Stop running projects on Excel
When businesses are first starting out, it’s common to make do with the technology that you have to hand. And, since most companies have Microsoft 365 subscriptions these days (even if they are fresh startups), Excel has become the default project management tool. But that’s something you should put an end to ASAP. Businesses should stop running projects on Excel for a lot of reasons from cybersecurity to convenience and here’s why:
Excel is dangerous_
There are a lot of problems with using Excel long-term for critical company projects and functions. That’s because:
- It’s too easy to mess up. Just one errant keystroke could break a formula or change an input and tracking those errors is really difficult.
- It’s easy to hack. Even password locks won’t keep determined cyber criminals out. It’s also easy for the whole file to be wrongfully emailed leading to stolen IP.
- There aren’t enough process protections. You can’t formalise an audit trail, data practices, security or error checking with an Excel document.
- Automation is limited and that’s stunting your growth. While you might make some macros to do basic tasks for you, there are better out-of-the-box options out there.
And there are so many more reasons, we’ve made a whole landing page about it here.
How you can break the Excel cycle_
Now that you understand the risks, it’s important to have a plan for how to use and move away from Excel in the future. First, map how many critical projects or processes are based on Excel. Then, create a timeline for moving those items to a new, purpose-built system. (We’ll suggest some for project management below.) Next, create some guidelines for how you’ll use Excel as a business going forward. Some great options are just for informal drafting, basic analysis or brainstorming. Create a rule that Excel will never be where a project lives in its final form.
What to try instead:
Asana
This is a great task management platform; especially for teams. It’s a web-based tool that anyone can learn how to use in a few minutes. It helps you get organised, plan and track workloads and provide project updates in real time.
Basecamp
Ideal for marketing teams and those working on projects with rich media, Basecamp lets you assign tasks, manage approvals and store assets for easy access later on. The native display makes approvals faster and it’s great for siloed access for clients or suppliers.
Monday
Monday is a great tool for automating workflows to make processes and approvals more streamlined and standardised. It bills itself as a work operating system (work OS) and aims to see all businesses make their own workflows in seconds (breaking their addition to Excel).
Bespoke Software Development
Depending on your use case, any one of these programs would help you stop running projects on Excel. The right one for you will depend on the functionality you need and your overall process. If there’s nothing on the market that’s just the right fit; why not commission something totally bespoke? And if you’d like some expert advice on what solution to roll out and when, then we can help. We’ve supported companies with their digital infrastructure since 2005.
