Ever since its inception, Microsoft Excel has been an integral part of organizations across the globe. Its ability to process mathematical equations and organize complex data helped companies move forward.
With the hype increasing about organizational privacy in the last few years, companies have questioned Excelās ability to provide sufficient auditability and traceability, among other concerns. Despite such concerns being raised, when faced with the prospect of switching to an Excel alternative, most organizations find it challenging and tedious to transition their voluminous data to a new software system.
However, there are multiple advantages that software provides when compared with Excel.
1. Building Structured Framework to Measure KPIs
In order to create an information data structure that accurately represents the companyās processing activities with valuable performance, insights are a lot harder than it sounds. It requires an investment of time, resources, and continual system updates to maintain the model as the variables are constantly changing.
This is when software provides unparalleled value, as the database structure is built directly into the applicationās core, which allows the data model to continually update as it connects to the historical findings.Ā
2. Control Over Permission and Access
Conventional spreadsheets, such as Excel, have limited permissions and access control. As your company continues to grow both in employee size and scope of operations – spreadsheets canāt keep up.
Insect production requires a role-based permission strategy that allows them to restrict and customize the access based on the level of responsibilities. Excel alternatives such as modern software support granular permissions that simplify the entire process for targeted groups of people within the organization.
3. Security
Conventional spreadsheets, such as Excel, can easily be duplicated and copied. While illegal attempts to hack into data have evolved to evade yesteryear security protocols, Excelās security is unable to keep off such threats.
Software includes features like information encryption, log audit, restriction to access certain information, two-factor login authentication, and other information protection measures that mitigate security concerns.
4. Sharing Data with Third Party
In Excel, users cannot control access for third-party visitors or integrate safe monitored and controlled information exchange among multiple systems, allowing them a complete view of all information that might be confidential.
Software increases collaboration and allows for more advanced third-party sharing options that restrict access, compartmentalize data and security protocols related to the transfer of data to third parties.
5. Integrating Information from Multiple Sources
We are living in the age of “big data,” which allows organizations to combine various forms of data to offer insights, predict trends, and make better decisions. However, due to the lack of options available in the market, it is not uncommon for insect production companies to manage their data using Excel spreadsheets. Excel allows users to maintain individual sheets, which is harder to combine data from various sources leaving companies with process inefficiencies and a lack of analytics needed to optimize operations.
As an alternative to Excel, the software allows users to combine data from multiple sources: suppliers, clients, processes, external devices, and other automation tools to offer greater insight into the operations. Data analytics and data modeling help producers reach their production targets while also reducing risk.
6. Version Control
Version control is an important feature that can save time, reduce errors and ensure accurate information is consistent throughout the organization. Although Excel offers some limited file-sharing options, it has many limitations and risks of data loss. It is not uncommon to have duplications of efforts and more difficulties collaborating changes. On the other hand, the software offers the necessary patches and updates needed to reduce the risk of data loss or version control.
7. Set Faster Baseline Parameters Tracking
Compared to their digitally advanced counterparts, conventional spreadsheets can present a cumbersome task for the person in charge of managing it. Rather than spending time doing actual work, your day is filled with data entry and manual work. Excel alternatives such as modern software streamlines the work processes in an automated way, allowing checks and balances such as validation rules, tracking discrepancies, setting limits and thresholds, and allowing administrators to manage routine tasks.
8. Data Processing
Data processing uses various variables and data sources, which means that one individual spreadsheet is unable to trace any risks and threats associated with data processing. However, combining all the spreadsheets requires knowledge and time.Ā
With Excel alternatives such as software, it is possible to trace how a new data type in a data group will affect the general processing functionality.
9. Reporting And Visualization
Once you have organized your entire data set and inferred important insights, you must present it very accurately.Ā
Another great feature of modern digital tools is the wide options to visualize and present your data. Not only are users allowed to generate complete reports with the gentle push of a button, but they can also make use of the artificially intelligent model to summarize processed data. The value of generating accurate, timely, and key performance data to stakeholders helps them to make better decisions for the organization that maximize returns.
10. Maintaining Standardized Processes when On-boarding Newcomers
One challenge insect producers face is how to onboard new people while maintaining consistent processes and scaling the business. The software can help by providing the industry framework that is needed to prevent mistakes from occurring and guide newcomers through a standard procedure and workflow.
11. Quality And Intelligence
The intelligent features of software involve the ability to harness insights from data and allow the automation of mundane workflow processes ā something that is unheard of in conventional spreadsheets. The quality ensured by intelligent software, which allows for greater accuracy and thus increased dependability, is something that matters a lot when it comes to taking your production operations to the next level.Ā
The goal of the software is to empower organizations to make better data-based decisions that lead the company to success while also maximizing yield. The software gathers key data indicators, consolidates allowing for the automation of mundane tasks, improved quality, and intelligence.