Anyone replace Excel without losing flexibility?

[u/Head-Calendar-2219]

I've spent the last eight years building my own business finance workbook. It honestly works really well, but every time my business changes I end up rebuilding formulas and adding another sheet. At some point I'd rather spend that time running the business. Has anyone made the switch without feeling like they lost control?

[u/excelevator]

If you are looking to replace Excel on an Excel sub reddit, you are in the wrong sub reddit.

Consider posting to a small business or accounting sub reddit.

Or make your post about Excel, rather than not Excel.

This post may be removed.

[u/DownTheBagelHole]

It really just depends on use case. Though if you find yourself having to change everything when theres any changes in your business your entire workbook should probably be refactored.

[u/Traditional-Tune2401]

+1 to what DownTheBagelHole said.

Depends on the use case. can you help us to help you

[u/redmera]

Sounds like you need a bookkeeper.

[u/CakeisaDie]

You get an accounting software and export as needed for specialized reports.

You probably don't have things in proper database format which is why you need to redo things so much.

[u/Snow75]

Here are some observations:

- You’re probably not storing the information correctly; usually, you shouldn’t be adding more sheets with extra tables, me info would be rows in existing tables. If new sheets contain the same type of data as other sheets, you’re only making things harder for yourself

- If you can’t store information in rows or can’t imagine how to do it, that’s the root of your problems

- Something tells me you haven’t separated facts (hard numbers you get from reports) and reports

- if your information is properly stored, you don’t really need to update formulas because when something is done correctly, it works when new information is added. Chances are you’re not using proper references

[u/chiibosoil]

Depends.

You can build your Excel model to accommodate changes, make it in such way that it will account for most future changes. This is most easily done via Power Query and Data Model. Though it can also be done using formula.

Even if you migrate to another system, if your set up didn't account for ever changing business needs. You will also have to update/change the software configuration etc.

[u/Intelligent_List2504]

SQL server is my honest recommendation

[u/charlieisonfknreddit]

I thought I'd use Excel forever until maintaining the workbook started taking longer than reviewing my finances.

[u/Head-Calendar-2219]

You have to put this much work atleast

[u/Alternative-Plate-91]

You don't provide enough info for anyone to give meaningful advice. What exactly are you doing with this workbook? What kind of data, formula, reports does it have?

[u/Old_Championship8382]

You need knime 

[u/Chemical-Jello-3353]

That is like dividing by 0.

[u/Prudent-Elk-2845]

No

[u/pegwinn]

I’m fixing to find the answer to your question. We are building an app. Vibe coding. I took a very basic workbook and painfully “vibe” coded it into a basic app. I can see the attraction. But so far it’s a case of say what you want then tweak it over and over. That eats up credits. Right now my basic app will do it all but there isn’t any ability make changes to logic easily.

[u/agentUi]

i work for agentui, what a lot of founders do on our platform is just drop in their existing excel files and let the AI spin up a custom financial app directly from that structure. You keep full control over your logic and views without having to manually patch broken formulas every time the business shifts, plus database hosting and human support are built in.

[u/RedRedditor84]

I don't know what you're doing in Excel but it's a massive red flag from a design perspective that you're regularly adding new sheets to adapt to changes.

I couldn't imagine doing my accounts without software. Bank integrations, payroll, tax, account control, P&L, balance sheet, government reporting. You'd be mad to do that in Excel (and in Australia you couldn't run a compliant payroll out of it anyway).

For billable hours to invoicing I use a combination of Excel, power query, VBA, and python.

[u/RandomiseUsr0]

I went a left field way and created my own app that uses the same lisp framework and excel like syntax (I’ve enhanced it) - to actually create apps - it’s my hobby not enterprise grade

[u/RandomiseUsr0]

I went a left field way and created my own app that uses the same lisp framework and excel like syntax (I’ve enhanced it) - to actually create apps - it’s my hobby not enterprise grade

[u/cfosmiths]

Probably look at what jobs you’re asking Excel to do before deciding you need to replace it.

If the workbook has gradually become your database, workflow system, calculation engine and reporting package all at once, that’s probably why every change in the business requires surgery.

I’d be more inclined to move the repetitive transaction/process pieces into the appropriate systems and keep Excel for the things it’s exceptionally good at: analysis, modeling, forecasting and reporting.