Companies always seem to end up with multiple versions of the same spreadsheet. This is often down to multiple users editing and saving the same spreadsheet. If another user has it open, the system saves it as a new version. If this has happened to you, Read on, there is a better way…
Spreadsheets are good for testing a theory, they are very cost effective and they can be used almost immediately. They get overused and the temporary model they offer all too often becomes the default application for the business. Spreadsheets do run into problems where multiple users want to access and edit them simultaneously.
So, what might happen if you have multiple people accessing the same spreadsheet?
One of the main risks of having multiple versions of the same spreadsheets is unreliable data. With different versions of the same spreadsheet floating around the office, it cna be difficult to know which one is the correct one. These alterations made by multiple users, can result in missing or inaccurate information. It is difficult to share a spreadsheet among many team members, primarily due to that data being shared could be accidentally deleted or changed, the spreadsheet that is shared is not often ‘live’ or ‘real-time’.
Spreadsheets make it extremely easy to create errors, a simple mistake like misplacing a decimal point can result in huge errors, for instance accounting or customer orders. And, with many people opening it and editing it, it is hard to chase up who made the error and what the correct information is.
Now, we are not saying spreadsheets are the devil, I mean who doesn’t love a good spreadsheet? They are great for small businesses’ needs and budget. They are easy to use, easy to learn and very cost effective to setup.
However, like everything, they also come with downsides that could harm a business. Once a business starts to grow, it quickly becomes unfeasible to rely on spreadsheets. It is hard to get an accurate real time view of how the business is doing, which is an essential piece of information for your business to grow. They can also be tricky to pass on to other people.
So what is the answer?
If your business is growing and you have some significant spreadsheets, it may be time to consider an alternative. A piece of custom software created specifically to meet the needs of your business may be the way forward. Everyone would have access to the same source, data is only entered once and you will never be left with multiple versions of the same data. It may be not be as cheap as spreadsheets, but in the long run, it will make your business more efficient and will save you money on unnecessary tasks and human errors. If you would like some of that peace of mind, give us a call or follow the link below
