We are active proponents that just because you CAN use a tool for a task, does not mean that it is the BEST tool for the job.Thus, some of the highly publicized disasters reflect a skill/experience problem, not a software problem. Some of the problems people have with spreadsheets occur because they fail to follow best practices.If left to choose between using a spreadsheet or paper and pen, we would recommend the spreadsheet.Spreadsheet applications have gotten increasingly sophisticated, have remained inexpensive and easy to use, which has naturally lead to their use for more complex tasks.Instead, we will speak generally about typical, common features found in products like Microsoft Excel/Google Sheets and Microsoft SQL Server. Clearly, we cannot discuss each one and their differences in detail. There are many spreadsheet applications & database-driven tools.
That is what we will do in this article.īefore we dive in, we should state a couple of items (before the hate mail comes pouring in): What we have never done is present the technical reasons that spreadsheets are ill-suited for the job and why database-driven applications are far superior.
We have a long history of ranting about their weaknesses when it comes to complex reporting tasks like generating a set of financial statements/Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. No doubt you have read many articles decrying the use of spreadsheets due to the myriad of disasters that have resulted from their use.
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Databases: How to Weigh the Tech Benefits