they need: a form to send a request, a report of their own tasks, and a dashboard. They don’t see your workspaces, extra sheets or settings.
Common uses:
- Client portals. Clients see project status and fill out change forms.
- Field teams. Crews open the app on their phone and update their rows.
- Request intake. Staff submit tickets and track them in one place.
- Leadership views. Execs see dashboards without digging through workspaces.
What you can put in a WorkApp
Each page in an app can be one of these:
| Page type | What people can do |
|---|---|
| Sheet | View or edit rows, based on role |
| Report | View or edit the rows it shows |
| Dashboard | View only |
| Form | Fill it out |
| Dynamic View | Work in the view you set up |
| Resource Management | Open RM inside the app |
| Web content | View outside pages, like a Tableau dashboard or Google Doc |
You can add up to 50 pages in one WorkApp, according to the add pages guide.
Build your first WorkApp in 6 steps
- Open WorkApps. Go to workapps.smartsheet.com, or select the WorkApps icon in the left bar of Smartsheet.
- Select + Create app. Pick a template or start from scratch. The five templates are Construction management, Meeting management, Project launch, Project schedule and Ticketing system.
- Name the app at the top of the screen.
- Add pages. Select Pages, then + Add pages. Choose sheets, reports, dashboards, a form, web content or Dynamic Views.
- Add roles. Select Roles, then Add Roles. Set each page to Editor, Viewer or Hidden for each role.
- Brand and publish. Select the gear icon, then App theme, to add a logo and accent color. Then select Publish and add people to roles.
How roles work
Roles are the heart of WorkApps. The roles help page explains three page permissions:
| Permission | What it allows |
|---|---|
| Editor | Edit rows and cells and add attachments on sheets and reports |
| Viewer | Read-only view. Viewers can still fill out forms |
| Hidden | Page is not shown. This is the default for every new role |
Role permissions don’t depend on sheet sharing. You don’t need to share each sheet with each person. Someone with Editor on a report page can edit it inside the app, even if they can’t see that report in Smartsheet.
A few more rules:
- Only the app builder can create and assign roles.
- People can hold more than one role and switch between them.
- For dashboards, forms and web content, Editor works the same as Viewer.
A smart trick: add a report filtered by Current user and give the role Editor rights. Each person then sees and edits only the rows assigned to them.
Sharing: who’s free and who costs extra
The app owner can share a WorkApp with users on any Smartsheet plan at no extra cost. That includes people at other companies who have their own Smartsheet plan.
To share with people who aren’t on any Smartsheet plan, you need the WorkApps Collaborator pack. Smartsheet doesn’t list a price. Contact sales.
The publish rules that catch people out
- Every new app starts as a Draft. Nobody can use it until you publish.
- You can’t unpublish. To pull an app back, remove all roles, remove the people, or delete the app.
- Deleting an app is permanent. It can’t be restored.
- Some changes need a republish. Adding or deleting pages or roles, or changing branding, needs Publish draft before users see it.
- Some changes go live at once. Changing a page permission, or adding or removing people from a role, doesn’t need a republish.
- Mobile is automatic. A published app shows up on the Smartsheet mobile app too. Build it on desktop, though.
Tips from building apps
- Plan roles before pages. Write down who needs to see what. Then build.
- Give the lowest permission that works. Smartsheet says the same.
- Use reports, not raw sheets, for most roles. Reports show only the rows and columns people need.
- Set a default view for sheet pages. You can pick Grid, Card or Gantt on desktop.
- Test as each role before you share the link widely.
Example: a simple client portal
Here’s how I’d lay out a first app for a services team with three roles.
| Page | Project Manager | Client | Crew |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project plan (sheet) | Editor | Hidden | Hidden |
| Status dashboard | Viewer | Viewer | Hidden |
| Change request form | Viewer | Viewer | Hidden |
| My tasks (report, Current user filter) | Editor | Hidden | Editor |
| Open requests (report) | Editor | Viewer | Hidden |
The client sees two things: the status dashboard and the change form, plus a read-only list of their open requests. The crew sees only their own tasks. The project manager sees everything. Nobody needs to be shared to the project plan sheet itself.
Start with one app like this. Publish it to a small group first. Fix what confuses them, then select Publish draft and add the rest.
Is WorkApps worth it?
Yes, if you already have Enterprise or Advanced Work Management and many stakeholders who get lost in workspaces.
Maybe not, if you’re on Business and only need to show one dashboard. A shared dashboard or a published report may be enough.
For more, see our Smartsheet pricing guide, our Smartsheet dashboards guide, our Control Center setup guide and our Smartsheet review.
Common questions
Which Smartsheet plans include WorkApps?
Enterprise and Advanced Work Management. Pro and Business don’t include WorkApps.
How many pages can a WorkApp have?
Up to 50 pages per WorkApp.
Do people need access to each sheet in the app?
No. WorkApps role permissions work on their own. You can give someone Editor rights on a page without sharing the source sheet with them.
Can I share a WorkApp with people outside my company?
Yes, for free if they’re on any Smartsheet plan. People with no Smartsheet plan need a WorkApps Collaborator pack, which you buy through sales.
Can I unpublish a WorkApp?
No. Once it’s published, you can only remove roles, remove people, or delete the app.
Plans and rules checked on help.smartsheet.com and smartsheet.com/pricing on October 17, 2026.
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