Excel is brilliant until it isn't
Let's be clear: spreadsheets are genuinely useful. They're flexible, everyone knows how to use them, and they cost nothing extra if you already have Office.
Most businesses start with Excel. Tracking orders, managing inventory, logging customer details, calculating quotes—it all starts in a spreadsheet. And that's fine.
The problem is when Excel stops being a tool and starts being a liability.
Signs your spreadsheet has outgrown itself
1. Multiple people need to edit it simultaneously
Excel wasn't built for real-time collaboration. Yes, SharePoint and OneDrive help, but you've probably experienced:
- "File is locked for editing by another user"
- Conflicting changes that overwrite each other
- Version confusion ("which one is the latest?")
- Someone accidentally deleting a formula
The fix: A web app with proper multi-user support, where changes are saved instantly and everyone sees the same data.
2. It's become too complex to maintain
Your "simple" spreadsheet now has:
- Dozens of tabs
- Formulas referencing other formulas referencing other formulas
- VLOOKUP chains that break when you add a row
- Macros nobody understands (the person who wrote them left two years ago)
- Conditional formatting that slows everything down
When only one person understands how it works, you have a bus factor of one. If they're unavailable, the business has a problem.
The fix: A properly designed system with logic that's documented, testable, and maintainable.
3. You're copying data between spreadsheets
Orders come in by email, you copy them to the orders spreadsheet, then copy some details to the invoicing spreadsheet, then update the inventory spreadsheet.
Every manual copy is:
- Time wasted
- An opportunity for errors
- A delay in the process
The fix: One system where data flows automatically. Enter it once, use it everywhere.
4. You need to control who sees what
Everyone with access to the spreadsheet can see everything. But maybe:
- Sales people shouldn't see each other's commission rates
- Junior staff shouldn't be able to edit historical records
- External partners need access to some data but not all
Excel's protection features are limited and easily bypassed.
The fix: A system with proper user roles and permissions.
5. It's slow
Opening the file takes 30 seconds. Calculations make you wait. Scrolling lags. Every filter is an exercise in patience.
Large spreadsheets with complex formulas eventually hit performance walls.
The fix: A database-backed application that handles large datasets efficiently.
6. You need it on mobile
Editing a complex spreadsheet on a phone is miserable. But your team needs to update things from site visits, or check information while with clients.
The fix: A web app designed for mobile use.
7. Errors have real consequences
A typo in a formula. An accidental deletion. A filter that hides data you forgot about. These mistakes have cost you money, time, or customer trust.
Spreadsheets have no audit trail, no undo history beyond the current session, no validation beyond what you manually set up.
The fix: A system with proper validation, audit logs, and error prevention.
What a custom solution actually looks like
It's not as scary as it sounds. A web app replacing your spreadsheet might include:
A clean data entry interface: Instead of finding the right cell in a massive grid, users fill in a simple form. Validation prevents errors before they happen.
A dashboard: Instead of scrolling through rows, you see the numbers that matter: orders this week, outstanding invoices, low stock items.
Automatic calculations: The logic that's currently in your formulas becomes reliable code. It runs the same way every time, and it's been tested.
Search and filters that work: Find any record instantly. Filter by date, status, customer, or anything else relevant.
Reports that generate themselves: End-of-month reports, export to PDF, automatic emails—no more manual compilation.
Access from anywhere: Works on desktop, tablet, and phone. No VPN required, no file syncing issues.
What it costs
This is the question everyone asks. The honest answer:
Simple replacement: £5,000 - £15,000 A straightforward system that does what your spreadsheet does, but properly. Basic data entry, storage, and reporting.
Medium complexity: £15,000 - £40,000 Multiple user types, integrations with other systems, more sophisticated logic, custom reporting.
Complex business system: £40,000+ Replacing multiple interconnected spreadsheets, complex workflows, extensive automation.
These are ballpark figures. Actual cost depends on what you need.
Compare that to:
- Time wasted on manual processes (if 2 people spend 5 hours/week on spreadsheet admin at £20/hour, that's £10,000/year)
- Errors and their consequences
- Opportunity cost (what could those people do instead?)
Most spreadsheet replacements pay for themselves within 1-2 years.
What to think about before building
1. Document what the spreadsheet actually does
Not what it was meant to do—what it actually does now. Every column, every formula, every workflow. This becomes the specification for your new system.
2. Identify what you hate about it
The pain points are often the most valuable things to fix. If filtering takes 30 seconds and you do it 50 times a day, that's 25 minutes of waiting daily.
3. Consider what you'd add if you could
Features you've always wanted but Excel couldn't do. Automatic notifications? Customer-facing access? Mobile entry? Now's your chance.
4. Think about integrations
Does this data need to connect to anything else? Accounting software? E-commerce platform? Email marketing? Building integrations from the start is cheaper than adding them later.
5. Plan for migration
You have years of data in that spreadsheet. How will it get into the new system? Clean it up now—it's easier to fix data in Excel than after migration.
The transition process
A good development process looks like:
- Discovery: We understand your current spreadsheet, its problems, and what you need
- Design: We plan the new system—what screens, what data, what workflows
- Build: We develop it iteratively, showing you progress along the way
- Test: You try it with real data and real scenarios
- Migrate: We move your historical data into the new system
- Launch: You switch over (often with a parallel running period)
- Support: We fix issues and make adjustments as you use it
When NOT to replace your spreadsheet
Sometimes Excel is the right answer:
- It works fine. If it's not causing problems, don't fix it.
- It's genuinely simple. A list of 100 items that one person manages doesn't need a web app.
- Requirements keep changing. If you're still figuring out what you need, spreadsheets' flexibility is valuable.
- Budget is tight. A flawed spreadsheet you can afford beats a perfect system you can't.
Ready to explore options?
If your spreadsheet is causing real problems, let's talk. We'll look at what you're dealing with and give you honest advice—even if that advice is "stick with Excel for now."
No obligation, no pressure. Sometimes a conversation clarifies whether you need a solution or just a better spreadsheet.