I like spreadsheets. But not for everything (Part 1 of 3)

I like spreadsheets. I really do. I don’t have a love affair with them as some people do, but they can be used for so many different things to help you get the job done. And if I knew half as much as my sister-in-law (who trains others at Canadian Pacific in her excel expertise), I could do even more. Of course, the best problems they solve are ones where you need numbers crunched.

As I learn about different businesses and the way they work, so many of them are managing an astounding amount of their business-critical work using spreadsheets.  On one hand, this makes perfect sense on a number of different levels: spreadsheets are very familiar as everyone has virtually used one; they are inexpensive and there is usually no incremental cost to use them; and they can be quickly setup by a project manager – and changed just as fast. 

But (and it’s a big but), spreadsheets were originally designed to be a single-user personal-productivity tool.  As we apply this individual personal-productivity tool to project management, this free and convenient tool actually creates a number of hidden costs.   

I can almost feel through the screen the deflating sense that comes from seeing all of that time wasted on “project administration.”  I mean, is there anything less satisfying, or more offensive to our desire to maximize our work efforts & time?

The best way to confront this spreadsheet shuffle is through web-based project management.  It’s easy and simple to get all the information you need into web-based applications that complement your business processes, rather than slow them down.  Watch for our next post on how web-based applications, like Intuit’s QuickBase, get you organized and get you the data you need. 

Spreadsheets are great, just not for everything.

Clearstream Collaborative takes the pain & frustration out of IT “systems” by building really great databases that work the way people want to work.

Take our tour to find out how we use Intuit's QuickBase to improve productivity, maximize flexibility, and save you money by getting you onto the Cloud. Better yet, sign up for a free demo for your organization and get started today!