Digital Transformation1 min read

When does moving from Excel to custom software make sense?

Spreadsheets work up to a point. Signs that it is time for custom software, and a migration plan.

Excel is a great tool, and many businesses were largely built on it. The trouble starts when a spreadsheet becomes the single source of truth.

What are the signs?

It is time if several versions of the same file circulate, work stops when one person is on leave, a faulty formula costs money, or preparing a report takes days.

Off-the-shelf or custom?

If your process is common in the industry, try packaged products first. Custom software makes sense if your competitive edge lives in the process or packaged tools cannot integrate.

How do you plan the migration?

Do not move everything at once. Start with the most painful process, clean and import existing spreadsheets, and run the new system alongside the old for a short time.

How do you win employees over?

Include the people who will use the software in the design. See the flexibility Excel gives them; the new system has to show clearly what it offers instead. Leaving an export option reduces resistance.

FluxPeek MühendislikEngineering team

Our articles come from issues we meet in our own projects.

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