Managing projects in Excel: 6 signs it is time for a real tool
Excel is still the starting tool for many project managers. Here are the signs that it is slowing your projects down, and how to switch to Gladys by importing your files.
2 min read
Excel is often the first project management tool: one tab for the schedule, one for tasks, one for the budget. It is flexible, everyone knows how to use it, and it is perfect to get started.
But as the team and the number of projects grow, the workbook becomes a bottleneck. A Schedule_v12_FINAL.xlsx file edited by four people, sound familiar?
6 signs Excel is slowing your projects down
- Several versions of the same file are circulating by e-mail
- Updating the Gantt chart takes longer than moving the project forward
- Nobody knows who is working on what this week
- The budget is tracked in another file, rarely up to date
- Preparing the steering committee takes half a day
- Project discussions are scattered across e-mails and chat apps
What changes with a dedicated tool
One shared version
Everyone updates their tasks in the same place, in real time. No more copies and version conflicts.
A schedule that recalculates itself
In the Gantt chart, move a task: the tasks that depend on it follow automatically.
Steering without retyping
Progress, workload, budget and milestones are calculated from the tasks. The dashboard is always up to date.
Discussions inside the project
Comments, mentions and documents are attached to the project, not lost in inboxes.
You don't lose Excel
Gladys works with your files:
- Going in: import your projects and tasks from an Excel template (one sheet for projects, one for tasks).
- Going out: export any list of projects or tasks to Excel or PDF, with your columns.
- Inside the project: create and co-edit Excel, Word or PowerPoint documents directly in the document area.
Good to know: your specific Excel columns (order number, client, risk level…) become custom columns in Gladys: text, number, date, choice list, progress.
Frequently asked questions
Do we have to retype everything?
No: the import template creates projects, tasks, subtasks, owners and dates in one go.
What if part of the team wants to keep Excel?
Excel exports remain available at any time, and Excel documents can be co-edited directly in the project.
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