How can data accuracy be ensured in Smartsheet?

To ensure data accuracy in Smartsheet, implementing data validation rules and locking cells is an effective strategy. Data validation rules allow you to set specific criteria that data must meet before it can be entered into the sheet. This feature helps prevent incorrect entries, such as out-of-range numbers or inappropriate text formats, which can lead to errors in project data.

Locking cells further enhances data accuracy by restricting access to specific parts of the sheet. This means that only authorized personnel can edit critical data, preventing accidental changes by other team members. Together, these features help maintain consistency, reliability, and integrity in the project data, ensuring that all stakeholders are working with accurate information.

In contrast, sharing sheets with all team members could lead to discrepancies if multiple users are editing the same content simultaneously without proper controls in place. Creating multiple versions of a sheet can complicate version control and make it difficult to identify the most accurate data source. Relying on manual updates is prone to human error, which increases the risk of inaccuracies.