A knife in the hand of a murderer leads to death, … but a knife in the hand of a surgeon leads to life.
Designed and Developed by Paul M. Critchlow, © 2026,
“When Spreadsheets Lie – that false confidence in spreadsheets,” released 10 Feb 2026.
When a spreadsheet causes trouble, many businesses blame Excel.
· The file is too slow.
· The formulas are confusing.
· The report takes too long.
· The data is messy.
· The wrong version was used.
· Nobody knows why the total changed.
But often, Excel is not the real problem.
The real problem is that the business process is unclear.
Excel simply exposes it.
A spreadsheet is often where weak processes go to hide.
Staff add columns because the process changed.
They create extra sheets because the original file no longer fits the work.
They copy data from one workbook to another because systems do not speak to each other.
They keep personal versions because there is no clear shared-file discipline.
Take the free check here: 👉 https://forms.gle/ENfJBg2qgA1nCtvL7
They use colour coding, side notes, and manual reminders because the workflow itself is not properly controlled.
Over time, the spreadsheet becomes more than a spreadsheet.
It becomes the business system.
That is where the risk begins.
Many employees are afraid to admit they do not understand the process behind the file.
They may understand their small task, but not the full workflow.
They know what they must enter, but not who uses it next.
They know which report must be sent, but not what decision depends on it.
They know what usually happens, but not what should happen when something goes wrong.
- So they keep working around the gaps.
- They ask the same colleague again.
- They copy last month’s file.
- They save a new version.
- They send the report and hope nobody asks too many questions.
- This is not only a staff training issue. It is a business control issue.
A strong workplace process should make it clear what information is captured, who captures it, where it is stored, who checks it, how it is reported, and what action follows.
If a spreadsheet is part of that process, then the spreadsheet must be designed to support the process properly.
That means proper headings. Clean data. Protected formulas. Clear input areas. Version control. Shared access. Simple checks. Useful reports. A dashboard or summary where management can see the important figures quickly.
The solution is not always a new app.
Many businesses already have the tools they need. They simply need better structure, better training, and better control around the tools they already use.
This is especially important as work becomes more remote, hybrid, and disrupted. If staff cannot get to the office, if one key person is absent, or if the usual routine is interrupted, the process must still continue.
That will not happen if everything depends on memory, manual copying, one person’s laptop, or a spreadsheet nobody fully understands.
The future of office work is not about pretending everyone is advanced.
It is about helping people become more capable, more honest, and more confident with the systems they use every day.
A business improves when its people understand both the tool and the process.
Excel is only part of the story.
The real question is:
Does your business know how the work actually flows?
PMC Business Solutions
Workplace Systems for Business Control
Comments ()