Let’s face it. Excel online is a staple, and it isn’t going away anytime soon. Every company needs to be able to work with Excel efficiently and effectively, and ensuring ground-level success throughout a large organization is a major undertaking. Fortunately, problems like this breed creative solutions. If you can tackle the three cornerstones of Excel efficiency, you’ll see company-wide improvements in no time.
It is amazing that even in an environment where everyone is provided with the same software you can see such diversity in formats and file versions. In a large enough enterprise, this always bogs productivity as everyone tied to a file has to fight to view it in the correct settings. Memos and rule sets can help with compatibility, but they hit diminishing returns rather quickly. One of the best ways to overcome this issue is by making master copies more accessible. This fixes version issues and starts everyone on the same page. You can take version control a step further by utilizing custom Excel-based apps that automatically save changes under the correct formats and settings. When you automate compatibility issues, you inevitably minimize downtime and boost productivity.
Customized Apps
It might seem counterintuitive, but one of the best ways to improve uniformity and standardized processes across all levels of the company is to use more apps. More specifically, a deliberately chosen app can be distributed to enable everyone to follow basic principles that improve work flow. Web-based applications are some of the easiest options in terms of deployment and management, and the power they offer to users of all levels is impressive. An improved user experience and interface can enable employees with less expertise to get more power from Excel software. Even advanced users can improve their use of Excel with smoother controls that will help them work faster and produce better results.
Data Integrity
One of the biggest killers of productivity has plagued offices as long as records have existed. From the burning of the Library of Alexandria to an unexpected power outage, data loss is always a point of concern. This applies to more than just Excel, but those spreadsheets tend to hold some of the most important information for any office or department. You can dramatically improve data integrity by moving your Excel access to a web-enabled server. The process creates multiple secure copies, and it can constantly and automatically save all work while it is in process. Just as important, web-based platforms can also improve data security. Working through https authentication adds layers of encryption that better protect sensitive information and keep it out of the wrong hands.
Excel apps are a surprisingly affordable and accessible way to keep the power of the tools while eliminating their biggest liabilities. You might be surprised to see how painless a web-enabled deployment can be, and the benefits will deliver returns almost immediately.