Business Software
Should I use a spreadsheet or build software?
Should I use a spreadsheet or build software?
A spreadsheet is the right tool when one person maintains a list and the columns stay stable. Custom software is the right tool when several people need the same live status, or when a step keeps getting skipped because the sheet cannot enforce it.
Write the workflow before you choose. Who starts the task, what they type, what must be remembered, and what done looks like, including the usual exception such as a cancellation. If you cannot write that, software will not invent it.
Google Sheets, Excel, or your own software?
Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel, and LibreOffice Calc are spreadsheets. They are enough when one person keeps a list and can see a mistake. They fail when two people overwrite the same row, or when the same customer address is typed in ten places.
Build a small tool when the list is how the work gets done: a form, a status, and a rule the sheet cannot enforce, such as "a cancelled order cannot also be marked paid." Do not store passwords or card numbers in a sheet. Do not rebuild accounting software if a product you can buy already matches the books. Read that vendor's current price and export options first.
How to keep the first version small
Build one loop a colleague can finish. A form, a list, and a status are enough. Reports can wait until the loop is trusted. Show it to the person who does the work, and rename buttons to their words.
Know how you will export the records if you leave the tool. The business owns the data. Prices for builders change by country, so read the vendor's current page. This is not accounting or legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
When is a spreadsheet enough?
When one person edits it, the list is short, and a mistake is easy to see. Many real businesses run this way for years.
When does a spreadsheet fail?
When two people overwrite each other, when the same address is typed in many places, or when the team skips steps the sheet cannot check.
What should version one do?
One task from start to done, including one common exception. Nothing else.
Should I buy a famous tool first?
Buy it if it already matches the workflow. Do not buy it because the logo is familiar and then force the work to fit.
Who should test it?
The person who does the job, not only the person who asked for the software.
What if we outgrow the tool?
Export the records first. A tool you cannot leave is a risk, even if it is cheap today.