Smartsheet CEO Mark Mader. (Smartsheet Photo)

Project and work management company Smartsheet is holding a big customer event this week, and using the occasion to announce a new suite of tools focused on automating repetitive work tasks.

The new features include automated approval requests and update requests, an in-app notification center and an updated mobile app with a new navigation experience. The features fit with Bellevue, Wash.-based Smartsheet’s expansion beyond project management, into other enterprise collaboration tools with an emphasis on automation.

“We’re entering a new era of collaborative work in which automation will drive significant improvements in productivity, efficiency and innovation for companies of all sizes, in all industries,” said Smartsheet CEO Mark Mader. “Employees will be able to spend more time on high-value tasks, such as developing key relationships and improving products and services. Importantly, the new features in Smartsheet are accessible to all employees regardless of their technical abilities.”

Smartsheet’s automated approval tools. (Smartsheet Photo)

That means anyone should be able to set up automatic approvals and updates for documents like purchase orders. Smartsheet promises integrations with document signing programs such as DocuSign as well as collaboration and communication apps like Microsoft Teams and Slack.

Smartsheet also released survey results of 1,000 information workers and how they feel about automation in their day-to-day activities, as well as threats it poses to jobs. The survey found that approximately 40 percent of workers spend significant chunks of time on mundane tasks, and 97 percent say automation innovations could make their organizations better.

But it’s not an entirely rosy outlook on automation. Sixty percent of respondents think automation will lead to greater levels of unemployment generally.

However, these workers are less worried about their own future. One third think their job could be replaced by automation, and 34 percent believe automation could lead to layoffs at their company. But 76 percent of the respondents believe they would be able to find another job at their company if their job was automated.

Smartsheet earlier this year landed a $52 million funding round to further push into automation. The round brought Smartsheet to more than $120 million in total funding and a valuation of $852 million.

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