Excel has helped thousands of SMBs get started. But as the business grows, the file that used to run everything can become a bottleneck. Here are seven telltale signs.
1. Several versions of the same file are going around
"Client_tracking_FINAL_v3_fixed.xlsx". Nobody knows which one is the right one.
2. Only one person understands the file
If they go on vacation, everything stops. That's a risk for the business.
3. You retype data that comes from paper
The file is just the end of a retyping chain. The problem is upstream.
4. Formulas break regularly
One row inserted in the wrong place, and the totals are wrong for weeks.
5. You can't use it in the field
Excel on a phone, wearing gloves, in a warehouse: that's not realistic.
6. No record of who changed what
There's no way to know who changed a value, or when.
7. You spend more time maintaining the file than using it
That's the clearest sign of all.
What to do?
Don't throw Excel away. It's still perfect for one-off analysis. But for daily data entry and tracking clients or jobs, a simple app with a shared database is more reliable. Your data can always be exported to Excel when you need it.
