When should an SME move from spreadsheets to a web app?

Diagnose before replacing tools

Spreadsheets remain useful for many tasks. Consider a new system when conflicting versions, hard-to-track approvals, unsuitable permissions or repeated data entry become significant—not simply when headcount grows.

Compare improvement, purchase and custom development

First consider improving the existing workflow. Compare off-the-shelf software and a custom application based on process fit, integration costs, maintenance and data ownership.

Plan the data migration

Choose a source of truth, clean duplicates, standardise dates and verify identifiers. Trial a migration, reconcile totals and relationships, and rehearse rollback before cutover.

Start with one critical workflow

Define must-haves, test permissions and audit history, and train staff with sample data. Provide launch support and compare task time and error rates using measured before-and-after evidence.

Assess the investment

Include development, migration, hosting, licences and maintenance. Compare these with work reduced and risks addressed. Another project’s time savings or payback period is not a forecast for yours.

Move spreadsheet data without carrying over the problems

Identify the authoritative sheet and check duplicate references, units, states and editing access. Choose a complete workflow instead of recreating every spreadsheet as a dashboard. Rehearse imports with anonymised examples, have users check records and agree rollback and the freeze of legacy editing before cutover.

Scope and acceptance checklist
Area	What to agree
Data	Source, references and validation
Access	View, edit, approve and export roles
Migration	Counts and exception records
UAT	Workflow, invalid input, repeats and recovery

Prepare for the estimate

Provide the current URLs, approved example data, owners and the most important workflow. Distinguish the first release from later additions so teams can estimate the same scope and agree acceptance before work.

Read the related decision guide →

Sources

MDN — Progressive web apps

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