Why spreadsheets stop working as firms grow

Spreadsheets are great. Until they aren't.

Most accountancy firms rely on at least one spreadsheet that quietly runs a critical part of the business. It might track deadlines, manage client onboarding, or calculate fees. Often it was built years ago by someone who's since left.

At first, these spreadsheets are brilliant. They're quick to set up, flexible, and free. But as the firm grows, cracks start to appear.

Common signs of spreadsheet strain

Multiple versions floating around, none quite up to date. Formulas that break when someone adds a row in the wrong place. One person who "knows how it works" and everyone else who's afraid to touch it.

The spreadsheet becomes a bottleneck. Updates take longer. Mistakes creep in. And the bigger the firm gets, the worse these problems become.

When it's time to move on

The solution isn't always a massive new system. Often it's a small, focused tool that does one thing well. Something built around how your firm actually works, not how a software vendor thinks it should.

If you've got a spreadsheet that's becoming a liability, it might be worth a conversation about what a purpose-built replacement could look like.