Why Spreadsheets are a Thing of the Past
Why Spreadsheets are a Thing of the Past
Excel has been one of the most commonly used programs in the workplace and school for decades. With over 1.2 billion people using Microsoft Office, it is safe to say that Excel has become the standardized program for businesses dealing with any data. But people are beginning to realize that Excel might not be the best program to use any longer. Despite the number of people that use Excel, it comes with quite the load of problems. In the following, I will delve into a few of the risks and problems that come with using Excel in your business and how to eliminate these dangers.
Table of Contents
Difficult to use
Unfortunately, Excel is not the easiest program to use. Although many people know basic data input for Excel, their competency ends there. Advanced understanding and knowledge of Excel is extremely time-consuming and has a fairly steep learning curve. Even when you are inputting basic data, it is very easy to misclick and make a mistake. Audits have shown that users have up to a 1.79 percent chance of making an error per cell. This means when you are dealing with thousands of cells and numbers, you are likely to be making many mistakes. When you get to the more advanced levels of Excel, you are dealing not only with formulas, but hidden cells, file paths, nested IFs and macros, and much more. With so many complicated functions; it is clear to see that this program is not the most user-friendly.
Errors errors errors
The risk associated with Excel spreadsheets is extremely high. One technology company found that audits show that nearly 90% of all large spreadsheets contain serious errors. This means that even experienced users are making quite a few mistakes. Part of the problem is Excel’s lack of an automated self-checking process. When you are using Excel, you must create your tests to check for errors in your spreadsheet. Unfortunately, most people will not take the time to check for their errors, which is where various problems arise. Many large businesses such as JP Morgan have learned the hard way how Excel’s lack of a self-checking mechanism can cause catastrophic losses.
So what is the alternative solution?
Cloud-based software!
Implementing construction software can help you eliminate formula and data entry errors. Unlike Excel spreadsheets, cloud-based software allows you to collaborate on project documentation in real-time. Everyone on your team can have access to project documentation, and the file is automatically saved in the software for everyone on your team to see. In contrast, if you use Excel, you have to save different versions of a document and then send them back and forth between the different members of your team. This is extremely time consuming and often leads to confusion, miscommunication, and lots of errors.
With all of these Excel issues, the time is now to switch to cloud-based construction software. The risk of Excel causing devastating losses for your construction company is not something you want to chance any longer. With the solution being so simple, it’s an easy choice to make the switch. It is clear that spreadsheets are a thing of the past and cloud-based software is the way of the future!
