When a Spreadsheet Beats an App

Let's talk about the humble spreadsheet.

It's not sexy. It doesn't have a venture capital valuation. It won't show up in a "Top 10 Tools" listicle.

But for many businesses, it's the perfect solution.

The Case for Simple Tools

A well-designed spreadsheet can:

Track inventory

Manage projects

Calculate pricing

Monitor KPIs

Coordinate schedules

It requires zero onboarding. Everyone on your team already knows how to use it. And it doesn't require a subscription.

We've seen businesses replace a simple, working spreadsheet with a $200/month platform because they thought they "should" upgrade.

What happens?

Productivity drops while people learn the new system

Half the team keeps the spreadsheet as a backup "just in case"

The new tool has 47 features they don't need and is missing the 3 they do

Six months later, they're back to the spreadsheet—but they've lost time, money, and morale.

The best tool isn't the most advanced one. It's the one that:

1. Solves your specific problem (not someone else's idea of your problem)

2. Your team will actually use (without constant reminders)

3. Fits your budget (including the hidden cost of setup and maintenance)

Sometimes that's a spreadsheet. Sometimes it's a sophisticated CRM. Sometimes it's a custom-built solution.

When we work with clients, we don't start with a tool recommendation. We start with questions:

What's working about your current process?

Where does it break down?

What would "better" actually look like?

Only then can we recommend whether you need new software, a smarter spreadsheet, or just a better process.

When they're designed for how work actually happens—not for how software companies think it should happen.