Why Growing Businesses Are Ditching Excel for OMS Tools

Imagine this: it’s the dead of night, your eyes are burning, and you’re stuck sifting through a maze of Excel cells and formulas. Somewhere, buried under nested IF statements and a dozen tabs, your inventory numbers just aren’t adding up. Welcome to spreadsheet purgatory.

If you’ve relied on Excel or Google Sheets to manage customer data, orders, or inventory, you know this chaos all too well. Spreadsheets are everywhere—cheap, familiar, and versatile. They’re the go-to for small businesses and startups trying to keep costs low. But as your business grows and operations get more complex, those trusty spreadsheets start to crack. And those cracks? They can turn into costly, chaotic mistakes that threaten your revenue, productivity, and customer trust.

The good news? There’s a better way. Business automation software, like a modern Order Management System (OMS), can transform your operations, replacing spreadsheet headaches with real-time insights, seamless integrations, and scalability. 

In this blog post, we’ll dive into why spreadsheets are quietly sabotaging your business, explore their hidden costs, and show how an OMS can make your operations smarter, faster, and future-proof.

Ready to ditch the drama and embrace a new way to run your business? 

Let’s get started.

Why Spreadsheets Are Still Everywhere

Spreadsheets didn’t become the backbone of countless businesses for no reason. They’re accessible, flexible, and familiar, especially for small teams or solo entrepreneurs. 

Let’s break down why people still love them:

1. Practically Free: Google Sheets is free, and Excel often comes with Office subscriptions. For cash-strapped startups, that low (or no) cost is a huge draw. No need to shell out for pricey software—just open a file and start typing.
2. Easy to Use: Most people know the basics of spreadsheets. Here’s the thing: whether it’s budgeting or work tasks, most users have tinkered with them before. Basic formulas and data entry are intuitive, so new hires can jump in without needing a week-long training session.
3. Highly Customizable: Spreadsheets are a blank canvas. With a bit of know-how, you can build anything from budgets to inventory trackers. If you’ve got the skills and patience, you can tailor them to fit your exact needs.
4. Collaborative: Google Sheets allows real-time editing by multiple users, making it a win for small, fast-moving teams. Everyone can jump in and make changes without being bogged down by role-based permissions.
5. Quick Data Crunching: Pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, and filters let you manipulate data on the fly. Need to sort sales or analyze trends? You can do it in a few clicks, perfect for quick analysis.
6. Basic Integrations: There are several integration tools available that can connect your spreadsheets to CRMs or email platforms. It’s not always smooth, but it’s possible to automate some data transfers if your spreadsheet’s structure is setup correctly.
7. Instant Setup: No onboarding required—just open a file and start working. Unlike complex software, spreadsheets slot into your workflow instantly, no matter your team size.
8. Financial Modelling: Spreadsheets are a natural fit for budgeting, forecasting, and basic accounting. Plug in numbers from your bookkeeping tool, and you can whip up professional financial reports with ease.
9. Template Abundance: Thousands of templates exist for everything from lead trackers to annual reports. There are also several template libraries available online that can save you time by giving you a head start.
10. Basic Visualisation: You can create charts and graphs—though it takes effort to make them insightful. With some skill, you can visualize data, even though it may not be as slick as modern tools.

When you look at this list, spreadsheets seem like a dream for small businesses, right? They’re cheap, quick, and flexible. But here’s the catch: they were never designed to run a modern ecommerce or retail business. As your operations grow, their limitations become impossible to ignore.

The Hidden Costs of Spreadsheet Dependency

Spreadsheets might feel like a safe bet, but they’re quietly draining your business in ways you might not notice until it’s too late. 

What most business owners don’t see—until it’s too late—are the hidden ways spreadsheets slowly sabotage your operations. Let’s unpack the 12 ways spreadsheets can hurt your growing business.

1. They Break Under Their Own Weight

Ever tried scrolling through thousands of rows to find a single SKU? Or clicking through twelve tabs just to update one order? That’s the reality when your operations start to outgrow spreadsheets. What was once quick and nimble becomes clunky, chaotic, and just plain exhausting. Meanwhile, modern Order Management Systems (OMS) display the same data in a clean dashboard—no digging for actionable information, and no detective work to find out what's actually going on.

2. They’re a Security Time Bomb

Spreadsheets are a hacker’s dream. All it takes is one innocent-looking forwarded email with an Excel attachment, and sensitive customer data is out in the wild. Cisco’s research ranks Excel files among the top targets for malicious email attacks. In contrast, an OMS protects you with encryption, role-based access, and other security protocols. 

3. No One’s Accountable for Edits

You notice something’s wrong in the numbers. Who changed it? When? Why? Good luck finding out. Spreadsheets don’t track edits in a way that’s actually useful, and in ecommerce—where knowing who updated an order can be critical—this lack of accountability is a recipe for chaos.

4. Multiple “Versions of the Truth”

It starts innocently enough: someone saves a copy “just in case.” Then another person makes their own version. By the end of the week, there are five different files with conflicting data. Which one’s correct? Nobody knows. Which means that you have to base critical business decisions on bad information. 

5. They’re Riddled with Errors

Studies show 88% of spreadsheets contain mistakes—typos, broken formulas, overwritten cells. In e-commerce, a single miscalculation can mean overselling inventory or misquoting a price. And that’s not just embarrassing—it’s expensive.

6. Reporting Becomes a Grind

Need a sales report? When using a spreadsheet, that translates into hours of copying, pasting, and double-checking. Pulling together data from multiple versions isn’t just slow—it’s mentally draining. An OMS, on the other hand, generates real-time reports automatically.

7. Data Visualisation is a Gamble

Yes, you can make charts in Excel—if you’ve got the skill and time. But one wrong range selection and you’ve got a misleading graph that sends your strategy in the wrong direction. OMS platforms create automated dashboards that are accurate from the start.

8. Data Loss Lurks Around Every Corner

One coffee spill, one laptop crash, one unsaved change, and your “master” spreadsheet is toast. Even cloud tools like Google Sheets can lose data if the connection drops at the wrong time. That’s one careless moment away from an operational disaster.

9. They Don’t Play Well With Others

Your CRM, accounting software, ecommerce platform—none of them talk natively to your spreadsheet. Sure, you can patch things together with third-party tools, but they’re fragile, prone to breaking, and demand constant babysitting.

10. Managers Fly Blind

Spreadsheets bury important insights under layers of tabs and columns. Which means that managers can’t get real-time visibility into performance, bottlenecks, or customer trends without tedious manual digging.

11. Mobile Access is a Joke

Ever tried editing a complex spreadsheet on your phone? Enough said. OMS platforms are designed for mobile use, so your team can update orders, check stock, or approve changes on the go without fighting the interface.

12. And Forget About Scaling

As your business grows, spreadsheets groan under the weight of big data. Formulas break. Files lag. Duplicates multiply. What was once manageable becomes a daily battle just to keep operations running.

The Real Price of Over-reliance on Spreadsheets

On the surface, spreadsheets feel like a safe bet. They’ve been there since the early days—cheap, flexible, familiar. 

But here’s the uncomfortable truth: what feels like a dependable tool may actually be bleeding your business dry—slowly, quietly, and in ways you might not see until the damage is already done.

The costs aren’t just “annoyances” or “quirks” you put up with for the sake of convenience. And if you’re using spreadsheets to run your sales and core business processes, you’re paying these hidden taxes every single day.

Let’s start with the obvious: revenue leaks. One misplaced decimal, one overlooked formula error, one accidental overwrite—and you could be overselling inventory you don’t actually have, mispricing products by a painful margin, or issuing refunds you shouldn’t need to. 

Then there’s the slow bleed of wasted productivity. You already know the drill—hours spent consolidating data from multiple sheets, hunting down a rogue number, or untangling a formatting mess after someone “accidentally” sorted the wrong column. 

And let’s talk about security—or the lack of it. Spreadsheets aren’t built to safeguard sensitive data. There’s no real encryption, no reliable authentication, and no built-in protections against prying eyes. One wrong attachment in an email, and your customer list—or worse, financial data—could be in the hands of someone who has no business having it. T

Which brings us to trust—and not just the customer’s trust in you, but your trust in your own numbers. If you can’t be 100% certain your data is accurate, every decision you make becomes a gamble. 

Finally, there’s the hard limit no one likes to think about: scalability. Spreadsheets might limp along for a while, but the moment your business starts handling thousands of orders, they become practically unusable. In a high-growth environment, that kind of slowdown isn’t just frustrating—it’s a growth killer.

When you add it all up, the real cost of clinging to spreadsheets isn’t just inconvenience—it’s la self-imposed ceiling on your ability to grow. And the longer you wait to address it, the more expensive the bill becomes.

Making the Switch to an Order Management System (OMS)

One of the best replacements to that clunky spreadsheet that's barely holding your sales and operations together, is an Order Management System (OMS). 

An OMS is more than just “better software.” It’s a command center—powered by automation and accessible from anywhere—that takes every moving piece of your sales, inventory, and customer data and locks it into one streamlined, real-time ecosystem. 

1. Real-Time Data: An OMS syncs inventory, orders, and customer data across all channels instantly. No more version conflicts or outdated spreadsheets—which means everyone sees the same, current data at all times.
2. Seamless Integrations: Unlike spreadsheets’ clunky middleware, an OMS is usually able to integrate with over 100 platforms, including Shopify, Amazon, and QuickBooks. With this integration capability, data flows smoothly throughout your company without the need for human intervention. This will not only save you time, but will reduce costly errors. 
3. Automation: From generating invoices to sending shipping updates, an OMS is incredibly useful for automating repetitive tasks. For example, it can alert you when stock runs low or route orders to the right warehouse, cutting manual work and eliminating human error.
4. User-Friendly Dashboards: Forget endless rows and columns. An OMS offers intuitive dashboards that display key metrics—sales trends, inventory levels, order status—at a glance, making insights accessible to everyone.
5. Scalability: An OMS grows with your business, handling thousands of orders and new sales channels without slowing you down. Whether you’re a small shop or a growing enterprise, an OMS is also able to  scale effortlessly.
6. Enhanced Security: With advanced encryption and role-based access controls, an OMS keeps your data safe. Unlike spreadsheets, which can be emailed to anyone, an OMS ensures only authorized users are able to view or change sensitive information.
7. Mobile Access: An OMS’s mobile apps let your team manage orders, check inventory, or update customer data on the go. Research has found that this boosts productivity by up to 24%, keeping your reps agile and responsive.
8. Manager Visibility: An OMS logs all activity automatically, giving managers clear insights into team performance and bottlenecks. Which means you don't have to dig through spreadsheets to spot issues in your processes or team dynamic. 

How to Make the Switch to an OMS

Now, let’s be real—moving from spreadsheets to a totally different technology platform is a daunting task. But done right, the transition is smoother than you think, and automation can take much of the heavy lifting off your shoulders.

The biggest hurdle? People. Change makes teams nervous. Some fear job loss, others just hate learning a new tool. The antidote is to start small—automate a single process like inventory syncing and let the time savings speak for themselves. Pair that with hands-on training and your team members will soon realize the OMS isn’t replacing them—it’s freeing them to focus on higher-value, more strategic work.

Then there’s data migration—often the scariest part for business owners. The idea of moving all that precious information out of your spreadsheets and into a new system can feel risky. The reality? Many OMS providers offer migration support designed to make the process painless. Start with a small, non-critical dataset, test the import process, and then scale up once you’re confident in the accuracy.

Finally, choosing the right OMS matters. Not all platforms are created equal, so define your must-have features and requirements before you settle on a specific OMS product.  Are you selling across multiple channels? Do you need real-time reporting? Do you require deep integration with your existing tech stack? Shortlist platforms that check those boxes so you don’t outgrow your choice in a year.

Your Playbook for Going Spreadsheet-Free

Ready to break free from spreadsheet chaos? Here’s a practical guide to adopting an OMS and building a more adaptable business:

1. Assess Your Pain Points: Pinpoint where spreadsheets are failing you—inventory errors, slow reporting, or lack of mobile access. Choose an OMS with features like real-time syncing, automated alerts, or mobile apps to address these issues.
2. Research OMS Options: Explore platforms like Linnworks, HubSpot, or Orderhive. Look for seamless integrations with your ecommerce stack (Shopify, Amazon, QuickBooks) and scalability for future growth.
3. Start with a Trial: Most OMS providers offer free trials. Test the software to ensure it’s intuitive and meets your needs before committing.
4. Train Your Team: Work with your OMS provider to train staff. Many platforms are user-friendly, requiring less learning than mastering complex spreadsheets.
5. Migrate Data Carefully: Transfer your spreadsheet data to the OMS, leveraging provider support to ensure accuracy. Start small to minimize disruptions.
6. Monitor and Optimise: Use the OMS’s dashboards to track performance and refine processes. Regularly review data to stay agile and aligned with market demands.

Conclusion

If you’re a one-person shop with a handful of transactions a week, spreadsheets might still serve you well. But the moment your operation expands—multiple sales channels, growing order volumes, or a need for instant insights—the writing’s on the wall.

If you’re dealing with inconsistent data, inventory headaches, endless manual tasks, or decision-making that’s always a day late, an OMS isn’t just an upgrade—it’s a competitive necessity.

The truth is, today’s ecommerce and retail landscape moves too fast for static spreadsheets. An automation-powered OMS keeps you responsive, accurate, and scalable—everything you need to not just keep up, but stay ahead.

A modern Order Management System is not just a spreadsheet replacement—it’s a full upgrade that makes your business nimble, efficient, and ready for growth.