I Hate SpreadsheetsYou hate your spreadsheet. It’s not that keen on you either.
It crashes when you need it most. It’s locked because someone else has it open. And there’s a formula in column K that nobody dares to touch.
You don’t need a bigger spreadsheet. You need a simple system, built for the way your business works, that stops all of that. That’s what we build.
30 minutes, free, no obligation. If the spreadsheet is actually fine, we’ll say so.
Reasons you hate it (all perfectly valid)
Any one of these is annoying. If you’re nodding at three or more, the spreadsheet has stopped saving you time and started costing it.
- You get locked out of your own file.It’s “read-only” because somebody else has it open, again.
- Someone sorted one column.Now half your customers have the wrong phone number, and nobody noticed for a week.
- Everyone’s scared of the formulas.There’s a cell that works, and the rule is you don’t ask why.
- Steve is on holiday.Steve is the only person who knows how it all fits together.
- The colour-coding has its own colour-coding.Green means paid. Unless it’s light green.
- Month end is an ordeal.A day of copying, pasting and double-checking just to get the figures out.
- You email it to yourself to open it on your phone.Then squint at it in a car park.
None of this means you’re bad at spreadsheets. It means the business has asked one file to do far more than any file should.
Life after the spreadsheet
A proper system doesn’t ask you to change how the business runs. It just takes away the bits you’ve learnt to dread.
| The moment | Now | After |
|---|---|---|
| Adding a new job or order | Find the right tab, scroll to the bottom, hope you didn’t break a formula. | Fill in a short form. The system puts it in the right place. |
| Someone else is in it | Wait, or make a copy and sort it out later. | Everyone works at the same time on their own login. |
| Looking something up | Ctrl+F, three tabs and a guess. | Search for it, or open the customer and see everything. |
| Month end | A day of copying and checking. | The figures are already there when you open it. |
| Someone leaves | Their knowledge of the file leaves too. | The rules live in the system, not in one person’s head. |
| Out and about | Email it to yourself and squint. | Open it on your phone and update it there. |
You can hate it and still learn from it
However much it annoys you, your spreadsheet knows how your business works. We treat it as the starting point, not something to bin.
Nothing gets left behind.
Every record you’ve built up over the years is carried across to the new system.
The workarounds become features.
That “check with Steve first” column tells us exactly what the system should do for you.
One painful bit at a time, if you like.
We can tackle the part that hurts most first and leave the rest until you’re ready.
Spreadsheet fans are still catered for.
Anyone who likes a spreadsheet can download one whenever they want. It just isn’t in charge any more.
Three steps to a calmer Monday
No technical knowledge needed. If you can complain about your spreadsheet, you’re fully qualified.
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Have a moan
Use the form below to tell us what the spreadsheet does and what drives you mad about it. We’ll reply within one working day to arrange a time.
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Show us the horror
A free 30-minute call, on video or in person. Open the file, share your screen, and walk us through a normal week.
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Hear it straight
We’ll tell you honestly whether a system would pay off. If it would, you’ll get a written proposal with a fixed price.
No obligation, no hard sell. If what you really need is a tidy-up or an app you can buy off the shelf, we’ll tell you on the call.
Who’s behind this
I Hate Spreadsheets is run by Bevl Software, a software company based at CoSpace in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. We design, build and look after the custom systems businesses use to run their day.
The people on your call are the people who would build your system. There’s no sales team in between. We’re happy to come and see you anywhere in the UK, or keep it all on video.
Should you get in touch?
Worth a call if:
- your team relies on the spreadsheet every day, for things like quotes, jobs, bookings, stock or customer records
- more than one person updates it, and that’s where things go wrong
- you’ve looked at ready-made software and none of it quite matched how you work
Probably not for us if:
- it’s a spreadsheet only you use, and secretly you quite like it
- what you’re after is a website or an online shop, especially one on WordPress, Shopify or a similar website builder
Fair questions
What’s the catch with the free call?
There isn’t one. It’s 30 minutes for us to understand the problem and for you to decide if you like us. You’re under no obligation afterwards.
Can’t you just fix our spreadsheet instead?
We build systems rather than tidy spreadsheets. But if a tidy-up is honestly all you need, we’ll say so on the call and point you in the right direction.
Isn’t custom software just for big companies?
No. We build to the size of your business, and the work can be split into stages so you only take on what makes sense. Any price we quote is fixed and in writing.
Will my team actually use it?
That’s the point of building it around how they already work. They’ll recognise their own jobs, customers and steps, just without the scrolling and the guesswork.
Do we have to give up spreadsheets completely?
No. You can still download your data as a spreadsheet whenever you want one. It just won’t be the copy everything depends on.
Who looks after it once it’s built?
We do, if you’d like us to. Looking after the systems we build is a normal part of what we do, so you’re not left on your own with it.
We’re not near Stevenage. Is that a problem?
Not at all. We work with businesses all over the UK, by video or in person.
Ready to break up with it?
Tell us a bit about the spreadsheet and what it puts you through. We’ll reply within one working day to book your free call.
Prefer to vent out loud? Call 01462 558585.