5 Things A Spreadsheet Can’t Do In Construction

Spreadsheets are still everywhere in construction. They play a substantial role in many aspects of the building process. The popularity of spreadsheets is no secret and there are actually some good reasons for it.

The low cost of a spreadsheet in combination with the fact that it is extremely simple to use have turned it to the number one option for a series of tasks, such as data analysis and the creation of diagrams.

At a first sight, it seems to have the full package for those who work in the building sector and are in need of taking good care of their data. Is that true, though?

Maybe to some extent, but not completely. There is a vast number of functions that a spreadsheet can’t serve. Especially when we are talking about large-scale projects, where the perplexity is really high, spreadsheets can’t solve all of your problems.

For that reason, before you select the digital solutions you want to use in your construction project, it might be a good idea to check also what a spreadsheet can’t do. In that way, you can make sure that you have all the tools you need for an efficient and data-driven construction process.

With that in mind, we did some thorough research and present to you 5 things that a spreadsheet can’t do in construction:

1. Data integration

It is no secret that the success of a construction project is vastly depended on the available data and its management. The more collaborative your approach around data management is the higher its accuracy.

That can be a serious challenge when we refer to spreadsheets. They might be a very handy solution for storing data but they can’t support an open collaborative approach where updates and feedback can be transferred to other project stakeholders in real time.

That is a very important issue, as different companies may use different systems in order to collect and analyse data. In that sense, you need a flexible tool which can bring all the information together and allows individuals to edit or add updates at any point.

2. Real-time collaboration

As a continuation of the first point, it becomes evident that the way we work with data can have a significant impact on how we collaborate in construction. Spreadsheets can be an excellent environment for gathering and storing your data but when we refer to real-time collaboration things change.

Despite the presence of features that enable open collaboration, such as the ‘comment and share’ options, it doesn’t take much to understand that their use can create significant management problems in large-scale projects where numerous agents work simultaneously on the same bits of information.

What is more, it is important that project members don’t work on antiquated spreadsheet versions which could result in harmful delays and mistakes.

3. Live project overview

Staying on top of your construction project isn’t always easy. Things can get even trickier if you are responsible for multiple projects at the same time. This is where you really need an advanced system which can allow you to monitor everything that happens on site.

A spreadsheet can be very useful in helping you put together an initial plan of the required actions on a daily basis. However, it can’t satisfy your request for live project overview.

The slightest mistake in updating the spreadsheet and everything can go wrong. On top of that, there’s always a danger that you aren’t working on a fully updated version of it. In small projects, this can easily be detected but in large building projects it’s not as easy as it may sound.

That being said, it is apparent that the digital solution you are using might make the difference between success or failure of your project.

4. Automatic progress reports

If you have ever worked in construction, you know that paperwork is one of the biggest nightmares for construction managers and stakeholders.

This is another area of critical importance where spreadsheets can’t really help. It goes without saying that they can be a better option than pen and paper as they can accelerate the process of submitting new information to the system and sharing them with other members of the team.

Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that using spreadsheets for your reports is a smart and productive way to go about it. Thanks to the advent of digital technologies, there are tools in the market which can help you create highly customised automatic progress reports based on your project’s Gantt Chart.

Furthermore, with the help of certain tools you can get some additional reports (eg. weather reports) which can be extremely useful while you are planning the next day on site.

5. Field reporting

Last but certainly not least, field reporting is another crucial parameter for the development and successful completion of a construction project. Every worker on site should be able to effortlessly report back to the office the progress of his/her tasks and any problems that might have emerged.

In that manner, everyone in the project can be on the same page, while unpredicted bottlenecks can be easily addressed on time. This is where a spreadsheet can’t really help.

Sending real-time updates, adding comments and uploading photos from the construction site are actions that require a software of higher capacity in order to be completed smoothly.

A spreadsheet can be a good place for keeping your main observations and comments after a task is done but it can’t be your primary tool when it comes to field reporting.

Final thoughts

All in all, it is no exaggeration to claim that spreadsheets find it hard to keep up with the daily demanding needs of a complicated construction project. This doesn’t mean that spreadsheets can’t be useful, but there is a certain time and place for them.

As technology advances, some great tools have arised. With the right planning they can help you build smartly and effectively.

About the author: Anastasios Koutsogiannis is Content Marketing Manager at GenieBelt.

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