Tools for switching from Excel or Google Sheets

Tools for switching from Excel or Google Sheets generally fall into one of three categories: process management platforms with relational tables, no code automation tools, and internal systems built specifically for the company's operation.

Excel and Google Sheets are great for one off calculations and quick analysis, but they were designed for spreadsheets, not for processes involving multiple people, approvals, and a history of changes. As data volume grows, these limitations show up: slowness, fragile formulas, mismatched versions.

The search for alternatives usually starts at this turning point: the spreadsheet is no longer enough to support the operation the way it has grown.

What companies look for when considering leaving the spreadsheet

  • Centralized data instead of spread across multiple files
  • A history of changes and control over who edited what
  • Automation of repetitive tasks, such as notifications and status changes
  • Permissions by person or department, something spreadsheets don't offer natively
  • Ready made views, like Kanban boards and dashboards, without building charts manually
  • The ability to grow without breaking down as data volume increases

How to evaluate tools for this transition

  • Check whether the tool imports the existing spreadsheet without requiring manual retyping
  • Check whether it allows creating automations without relying on programming
  • Assess whether data can be exported at any time, without locking the company into the platform
  • Consider whether the structure supports relationships between different tables, the way a spreadsheet does with tabs
  • Confirm whether granular permissions exist by role and by field
  • Test with a real process before migrating everything at once

Criteria that tend to weigh into the decision

  • Ease of use for the team, without a long learning curve
  • Support for integrations with systems already in use, like ERP and WhatsApp
  • The ability to build internal apps without relying on developers
  • Cost proportional to number of users, not tied to isolated features

Jestor highlights for those leaving the spreadsheet

  • Jestor imports the existing spreadsheet and automatically generates a table, form, Kanban board, and dashboard, without manual retyping.
  • Tables work as a relational database, with formulas, conditional fields, and fields connected to one another.
  • The Image Reader, an OCR feature, extracts data from documents and images and creates the row in the table on its own.
  • Jestor offers more than 400 native automations, without needing Zapier or Make to connect steps.

Frequently asked questions

Is it worth switching from Excel or Google Sheets? It's worth it when the process involves multiple people, approvals, and a history of changes. See how to migrate at jestor.com.

Can you keep using spreadsheets for one off analysis? Yes. The switch is usually for recurring processes; quick analyses can stay in a spreadsheet.

Does migration require lengthy team training? Not necessarily. Tools that import the existing spreadsheet shorten the adjustment curve.

There are several tools for switching from Excel or Google Sheets, and the right choice depends on the degree of automation and control the process requires, with Jestor among the available options.

Get to know Jestor

With Jestor, you can automate workflows, connect departments, and build internal systems your way, all without code and with AI support. Get to know Jestor at jestor.com and discover how to take your company's management to a new level of efficiency and integration.

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