Important Changes to Smartsheet for High-Risk Data

Dear colleagues:

University IT (UIT) maintains a site license for Smartsheet, a collaboration platform used across Stanford for project management and workflows. We are writing to inform you of important changes to how Smartsheet is used at Stanford. 

What’s Changing

Starting October 26, 2026, UIT will no longer support Smartsheet for high-risk data, including protected health information (PHI), as defined by our Information Security Office. This means:

• Effective November 15, 2025, no new high-risk/PHI data should be added to existing Smartsheet features (including sheets, reports, dashboards, forms, and file storage) at Stanford.

• Smartsheet users with existing high-risk data should plan to migrate high-risk/PHI data and processes to alternative solutions at the earliest possible date before October 26, 2026. 

• For general use, you may continue using Smartsheet for low-risk data, moderate-risk data, and general project management. Learn more about Stanford's data risk classifications.

How This Affects You

We advise you to carefully evaluate how you use Smartsheet today and how you plan to use this platform through October 2026. Current Smartsheet users will receive an email in the next week confirming license renewal at the current rate, along with options to cancel your license or make changes. 

For new projects requiring PHI data management, consider using alternative platforms that already meet the required compliance and contractual standards rather than initiating work in Smartsheet. 

Here are alternative options to Smartsheet that are already approved: 

• Google Workspace, which includes Forms, Sheets (which can provide Gantt charts), App Scripts for low-code automation and AppSheet Core for building no-code apps.

• Microsoft 365, which includes web versions of Excel, Lists, Planner and Sharepoint Online.

  • Microsoft Power Platform, which includes Power Automate, Power Pages and Power BI (you can purchase a license from UIT)

• ServiceNow Platform 

• Qualtrics 

Why We’re Making This Change

This adjustment aligns Stanford University with Stanford Medicine, which no longer supports Smartsheet for sensitive data, and requires all users attest to not use Smartsheet for PHI or sensitive data when they request a license. Additionally, the platform does not meet our standards for data loss protection - the data you enter into Smartsheet is not backed up. 

UIT is also reviewing our overall site license agreement with Smartsheet, given they’ve proposed significant licensing model changes for licenses in 2026-2027. This could result in a substantial cost increase per license. Additionally, paid licenses will be required for all users who have edit or comment permissions (currently a free feature). 

In light of these uncertainties, we advise you to strongly consider the alternative options shared above, as it is a possibility UIT will no longer be supporting a site license agreement with Smartsheet after October 2026.

Next Steps

UIT will provide advance notice of any changes to license rates. We understand this change may impact your workflows and are committed to supporting a smooth transition. 

For questions or concerns, please contact the Information Security Office. Thank you for your cooperation in maintaining Stanford’s data security standards.

Best regards,

Amy Steagall
Chief Information Security Officer, University IT

Michael Mucha
Chief Information Security Officer, Stanford Healthcare

Robert Maclay
Chief Information Security Officer, Stanford Children’s Health