— Guide · Business tool
Replacing Excel with a business tool: when it is worth it
Excel is an excellent tool to start. It becomes a brake when the whole team works in the same file, information gets lost between versions, and everything depends on the person who built the spreadsheet. This guide helps you know if you are there, and which alternative to choose
By Idriss Bhugeloo, co-fondateur, responsable technique ·
The signs that Excel is no longer enough
If you recognise yourself in two or three of these situations, the spreadsheet already costs you more than it brings
- Several versions of the same file circulate by email or WhatsApp
- Only one person really knows how the file works
- The same information is re-typed in several places
- A formula error is discovered weeks later
- Field teams cannot view or fill the file from a phone
- No way to know who changed what, and when
When to keep Excel
A business tool is not always the right answer. Keep your spreadsheet if only one or two people use it, if the file supports a one-off analysis rather than daily work, or if the process still changes every week. In the latter case, stabilise the way of working first, then digitise it
The three alternatives
Business software specialised in your trade is quick to set up. It imposes its own way of working, however, and its price often grows with the number of users and features
A no-code tool (Airtable, Notion and equivalents) lets you build a shared database yourself. It is a good intermediate step, which reaches its limits with roles, access rights and sensitive data
A custom tool fits your process exactly, with your vocabulary. It costs more upfront, but you keep control: no per-user cost, and your data belongs to you
How the move to a business tool works
At Manin Studio, this kind of project always follows the same steps
- A framing workshop on your real process, with the people who do the work
- An interface designed for your team, not for IT people
- A review of migrating your existing files, from the framing stage
- An app installable on mobile and desktop, without an app store
- Team training at delivery, then 30 days of stabilisation
What budget to plan
To digitise a specific process (quotes, scheduling, job tracking), our Business Sprint is delivered in 3 to 6 semaines and quoted after the free diagnostic. Hosting, backups, security and support are part of the annual care plan
When several processes and several teams must share one tool, we move to a full business app, quoted after the diagnostic, with an annual care plan
Frequently asked questions
Can we keep Excel for some things?
Yes. A business tool usually offers Excel or CSV exports: your one-off analyses stay in the spreadsheet, daily work moves into the tool
What happens to my data if I change provider?
At Manin Studio, you remain the owner of your data, and reversibility is guaranteed: the app and data can be transferred to your own accounts at any time
My team is not comfortable with computers, is that a problem?
No, it is precisely the reason to go custom: the interface uses your words and habits. Training and the first 30 days are there to adjust what feels awkward
— Take action
Digitise a process
Replace Excel and scattered files with a custom business tool, delivered in 3 to 6 weeks. Web studio in Réunion. Quoted after the free diagnostic.