Smartsheet and AWS Collaborate to Enhance AI-Powered Decision-Making with Amazon Q Business Integration

AWS and Smartsheet Enable AI Assistant to Access Work Management Data | PYMNTS.com

Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Smartsheet have partnered to help companies access their work management data through AWS' generative artificial intelligence (AI) assistant. This collaboration involves launching a connector that synchronizes data from Smartsheet's enterprise work management platform into AWS' generative AI assistant, Amazon Q Business, the companies said in a Tuesday (Oct. 8) press release. With this connector, which is available to Amazon Q Business customers in public preview, these customers will be able to query their AI assistant for information managed in Smartsheet, according to the release. "By integrating our flexible data model with Amazon Q Business, we're unlocking access to work management data for our mutual customers so they can focus on driving business outcomes without worrying about where their data lives," Ben Canning, senior vice president, product experiences at Smartsheet, said in the release. This collaboration aims to help organizations make data-driven decisions by eliminating data silos -- a common friction point in which data is isolated within multiple business applications, according to the release. The new connector securely combines customers' Smartsheet data with other data sources enabled in Amazon Q Business, the release said. Those sources may include Salesforce, Slack, Microsoft Teams and AWS. With this solution in place, users will be able to access insights from multiple data sources via Amazon Q Business, with the AI assistant performing deep searches within the data while also respecting access and permission levels, per the release. "Many enterprises rely on Smartsheet as their central work collaboration hub, and they store billions of rows of data on the platform," Dilip Kumar, vice president of Amazon Q Business at AWS, said in the release. "Enabling Amazon Q Business customers to simply, securely have conversations with their Smartsheet data helps turbocharge their productivity, analysis and decision-making." AWS announced the general availability of Amazon Q Business in April, saying the AI assistant helps employees get answers to questions about company policies, product information, business results, code base, employees and other topics based on business data. Amazon Q Business connects to more than 40 commonly used business tools, maintains security and privacy, and enables users to access business insights, the company said at the time in a press release.

Smartsheet and AWS Team Up to Accelerate AI-Powered Decision-Making With a Connector for Amazon Q Business By Investing.com

BELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today at its annual ENGAGE customer conference, Smartsheet (NYSE:SMAR), the enterprise work management platform, announced it is partnering with AWS to launch a new connector that synchronizes data from Smartsheet into Amazon Q Business, a generative AI-powered assistant that can answer questions, provide summaries, generate content, and securely complete tasks based on data and information in customers' enterprise systems. The connector will enable Amazon Q Business customers to query their intelligent assistant for information about their projects, programs, and processes managed in Smartsheet, offering a unified search experience across their knowledge base so employees can make data-driven decisions and operate at peak. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241007998337/en/ While data-driven decisions are vital to an organization's success, data silos continue to be a significant friction point for many enterprises, where data is often spread across multiple business applications such as Salesforce (NYSE:CRM), Slack, and Smartsheet. A 2024 research report from Salesforce found that only an estimated average of 28% of business applications are connected. The new connector addresses this pervasive challenge and helps eradicate data silos by securely combining customers' Smartsheet data with other data sources they've enabled in Amazon Q Business, such as Salesforce, Slack, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) Teams, and AWS. For the more than 13 million Smartsheet users at companies across the globe, which includes approximately 85% of the 2024 Fortune 500 companies, it will create an opportunity to put their work management data, including sheets, conversations, and file contents, at their fingertips through AWS's generative AI-powered assistant, optimizing decision-making, improving productivity, and increasing efficiency. The Smartsheet connector furthers our strategy to securely integrate Smartsheet with industry-leading enterprise AI tools so customers can seamlessly work across their business applications, said Ben Canning, SVP, product experiences at Smartsheet. By integrating our flexible data model with Amazon Q Business, we're unlocking access to work management data for our mutual customers so they can focus on driving business outcomes without worrying about where their data lives. For example, service operations managers can leverage the new connector to deliver complex projects more efficiently and consistently. By asking the Amazon Q Business intelligent assistant specific questions, the team can access insights from multiple data sources, including sheets, conversations, and attachments in Smartsheet that have been connected. The generative AI-powered assistant performs deep searches within the data while respecting access and permission levels, saving valuable time and enhancing project oversight. This streamlined process improves client retention, increases accuracy, and elevates overall service quality. Generative AI presents companies of all kinds with the opportunity to revolutionize how work gets done inside their organizations, but the key is securely, intelligently accessing their own data and content, no matter where it lives and what form it takes. That's central to what Amazon Q Business can do for our customers, bridging the gap between structured and unstructured data within organizations, said Dilip Kumar, vice president of Amazon Q Business at AWS. Many enterprises rely on Smartsheet as their central work collaboration hub, and they store billions of rows of data on the platform. Enabling Amazon Q Business customers to simply, securely have conversations with their Smartsheet data helps turbo charge their productivity, analysis, and decision-making. Generative AI is driving a significant shift in how enterprise knowledge is stored, accessed, and utilized, said Dion Hinchcliffe, VP of the CIO practice at The Futurum Group. This transition offers an opportunity to redefine the boundaries of what is possible in data management and utilization. The key to navigating this evolution lies in a strategic, informed approach to adopting this powerful new technology. By integrating work management data into Amazon Q Business, Smartsheet and AWS are creating a unified AI search experience across enterprises' knowledge base, enabling them to unlock the true potential of their data. Empowering teams to accomplish more with generative AI Smartsheet is partnering with industry leaders like AWS to develop AI capabilities that can help enterprises tackle their mission-critical work more strategically and efficiently. Smartsheet and AWS have built a strong Partnership to drive innovation for their customers and employees. Earlier this year, Smartsheet announced that it has implemented Amazon Q Business internally to streamline knowledge management and accelerate employee productivity in the cloud. The Smartsheet connector is the latest example of how the two organizations are working together to deliver powerful AI tools that transform how teams work. The company continues to apply generative AI throughout its platform, which was built with practicality, transparency, and customer needs in mind. Smartsheet AI tools help enterprises quickly extract insights from their data, originate formulas to drive processes and automation, create text and summaries, and accomplish more in Smartsheet with the help of its AI assistant. Now, through the end of December, Smartsheet is making its full suite of AI tools available to all customers so everyone can leverage the power of AI in Smartsheet. The Smartsheet connector is available to Amazon Q Business customers today in public preview. About Smartsheet Smartsheet is the modern enterprise work management platform trusted by millions of people at companies across the globe, including approximately 85% of the 2024 Fortune 500 companies. The category pioneer and market leader, Smartsheet delivers powerful solutions fueling performance and driving the next wave of innovation. Visit www.smartsheet.com to learn more. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241007998337/en/

Smartsheet rolls out new user experience, adds integration with Amazon Q

Smartsheet unveiled a bevy of new features and design changes on Tuesday at its annual ENGAGE conference, including an integration with Amazon Q Business. It's the first major redesign in a decade for Smartsheet, the Bellevue, Wash.-based enterprise software company that announced a $8.4 billion buyout deal with Blackstone and Vista Equity Partners last month. Among the new features is "collections," which curates Smartsheet content and assets from third-party platforms in one workspace that can be shared across a company. There's also a new built-in file library feature and redesigned visual experiences. A new connector will synchronize data from Smartsheet into Amazon Q Business, the generative AI-powered assistant designed for enterprises that leverages business data and can quickly answer questions or generate content. That means Smartsheet users will be able to query Amazon Q's chatbot for information about their Smartsheet projects. "The Smartsheet connector furthers our strategy to securely integrate Smartsheet with industry-leading enterprise AI tools so customers can seamlessly work across their business applications," Ben Canning, SVP, product experiences at Smartsheet, said in a statement. Smartsheet announced in July that it is using Amazon Q for its own workforce. Amazon unveiled Amazon Q last year at its annual AWS re:Invent conference. Amazon is competing against rivals including Microsoft, OpenAI, Google, and others to introduce new artificial intelligence capabilities for businesses and software developers. Smartsheet says it has nearly 13.5 million users and 85% of the Fortune 500 as customers. The company's acquisition with Blackstone and Vista has a "go-shop" period that ends Nov. 8. The all-cash acquisition will make Smartsheet a private company again, six years after it went public. Smartsheet revenue increased 17% to $276.4 million in its most recent quarter. The company's operating loss was $8.5 million, vs. a loss of $36.1 million in the same period a year ago.