Spreadsheets have undoubtedly become a key tool in your business but to what extent are they a help, or are they now hindering progress and growth?
Did you know that one study found that 88% of spreadsheets contain errors? When so many small businesses rely on spreadsheets for a variety of tasks, this is a big deal.
Spreadsheets certainly have their uses. They’re great for keeping track of information, from inventory to mailing lists. The ability to use tools like formulas and conditional formatting means that you can input and organise data in lots of different ways. But there comes a point when spreadsheets can get out of hand, or they no longer meet your needs.
The sheer number of spreadsheets that some companies can generate can become a problem. Managing a huge amount of files without much organisation is a recipe for crossed wires, lost information and lack of oversight. Spreadsheets might be used across your company, from keeping track of sales to organising SEO keywords. While a few per department might not be difficult to manage, having to juggle tens or even hundreds of them is time-consuming and can easily lead to mistakes. You can even end up with several copies of each spreadsheet as you continue to update and change them.
The potential for mistakes when using spreadsheets is one of their huge downsides. Anything that could make your employees trip up more than necessary could have grave consequences for your business. If you’re constantly making mistakes, you’re unlikely to be delivering the value that you promise your customers. When you get one thing wrong, it could cause a knock-on effect too, leading to even more mistakes that just aren’t necessary.
Keeping an eagle eye over your whole business is difficult at the best of times. Having folders and folders full of spreadsheets makes company-wide oversight even trickier. When one person or even two or three people work on the same spreadsheet, keeping everything in order might not be too big of an ask. But when spreadsheets are kept as individual files and perhaps having to be emailed back and forth, being lord of all the spreadsheets isn’t so easy. Cross-analysing and creating reports is tough when everything exists in separate spreadsheets.
Spreadsheets can only do so much. They’re useful tools, but they’re not magic. Eventually, your growing business can discover that you need something more. You require more capable tools that help you do more and be more productive. Instead of inputting the same information into different spreadsheets, you want your sheets and tools to talk to each other.
If you’re looking for a way to streamline your business, Workhorse productivity software gives you the solution you need. Your bespoke application from Workhorse is made to fit your organisation to meet your requirements. Tie all your top tools together and keep using third-party applications like Sage and Xero so you can improve oversight everywhere without too much disruption.
With everything in one place, there’s no need for multiple copies of spreadsheets and you have all of your tools talking to each other.