Guide · Excel · Quebec SMBs
Replacing Excel with business software: when, with what, and for how much
In short
Excel becomes a problem when several people edit the same file, when data gets re-keyed elsewhere, or when only one person understands the formulas. There are three families of replacements: an online tool (Airtable, Smartsheet, Power Apps), off-the-shelf software (accounting, ERP) or custom software. Custom software makes sense when your process is specific; with me, you start with a single task, from $4,500 in 2 to 3 weeks.
What are the signs that Excel isn’t enough anymore?
- Several versions of the same file are circulating and nobody knows which one is right.
- The same data gets re-keyed in Excel, then in the accounting software, then in an email.
- Only one person understands the formulas or macros, and everything stops when they’re away.
- Field teams can’t use it properly on a phone, at a job site or in a warehouse.
- A formula error has already been costly: an underpriced quote, wrong inventory, a payroll to correct.
- The file holds personal information (clients, employees) that everyone can access: Quebec’s Law 25 requires reasonable security measures (Quebec’s privacy regulator).
- Your version of Excel is no longer supported: Excel 2016 and 2019 have not received security updates since October 14, 2025 (Microsoft).
What can replace Excel?
There’s no single right replacement: it all depends on how much of your process is standard, and how much is unique to you.
| Option | Examples | Best for | Limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online tool (spreadsheet or no-code database) | Airtable, Smartsheet, Power Apps | Teams that want to share simple lists and tracking | Per-user subscription; complex logic quickly becomes fragile |
| Off-the-shelf software | Accounting software, ERP, CRM | Standard processes: invoicing, accounting, sales | You adapt the way you work to the software |
| Custom software | Quotes, work orders, hours, inventory based on your rules | Specific processes, several tools that don’t talk to each other | Project to break into phases; you need a developer who sticks around |
A hybrid approach is often best: you keep your accounting software, and the custom software only covers what it doesn’t do, by connecting to it.
When is custom software worth it?
- The way you calculate a quote, plan work or track production is an advantage, and no off-the-shelf software can reproduce it.
- You pay for three or four subscriptions that each cover part of the need, and someone copies data from one to the other.
- The task to replace costs more per year than the project: hours per week × people × hourly rate × 50 weeks.
- If off-the-shelf software does 80% of the job, buy it — I’ll tell you so during the assessment.
How do you migrate an Excel file without losing its formulas?
- Inventory. List the sheets, formulas, macros and links to other files. The formulas are your business rules: they get written down in black and white.
- Cleanup. Duplicates, merged cells, dates entered as text, inconsistent product codes.
- Rebuilding the rules. Each calculation becomes a rule tested in the software, with real examples.
- Import. The useful data and history are imported; the rest is archived.
- Checks. The totals in the software and in Excel must match for the same period.
- Parallel run. A few days with both, then the file is closed.
How much does it cost to replace Excel, and how long does it take?
With me, the first task replaced costs from $4,500 and is delivered in 2 to 3 weeks, at a fixed scope. A complete management system is then built in phases of about $6,000; most end up at $12,000 to $30,000 in total. The details are in the custom software pricing guide.
A real example: an independent grocery store in Quebec received its suppliers’ price lists in Excel, CSV and PDF, and re-keyed them into its point-of-sale system — nearly $56,000 a year in staff time. The system now imports and compares them automatically, connected to the existing point-of-sale system. Read the full case.