What a business system is, and why spreadsheets stop working

Most growing businesses run on spreadsheets, inboxes and memory. Here is what to replace them with, and when.

What we mean by a business system

A business system is the connected set of tools, data and workflows a company runs on. It covers how a lead becomes a customer, how an order is fulfilled and how the owner knows what happened today.

Why spreadsheets stop working

Spreadsheets are a good start. They fail when several people need the same information at once, when numbers are copied between files, or when only one person understands how they work.

The warning signs

You need a better system when people ask which file is the latest, when reports take hours, when customers repeat themselves, or when the business stops if one person is away.

What to do instead

You rarely need to replace everything. Start by connecting what you have, automate the worst handovers and give everyone one place to look. Build custom software only where standard tools do not fit.

Make it stick

A system only works if people use it. Training and support matter as much as the build.