Ready To Ditch That Spreadsheet?

Introduction

Many software projects start life as spreadsheets (or even Access databases). They're typically built by an organisation's resident "Excel Wizard" to automate or reduce the work of an otherwise completely manual process.

The amount of functionality and power you can squeeze into something you could send as an attachment in an email is nothing short of remarkable, especially considering how complex the infrastructure of modern software products can be.

But is there an upper limit to the humble spreadsheet? If so, how do you know when you've reached it?

Audit Trail

You typically get very limited (if any) logging or reporting of who has edited your spreadsheet and what they edited. If you need the ability to access this kind of fine-grained information for auditing, legislative, or compliance reasons, you might need to start looking at moving towards a dedicated software product.

Sharing

Another weakness of a single-file solution like a spreadsheet is that it is notoriously hard to share or have many people working on it simultaneously. A software solution can handle many concurrent users and not run into issues with data being lost or overridden. With software, you also don't have the problem of people using outdated copies of your spreadsheet when you've implemented a feature or fixed a problem.

Access Control

Typically, as a spreadsheet develops over time and more people start using it, it is necessary to restrict access to certain areas or prevent certain people from accessing it altogether. Due to its portable nature, this is almost impossible with a spreadsheet. A software product can leverage authentication and authorisation features at a level that spreadsheets cannot.

Data Quantity & Complexity

The growing size and complexity of data is possibly the biggest killer of even the most simple spreadsheet. Things might start off pretty simple with just a few columns and rows, but as is often the case, you end up being a victim of your own success.

People will ask for more features, complex reports, calculated fields, data imports, exports, and more! Suddenly, your simple spreadsheet has become a full-time job to maintain, no longer easing your burden but adding to it.

Conclusion

Spreadsheets rule! Software developers have a habit of turning their noses up at them because, in their eyes, everything should be a standalone software product.

I am guilty of having this opinion sometimes, but there is a time and a place for a well-thought-out spreadsheet that can achieve an organisation's goals.

However, the natural lifecycle of these kinds of spreadsheets is to reach critical mass and evolve into their own software products.

Do you have an unwieldy spreadsheet? Taking it to the next level is easier than you think. Contact us today!