Replacing a spreadsheet looks simple until you find out how much it quietly does. This checklist is for the weeks before anyone writes code or signs up for a product.
Before you choose anything
- Write down a normal week. Who opens the spreadsheet, what they change, and what they do with it afterwards.
- List the outputs. Reports, emails, invoices and anything else built from it, and who relies on each.
- Find the hidden rules. Colours, formulas and “we always do it this way” habits. These are usually the real process.
- Decide what to leave behind. Some columns exist only because of old workarounds. Moving them over just moves the mess.
When you move
- Clean the data first. Duplicates, mixed formats and missing values are much easier to fix in the spreadsheet than after the import.
- Run both for a short time. Keep the old sheet read-only and check the new system against it before switching off.
- Keep a copy. Archive the final version so you can answer questions about the past.
If the data is personal
Spreadsheets often hold names, contact details and notes about people. Moving them is a good moment to decide who should have access, how long to keep the records and where they are stored. Do it once, deliberately.
Trunkfield Software, Lichfield