Spreadsheets were originally designed to be a personal productivity tool, thus using it in recurring, collaborative processes can be problematic. Most errors are caused by the manual entry of data and formulas and the lack of data integrity.   Spreadsheets are time consuming Spreadsheet users spend significant time in updating, revising, consolidating and correcting the spreadsheets they collaborate with others on and reuse frequently. On average users spend approximately from 12-18 hours per month doing these tasks. Even executives can’t get away from it: Ventana Research reports that the front office dedicates an average of 15 hours per month to spreadsheets. Organizations are wasting valuable resources by spending days every week aggregating data for reports. Most customers have islands of information, with no end-to-end analytics that would, for example, show them how project costs are related to end-user quality. Spreadsheets are error prone The truth is that spreadsheets are costing businesses millions of dollars, as based on Ventana research almost 9 out of 10 spreadsheets today have a mistyped cell or errors in the formulas. Going back and forth to find and correct errors in spreadsheet reports costs more time to complete a business process. One in three organizations has to deal with multiple versions of a spreadsheet file that do not agree with one another. In most cases spreadsheets combine data from multiple other spreadsheets and have multiple reviewers and contributors, even contributors outside of the organization. This multiplies the possibility of a human error within the file. Spreadsheets are not visually sufficient. Three fourths of the Ventana Research participants confirmed that it would be of extreme help if they could make –real time connection to company data from a spreadsheet, have detailed drill-down analysis etc. The larger the organization is, the higher expectations they have for the quality of presentations and the more information they have to convey. Although the spreadsheet may contain the answers, you will still have to find them among mind-blurring columns and rows. Executives will need real-time visual indicators to enable them to gain better understanding and take the right decisions for improving performance and productivity. Limited access The fact that spreadsheet is a desktop-based application; means that access from anywhere, at anytime is not possible. However crucial decisions cannot wait until you reach your computer, and stakeholders should be able to have easy access to the information they need whether they are at their office or on the go.     When it comes to managing, reporting and documenting Software Testing, spreadsheets can cause more problems than those they solve. The very thing that seems like a good idea in the beginning and is supposed to keep everything in order, can easily create the haystack syndrome, where everything you need to know is in a spreadsheet ... if you can only find it!   Are you still using spreadsheets for your reporting…?  Start HERE to learn more.