Did you know that the very first spreadsheet came about in 1979? Ever since then, spreadsheets have become a regular part of most businesses and, in fact, it would be impossible for most businesses to function without them. But now that cloud-based computing exists, all of that has changed.
For once, spreadsheets are actually starting to become not only obsolete but also very inefficient to use. Understanding how cloud tech gets rid of spreadsheets is an important concept to consider. It may be hard to think of how you can stop relying on spreadsheets entirely, but cloud technology has made this a possibility.
But how? Keep reading and learn more about how to move out of spreadsheets with the help of cloud computing.
What You Need to Know About Spreadsheets
Before we explore how to stop using spreadsheets with the help of cloud tech, it is first important to understand what spreadsheets do and why they were so important in the past but are now dragging people down. As mentioned before, spreadsheets came about in the late 1970s and many businesses today still use this technology to keep track of things.
Spreadsheets exist to keep track of all sorts of things. For example, they are especially good at monitoring product inventory, support tickets, and so on. That way, it is easy to see how much of a product there is available and so on.
The goal of spreadsheets is to make sure that businesses run as smoothly as possible. Of course, if no one was keeping track of all this information, certain factors could start piling up and causing problems. Some spreadsheets even monitor information such as expenditures, task tracking, audit reports, and more.
In short, spreadsheets are designed to tackle essential pieces of information. If that information got mixed up or changed in any way, this could create a cascade of problems for the business at hand. The problem is that these spreadsheets have become so important that many businesses have become completely reliant on them.
The Details
Many businesses can’t even imagine functioning a single day without them. This might even be the case with your own business. However, it is important to understand that due to today’s new technology, using spreadsheets is no longer as essential as it used to be. One of the reasons why many businesses use traditional spreadsheets so much is that they are cost-effective to use.
Many people believe that switching to a different type of technology like cloud tech would be too expensive to be worth the money. However, this is not necessarily the case. More importantly, many people may worry about the complexity of cloud technology.
Some may believe that it is too confusing and too complex to use and understand in the same way as spreadsheets. Most of these worries are based on myths surrounding cloud technology. In reality, cloud computing is an extremely efficient concept and it is far more efficient than ordinary spreadsheets.
But how exactly can cloud computing help free up your business from relying so much on spreadsheets? Wouldn’t cloud tech only function to throw a wrench in the efficiency of traditional spreadsheets? More importantly, is cloud computing really any better than regular spreadsheets, especially when considering the big picture?
How New Tech Can End Your Reliance on Spreadsheets
There are many ways in which you can stop using spreadsheets. The idea of no longer using spreadsheets may seem a bit worrisome. After all, how can you transfer all of that important data into a different format?
The main thing you need to keep in mind is that new technology is far more efficient than the old technology that spreadsheets rely on. While you might be more accustomed to using spreadsheets, that doesn’t mean that it’s the right option for keeping track of your company’s assets. But if you are interested in leaving spreadsheets behind in favor of a new type of technology, where should you start?
One of the best alternatives is to leverage automation to your business processes. More and more businesses are starting to use automated processes to help make certain tasks easier and more efficient. Spreadsheets were never able to do this because they simply didn’t have the technology for it. In short, automation can eliminate the manual entry that spreadsheets require.
But today, there are all sorts of different types of software that allow businesses to automate things such as task tracking, support ticket management, inventory management, and more. That way, employees won’t have to waste their time on these mundane tasks.
Instead, employees could focus on more important tasks throughout the company while modern software takes care of all the heavy lifting. What’s more is that automated software is very detailed and great at keeping track of even the most detailed of tasks.
What You Need to Know
Of course, automation alone cannot solve all of your problems. More importantly, some tasks cannot be automated. For that reason, there are a few other types of technology that you should consider when it comes to replacing spreadsheets.
For example, cloud computing is a great alternative to traditional spreadsheets. This is because cloud tech is known to be swift and efficient. This is not to mention that it is very versatile and flexible.
So, it shouldn’t have any trouble bending to conform to any task. It is especially good at keeping track of large chunks of data. Modern accounting systems that are cloud-based are in real-time, so you can make more informed decisions with the latest data.
Another advantage of cloud technology is that it allows you to connect your data like never before. Transferring, storing, and using data in new ways is all possible thanks to the development of cloud computing. Additionally, cloud computing is far more secure than regular spreadsheets.
Cloud computing also isn’t as hard to use as it might sound. While the exact science behind this technology might be a bit complicated, using cloud software has never been easier. This is because the software itself does most of the heavy lifting for you, so you shouldn’t have to worry about a thing.
Why You Shouldn’t Rely Solely On Spreadsheets
While cloud technology may sound appealing to you, you might be wondering if abandoning spreadsheets is really in your best interest. After all, spreadsheets work well enough, don’t they? However, spreadsheets have more issues than you might realize.
For one, spreadsheets are very prone to errors. In fact, the majority of spreadsheets contain at least one error. Not to mention, there have been many stories over the years that have explained how even small spreadsheet mistakes can lead to disastrous consequences for large companies.
This is because, as mentioned before, even a small spreadsheet mistake can create a cascade of problems that affects every aspect of a company. Even when you try to double-check your spreadsheets and make sure that they are free of errors, there will still likely be a few small errors lurking around where you won’t notice them.
The main cause of these mistakes is human error. This is why ditching spreadsheets in favor of cloud technology is such a good idea. Human error will no longer be a problem since the software will do most of the important work for you.
What to Know
Since computers are far less likely to make mistakes, there will be far fewer errors at hand. Another reason why you should stop using spreadsheets is that they are not very secure. While spreadsheets usually have passwords to keep them protected, this often is not enough to protect them from cyberattacks and hackers.
This is especially true since spreadsheets are often shared through email and other methods which makes them even more susceptible to being attacked. You won’t have this problem when using cloud technology because cloud tech is naturally designed to be more secure and user-friendly. That way, you won’t have to worry also much about a bunch of your company’s important information falling into the wrong hands.
In short, cloud technology is far safer and more efficient than regular spreadsheets. This can be seen currently since more and more companies are starting to use cloud tech in favor of old-fashioned spreadsheets.
Cloud Computing and Spreadsheets
Cloud computing is certainly the future of businesses, and this can be seen from the fact that more and more companies are switching from spreadsheets to cloud tech. After all, cloud tech is far more versatile than spreadsheets could ever be.
Still not convinced? Check out our video below on why you should modernize your construction accounting software: