Is your team feeling the pain of using spreadsheets for critical business processes? While useful, spreadsheets are time-consuming and easy to mess up. They leave your business vulnerable to costly mistakes and aren’t efficient. If your team is being held back from their best productivity, learn how you can turn those spreadsheets and other processes into custom applications that are tailored to your business. Converting spreadsheets into automated, easy-to-use applications is a proven way to save your business time and money. Let’s explore the benefits of partnering with developers to change cumbersome spreadsheets into streamlined, custom software applications.
Why Businesses Still Track Leads in Spreadsheets (And Why It’s Costing You)
We talk a lot about how many of our customers run their business on old systems that don’t necessarily talk to each other. Often, the only way to move data from one system to another–for example, from a bid system to a project management system–is through manual entry or through downloading a spreadsheet from one system and uploading it to the other.
More recently, we are finding that, in addition to using spreadsheets for business operations, our customers are using Excel or Google Sheets to drive opportunities into the business. We have now built a number of customized platforms that allow our customers to:
- Track and assign new leads
- Qualify opportunities
- Manage opportunities through follow-up stages
- Develop professional estimates and proposals
- Close business
- Send invoices
- And, calculate sales commissions
In addition to ease of use, having these processes in an application instead of a spreadsheet makes it easy for management to monitor the follow-up items, see the status of each opportunity, and forecast future growth or obstacles.
Why Custom Software Solutions Beat Spreadsheets for Business Growth
Businesses use custom software when they want to see unrestricted business growth. Using spreadsheets and mass-market software can only take a company so far. When you switch to custom software, you’ll immediately notice the difference. Not only will the software work and grow with your business, but it will be exactly tailored to your needs.
When to Convert Spreadsheets to Custom Software Solutions
Spreadsheets require a significant administrative burden and are more vulnerable to human error. One or two simple mistakes can lead to huge errors that cost thousands. If your company is still using spreadsheets for critical processes, it may be time to switch to upgrade your software systems. Custom software can automate your processes, significantly reducing administrative work and errors. If you’re looking for a faster, more efficient way of doing things, it’s time to move on from spreadsheets.
Benefits of Custom Applications Vs. Spreadsheets
Custom applications transform how your business operates by automating manual spreadsheet processes that drain productivity. When you automate Excel spreadsheets, you eliminate the costly human errors that plague manual data entry; errors that cost thousands in lost revenue or compliance issues.
Automate Excel and Eliminate Errors
Unlike spreadsheets, custom applications provide real-time data validation, automated workflows, and built-in safeguards against mistakes. Your team gains instant access to accurate information without version control nightmares or conflicting spreadsheet copies. Automation handles repetitive tasks such as lead assignment, follow-up reminders, invoice generation, and commission calculations, freeing your staff to focus on revenue-generating activities rather than administrative busywork.
Custom applications also scale with your business. As your lead volume grows or processes become more complex, the software adapts seamlessly. Spreadsheets, however, become slower, more cumbersome, and increasingly vulnerable to crashes as data accumulates. The initial investment in converting spreadsheets to custom software pays dividends through improved accuracy, faster operations, and better business intelligence for forecasting and decision-making.
How to Convert Excel Spreadsheets Into Custom Applications: 5 Steps
Turning an Excel spreadsheet into an application requires good, clean data and an experienced development team that can turn those sheets into custom applications. While it can be straightforward, there are places where you can easily make a mistake.
- Choose Your Data: Selecting your data source is the first step to turning an Excel spreadsheet into an application. In this case, the data source is the sheet or calculation you want to convert into an application.
- Select Visualized Data: While all your data is available in the app, you only need to see the important output information generated by your software. You need to choose which data you want to be visible in your application’s reporting features.
- Select a Design: The design of your application is essential, as it greatly affects how easy your application is to use. You can choose a simple design style or make things more complex by adding charts, tables, or other data visualizations.
- Launch the Application: Once you’ve chosen your design and converted your Excel spreadsheet, you can officially launch your application and begin training your team on usage!
- Continuous Evaluation: Launching your application is never the final step. You need to continuously evaluate your application’s performance and make adjustments as needed.
Custom Software Solutions: Transform Your Spreadsheets with DHX
DHX can help you achieve your business goals simply and efficiently. We are not just another run-of-the-mill digital learning and custom software development company. Our expert team, coupled with years of experience in the business industry, equips us to offer tailor-made custom software services. Even the simplest businesses can be complicated.
At DHX Software, we have years of experience developing custom software solutions for small- and mid-sized businesses that drive efficiency and change. Schedule a call with a team member today to discuss how we can help your business achieve efficiency by turning your spreadsheets and other processes into custom applications.
