How To Get Off of Excel
To successfully manage inventories, assets, warehouses, and more, businesses need a tool that is accurate, reliable, efficient, and easy to use. Many businesses still use Excel spreadsheets to manage the majority of their data, but this program is not equipped to handle the ever-growing needs of modern companies. Flowtrac, on the other hand, is a multifunctional inventory management software solution that can bring businesses to new heights of productivity.
Disadvantages of Excel for Business Applications
At one point, Excel was one of the best tools on the market. However, times have changed, and technology standards have progressed. Computers and internet systems are much more robust than they used to be, and businesses operate at an unprecedented pace. Consequently, Excel spreadsheets are severely insufficient for most modern tasks.
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Difficulty of Use
To make usable charts, figures, and tables, users need to know all of the right formulas. To complicate matters, there are often many ways to approach a single task on Excel, so two users may have entirely different formulas for the same process. Unfortunately, this can make it difficult for experienced Excel users to understand and modify another user’s spreadsheets.
For inexperienced users, an Excel spreadsheet may as well be written in an entirely different language. The various syntaxes, rules, and processes that go into making a useful Excel spreadsheet are often very complex. Unless someone has already had years of training and experience with the software, it will be very difficult to bring them up to a level of skill that is sufficient for everyday business applications.
Poor Integration
Excel is not available on many devices, and it may not have uniform functionality between the devices that do support it. For example, a formula on the Windows version of Excel may be somewhat different than on the iOS or Android port. Consequently, when an Excel spreadsheet is transferred to another device, it may not function properly.
On top of the lack of software integration, it’s practically impossible to directly use Excel spreadsheets with various hardware products. Inventory scanners and similar items may be able to store information in an Excel-friendly CSV format. However, employees must manually transfer this information onto a computer, import it into Excel, and make several adjustments to make the data usable.
Prone to Errors
One small typo can throw an Excel spreadsheet into complete disarray. While it may seem like a simple fix, finding the source of the problem can be a huge headache. People make mistakes now and then, so businesses need to adopt software solutions that can identify and handle typos and other small errors.
No Automation
When something changes, users need to manually go into an Excel spreadsheet to update it. Unless a business operates at a snail’s pace, this is simply unfeasible. Sooner or later, an employee will forget to update a file, and some workers may end up working with different versions of the same spreadsheet.
The lack of uniformity and automation costs businesses a lot of time, and it’s often difficult to maintain up-to-date information when using Excel spreadsheets.
Decentralization
Even if a business has a cloud storage system, to update an Excel spreadsheet, it must be downloaded, edited, and reuploaded to the cloud. A cloud storage system may make it slightly easier for more employees to share spreadsheets, but it still doesn’t solve many of the problems associated with using Excel. Unless employees are sharing their screens or working in the same room, real-time collaboration is incredibly difficult. Furthermore, employees have to remember to re-upload updated Excel files to the cloud for a cloud system to have any benefit.
How Flowtrac Can Help Any Enterprise
Flowtrac’s developers understand what businesses need. Accuracy, easy integration, customizability, and strong support are important aspects of any software solution. By working with a variety of companies and listening to what they want, the professionals at Flowtrac have developed an effective inventory management software system that can bring any business to the next level.
Software Compatibility
Most companies use a wide array of software solutions. However, many software products are difficult to use alongside other programs. The developers at Flowtrac understand this challenge, so they’ve made their software compatible with Quickbooks, the USPS, PeopleSoft, FedEx, Salesforce, Shopify, and several other systems. Flowtrac makes it easy for employees to access information and interact with useful data from external websites and systems. On top of that, these data-sharing capabilities can be automated to optimize timeliness and productivity.
Robust Hardware Support
Flowtrac is compatible with a variety of phones, scanners, and other inventory tools. As a result, it’s super easy for employees to automatically log vital information into the company’s systems. Even if employees are temporarily offline while scanning items, the data will automatically go to the system once the device reconnects to the internet.
Secure and Convenient Cloud Storage
When disparate and unorganized files are stored between several devices, it can be a complete nightmare for managers and employees to handle. First and foremost, files that aren’t stored in a central hub are at great risk of disappearing. After all, it’s easy for a device to break or become lost, and any data stored on the device may become inaccessible.
Secondly, it may take a lot of time to sift through emails and devices to find the right files for a given task. Flowtrac’s cloud storage capabilities make it easy to access pertinent data from anywhere, so employees can save a ton of time while performing everyday tasks. To top it all off, managers can easily change permissions so that the wrong people don’t get access to information that they don’t need.
Stellar User Support
Many software developers outsource several aspects of their business. While they may save some money this way, it means that they don’t have complete control over their products and customer support. In contrast, Flowtrac is dedicated to handling every single part of its business process.
Because of this, they can provide better customer support, quicker turnarounds, and greater adaptability. When customers reach out to the company for support, they can be sure that they’re speaking with someone who understands everything about Flowtrac and its clients. Their direct involvement in every aspect of their business and software allows them to consistently work with users to develop new and effective solutions to their needs.
Multi-Step Production Tracking
A lot of different timelines and processes go into fabrication and production. To make informed decisions and develop reasonable timetables for clients, managers need to be able to track the production process. Flowtrac’s quality software solution allows users to monitor goods at every stage of the fabrication process. With this data, managers and quality control professionals can identify and compensate for potential weaknesses and efficiencies. Furthermore, Flowtrac makes it much easier for managers to monitor each technician’s quality of work.
Customizability
Flowtrac prides itself on working with companies to find the best solutions for their unique needs. If the Flowtrac software lacks a functionality that a client needs, then they can coordinate with them to develop the best solution. Since Flowtrac does not outsource any aspect of its business, the company can promptly and effectively modify its systems to its clients’ specifications. Flowtrac also has user-definable fields so that each company can keep track of goods and materials in its own unique way.
The Right Software Can Bring Your Business to New Heights
These days, efficiency is of the utmost importance for any company. Businesses that still rely on Excel are more prone to costly blunders and embarrassing mistakes. The right software can help any business save money while maintaining higher standards of quality and accuracy. If your processes could benefit from effective inventory management software, then reach out to Flowtrac to find the best solution for your organization’s needs.
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