Excel made me do it!

We men are a practical bunch. Instead of cluttering our lives with specialized products for every conceivable situation, like the myriad beauty products that women have, we prefer a one-do-it-all tool. Picture a Swiss knife that seamlessly caters to all our needs or a universal shampoo/liquid soap that transforms into the jack-of-all-trades for our hair, face, body, car, dishes, dog, clothing—you name it. (And yes, such a product exists, but no need for marketing pitches here.)

Yet, this practicality, this urge for universality, seeps into our workspaces. When it comes to organization, planning, budgeting, staff vacations, and task tracking, we gravitate towards our trusty one-tool-do-it-all solution at work: Excel. Now, don't get us wrong; Excel starts as an innocent, cute Pokémon, but mark our words, it can evolve into a relentless monster, ready to devour your lunch and pop the bag.

Sure, we get it. In five minutes or less, you can whip up an Excel template ready to rock and share across the board. But believe us, those initial conveniences will soon spiral into headaches for you or your IT department. Fear not, for this article is here to rescue you from the bad habits that have sneakily crept into your routine over the years.

Here's a list of the different 'anti-patterns' you should steer clear of when it comes to using Excel, along with some alternatives. And stay tuned, as this blog evolves, we'll delve into each use case with its own dedicated article.

So, here we go:

• Project Plan (Gantt)

• Task Manager

• Data Dictionary or Mapping Documents

• Any kind of Master Data Catalog

• Data wrangling and any kind of vlookuping madness.

• Any kind of data collection or management involving more than 3 individuals distributed in different locations.

• Any kind of document library that requires additional metadata, like documentation for each system or product.

• Any kind of catalog that requires images, files, and another type of rich metadata.

• Timesheet for a team

• Group Calendar

• Issue or defect tracker

• Basic ticketing system

• Goal Tracker / Performance Management

• Deliverable tracker/library

• Document or Policy Library

The next time you find yourself tempted to embark on an Excel expedition, think twice. Opt for an approach that is not only sustainable but will also make you look like a pro in the eyes of your peers.

In conclusion, let's break free from the Excel entrapment and embrace a new era of efficiency. Excel, our well-intentioned but often misguided sidekick, might be a quick fix, but it's time to upgrade our arsenal of tools. By steering clear of the one-size-fits-all mentality, you not only save yourself from future spreadsheet-induced headaches but also unlock a world of specialized solutions tailored to each task. So, as you navigate the intricate landscape of work tasks, consider this article your map to a more streamlined and effective approach. Here's to leaving Excel where it belongs—tamed and pocket-sized—while you, armed with a diversified toolkit, conquer the challenges ahead. Cheers to working smarter and looking like a seasoned pro in the process!