Smartsheet launches Australian data hosting to meet privacy laws

Smartsheet has announced the launch of Smartsheet Regions Australia, a new local data hosting option for customers in Australia and the Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ) region.

The Sydney-based data instance, with backup infrastructure in Melbourne, allows customers to store data within Australia to meet privacy and compliance requirements governed by the Australian Privacy Act and the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

This initiative represents the fourth global region for Smartsheet and is positioned to serve clients in highly regulated sectors such as government, finance, and education across APJ.

Helen Masters, Managing Director, APJ, Smartsheet, commented on this decision. "This investment in a new Smartsheet Regions Australia underscores our dedication to the APJ region and the local data residency needs of our Australian and APJ customers," she said. "This Australia-hosted instance of Smartsheet will support both new and existing customers and partners, giving users access to enterprise-grade work management technology so they comply with regional privacy and governance requirements, such as the Australian Privacy Act."

Smartsheet delivers its services with security and governance protocols intended to meet the demands of organisations with strict regulatory obligations. The company supports compliance with an array of industry standards, including ISO, FedRAMP, HIPAA, DOD IL4, and ITAR, among others. Efforts are underway to obtain Infosec Registered Assessors Program (IRAP) certification for the APJ region. This certification is aimed at aligning with the Australian Government Information Security Manual requirements and involves the implementation of security controls and policies specific to Australia.

Bruce Northcote, Chief Security Officer, University of Adelaide, spoke about how hosting data in Australia affects educational institutions. "Leveraging Smartsheet for advanced work management has already delivered significant time savings and enhanced regulatory compliance across our institution, a testament to our position as a leading Australian public research university," Northcote said. "As we move towards merging with the University of South Australia to establish a combined Adelaide University, the availability of Smartsheet Australian data hosting is crucial. This will facilitate substantial new adoption within the new institution, safeguarding Australian data sovereignty."

Smartsheet's Australian expansion has also been welcomed by technology partners in the region. Jason Frost, Executive General Manager - Data & Integration at Atturra, stated: "We are thrilled to welcome the arrival of Smartsheet data residency in Australia, a testament to their commitment to Australian customers. This development allows us to expand our services to clients with stringent regulatory requirements, ensuring their data remains securely onshore. Our APJ customers can now access best-in-class work management technology while supporting compliance with local regulations."

Smartsheet Regions enables customers to decide where their data, including uploaded content, images, and files, is stored. Options for data residency are available in Smartsheet's existing data instances in the European Union, United States, and now Australia. The company also provides Smartsheet Gov, a product for government agencies that require additional security and compliance controls.

Data sovereignty and privacy continue to be important considerations for digitally transforming organisations, particularly those serving public sector, finance, or healthcare clients. Smartsheet has reported over 260% customer growth across Australia and New Zealand and has expanded its partner network, welcoming nearly 100 partners across 20 countries. The company recently opened an office in Japan as part of its APJ regional strategy.