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From spreadsheet to application: when it is time to switch

It is time to move from a spreadsheet to an application when several people edit the spreadsheet at the same time, when there are versions that do not match, when a broken formula has already cost money, or when the same data has to be copied by hand into another program. A custom application keeps the data in one place, controls who can see and change each thing, checks what is entered and connects to your other systems. The switch is made in parts, starting with the spreadsheet that hurts the most, without stopping work.

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Book a meeting

Thirty minutes, free and with no obligation, with the engineer who would lead the project.

The signs that the spreadsheet can no longer cope

  • There are several versions of the same file and nobody knows which one is right.
  • Several people edit it and get in each other’s way.
  • A broken formula or a deleted row has already cost money.
  • The data has to be copied by hand into the ERP, the CRM or another spreadsheet.
  • Only one person knows how it works and, when they are away, it does not work.
  • You need to know who changed what, and when.

What you gain with an application

  • One place for the data: everyone sees the same thing, at the same moment.
  • Permissions: each person sees and changes only what concerns them.
  • Validation: what is entered is checked on the way in, not once it has already done damage.
  • History: who changed each thing, and when.
  • Connections: the data flows by itself to the ERP, the CRM or the online shop.
  • Access: from anywhere, including from a mobile phone, and for customers or suppliers if needed.

What you lose

The freedom to add a column in a minute. A spreadsheet is perfect for trying out ideas; an application is for the work you already know how to do.

That is why you do not have to move everything: what is stable goes into the application, and the spreadsheet can stay for one-off analysis, fed with data that now does add up.

How to switch without stopping work

  1. Start with the spreadsheet that hurts the most: the one that is shared the most, causes the most errors or eats up the most hours.
  2. Clean the data before moving it: duplicates, inconsistent formats, columns nobody uses.
  3. Build the first version with real data, and have it tested by the person who uses the spreadsheet every day.
  4. Use both side by side for a few weeks and, once they match, drop the spreadsheet.

How we do it at SANFELIU

At SANFELIU, a custom software consultancy in Barcelona, we build custom business applications and dashboards that replace the spreadsheets that do not add up, connected to what you already have (the ERP, the CRM, the online shop) and running on AWS.

You see it working with your data in a prototype within one to three days, before any price. Then you get a proposal with a fixed price per feature, with the code in your name.

Book a meeting

Thirty minutes, free and with no obligation, with the engineer who would lead the project.

Frequently asked questions

When should a company stop being run on a spreadsheet?

When several people edit it, when there are versions that do not match, when a mistake has already cost money, or when the data has to be copied by hand into another program. At that point the spreadsheet is no longer a tool: it is a risk.

Can the data in the spreadsheet be reused?

Yes. It is cleaned up (duplicates, formats, unused columns) and loaded into the application. The tidier the spreadsheet, the less work it takes.

Custom application or off-the-shelf software?

If an off-the-shelf program does what you do with the spreadsheet without having to force it, buy it. If the spreadsheet exists precisely because no program did what you needed, a custom application is usually the answer.

Tell us about your case in thirty minutes.

Book a meeting with the engineer who would lead the project: thirty minutes, free and with no obligation. If we’re a fit, we tell you how we’d start; if not, who to turn to.

Book a meeting

Or email me@joansanfeliu.com

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Tell us about your case in a few lines and we’ll reply by email.

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