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Why Using Spreadsheet for Task Management is a Bad Idea

Are you a business manager or a project manager who uses spreadsheets for project and task management? If so, you should consider changing to a dedicated task management software. While spreadsheets are good for calculations, they are not suitable for managing projects. 

Here are 5 reasons why using a spreadsheet for task management is a bad idea. After reading through this article, you will know for sure why it’s time that you switch to a collaboration software for managing the projects.

Reason #1: No Advanced Collaboration Features

The foremost disadvantage of using a spreadsheet for managing projects is that it doesn’t support team management features. A spreadsheet software lacks basic features found in a team management software to collaborate with the team.

For successful project deliverables, collaboration between the team as well as the stakeholders is essential. It is reason enough to make the switch to an advanced task management software.

Reason #2:  Lacks Auto Update Feature

Spreadsheet supports cool feature of coloring the cells representing duration of the project. However, the problem is that when it comes to modifying the plan, it will require a lot of time. A change in the project requirement, the addition of new project deliverables, and bottlenecks that result in project delays will require updating the entire plan. Unlike dedicated online project management software, there is no feature of auto update in spreadsheet software. Making the required changes wastes time and results in a great inconvenience for the user.

Reason #3: Likelihood of Error

Entering data and making the required changes in the spreadsheets is a labor intensive task. This increases the risk of errors by the employees. A single error can have a negative impact on the project. Also, there is a risk of losing the data is great as the spreadsheet offers only basic security option. On the other hand, task management software boasts of advanced security features that help ensure the integrity of the data.

Reason #4: Difficult to Get a Complete Picture

When using spreadsheets, it is hard to get a complete picture regarding the project progress. You have to switch between timesheets, billing, and project plans. In contrast, you can easily get an overall view of the project progress using a work management software.

Reason #5: Problem Resolving Issues

With spreadsheets, resolving issues is troublesome. There is no proper support for resolving problems related to project management in a spreadsheet. While you may get technical assistance for resolving issues with the spreadsheet, you won’t receive support for issues related to project management.

The above are some of the valid reasons that you should consider switching to a dedicated project management software. The software supports powerful features that ensure improved collaboration, increased data integrity, and better security of the data. If you use a spreadsheet to manage projects, now you will know why it’s time that you start using dedicated task management software.