Learn about the key differences between strategy software like Cascade and work management software like Smartsheet, including the pros and cons of each.
Thousands of global organizations depend on Cascade
Smartsheet
Is best for
Project and operations teams managing tasks, workflows, and cross-departmental work
PMO teams needing portfolio-level project governance at scale
Organizations moving from spreadsheets to structured work management
Teams that need workflow automation, form-based intake, and Kanban views
Cascade
Is best for
Leadership teams connecting strategy to cross-functional execution
Organizations that need visibility into whether work is aligned to priorities
Teams running OKRs, Balanced Scorecard, Hoshin Kanri, or custom frameworks
C-suite leaders who want AI-powered strategic intelligence
We firmly believe in the 'the right tool for the right job'. Sometimes Cascade won't be the best solution for you - we'll be straight-forward and clear about that on our website, and when you talk with our team. Information on this page is from public data sources only.
Cascade
Smartsheet
Strategic Planning Features
Supports corporate, functional and team plans
No native strategic planning model
Plan Alignment Map
Organization-wide alignment visualization with AI-powered health scores
No alignment mapping — portfolio views are project-level only
Strategy Frameworks
Supports all frameworks including OKRs, Balanced Scorecards & custom
Not supported as not designed for strategy
Metrics Library
Centralized metric library with real-time integrations
No centralized metrics library
Reports
Build reports for strategy, projects, portfolios, KPIs and risks — powered by AI
Widget-based dashboards with manual setup
AI Powered Strategy Insights
Automated strategy reports and advice based on your company data
Task and workflow automation AI, not strategic intelligence.
Intended Users
All leaders in the organization involved with strategy
Project managers, operations teams, and PMO professionals
Task Management
Simple with support for owners, due dates etc
Full task management with assignments, due dates, dependencies, and Gantt views
Resource Tracking
Simple, as custom resource metrics or fields
Dedicated resource management product (Resource Management by Smartsheet)
Highly Customizable Strategy Cadences
Automated cadences with team notifications, AI-generated agendas, and scheduled reports
No built-in strategy cadence management
Workflows
Simple workflows around statuses of objects
Advanced workflow automation
Likely Cost
Medium
Medium
FAQs & More Resources
Can I use Cascade instead of PPM software?
Yes you can - Cascade is used by many organizations as a 'light-weight' PPM solution that integrates strategy and portfolio management.
What are the main features of traditional PPM that I might miss in Cascade?
Cascade's time tracking and budgeting features are not as extensive as a dedicated PPM. Other parts of the platform are comparable or in many cases significantly better.
What are the main benefits of Cascade vs PPM software?
PPM software tends to be complex, unintuitive and disconnected from the rest of the business. Cascade deeply integrates the concepts of PPM into the entire business.
What are the cost differences between Cascade and PPM software?
Cascade tends to be much more affordable than PPM software, and provide a lot more licenses for similar investment - due to the Cascade's focus on broad business alignment and adoption.
Differences: Strategy vs PPM Software
Take a deeper dive into the differences between these two types of software and how they're used for strategy execution
Aligning PMO to the Goals of the C-Suite
A detailed guide on how the best PMOs work to drive strategic alignment and execution and become the right-hand of the leadership team
7 Best Portfolio Management Tools
In depth guide to the 7 most popular PMO tools, comparing the pros and cons of each in detail.
PMO Strategic Planning Template
A prebuilt PMO portfolio template that you can use to test out Cascade - free of charge and instantly.
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