What spreadsheets do well
They start in a minute, bend to any idea and cost nothing. For one producer on one project, a well-kept spreadsheet is hard to beat.
Five signs you have outgrown them
- There are versions. Someone asks which file is the right one.
- Things are copied. The same phone number lives in four tabs and is wrong in two.
- Nobody is notified. A date changes and the person concerned finds out by chance.
- Everyone sees everything. Freelancers can read budgets, or you email them screenshots instead.
- It depends on one person. Only the coordinator understands the colour code.
What software changes
- One version, always current
- Each piece of information stored once and shown where needed
- Owners and due dates on every task
- Roles that limit who sees what
- A phone layout that works on set
Off the shelf or custom
Subscription tools get you started quickly, with a monthly fee per user and a way of working you have to adopt. A custom application costs more at the start, matches your process and belongs to you. AI-assisted development has lowered that starting cost a great deal.
How to switch without stopping
Move one live project first. Keep the spreadsheet read-only for the others. After one production cycle the team knows whether the new tool earns its place.
A fair test
Count the spreadsheets one production touches: schedule, contacts, gear, budget, deliverables. Then count how many were out of date at wrap. If the answer is more than one, the cost of software is smaller than the cost of your Friday afternoons.
Go further
See the comparisons with general project tools and the guide on how to choose production management software.