The worksheet for deciding on migration from Excel to software: nine yes/no questions — three yeses mean it is time; three noes mean keep running Excel. Excel is a good tool — but its weak spots (multiple users, auto-receipts, guardian views, history protection) become expensive as the institution grows.
The nine questions
| # | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Do multiple staff edit the data together? | yes = Excel risk |
| 2 | Do you need printed receipts with number series? | yes = beyond Excel |
| 3 | Do guardians want information remotely? | yes = software path |
| 4 | Do you want daily attendance alerts to guardians? | yes = software path |
| 5 | Does Excel break/get lost often? | yes = risk threshold crossed |
| 6 | Can multi-year data fit one file? | no = limit |
| 7 | Multiple batches/courses? | yes = beyond Excel |
| 8 | Do reports take hours? | yes = software path |
| 9 | Do fee accounts mismatch? | yes = urgent — software |
Worksheet usage rules
- Write yes/no per question — not approximately.
- Three yeses = time to migrate; two yeses = start preparing; zero-one yeses = keep running Excel — but refill this sheet in six months.
- The questions you answered yes to become the software demo’s verification list — in the demo you will want to see exactly those problems solved.
Excel-to-software migration: workflow steps and limitations
- Data preparation for migration is a week’s work — see the Excel import guide.
- Keep Excel alongside for the first month after migration — drop it only after full confidence.
- Limitation: Excel remains superior in some jobs — one-person-one-sheet-one-time; software does not replace that. It replaces multi-user, multi-batch, guardian-communication.
Migration: questions to ask before your demo
- Will our Excel format import into your software — can you show it?
- Is everything we track in Excel present in your software?
The migration steps are in the migration article and the Excel import guide; price accounting on the pricing page.
Migration FAQ
Is moving from Excel to software risky?
One slow week at the start is normal; archive the old Excel files — the return path is not closed.
Can’t a small institution stay with Excel?
Possibly — one batch, one staff member, no guardian view needed: the worksheet’s questions are the test.
Will Excel become useless after moving to software?
No — a different job; Excel becomes the analysis sheet, the entry hub becomes the software.