Old School Accounting Methods: How Excel Spreadsheets are Doing More Harm Than Good

Does this scenario sound familiar? You’re giving a presentation to your team and pass out spreadsheets of data so everyone can follow along. Only, before the meeting, you realize there’s not one, but multiple errors that need to be rectified. Unfortunately, there’s no time to fix the mistakes before your presentation and you have to awkwardly explain why the data on the spreadsheet doesn’t jive with the information you’re presenting. If only you had an automated system that could have prevented these errors from occurring in the first place – it would have saved you time and avoided embarrassment.

Or maybe you’re a K12 school district that’s getting ready for your annual school reporting, and it’s the same situation: countless mistakes on your spreadsheets of data. The time it takes for you to type out a new one is leaving you exhausted and wishing there were a more efficient way to do your annual school reports.

The old way of doing things when it comes to accounting just doesn’t cut it anymore. Progress demands we change with the times. In order to keep up with the latest accounting methods, excel spreadsheets are being ousted, as they are quickly becoming obsolete in today’s technology. Not only are spreadsheets time-consuming to type, but they are also prone to human error.

How can we be more effective in the accounting world? Automation is the wave of the future. And nothing says automation like RDA’s ASR module, designed to help schools manage and report on their financial data.

As you follow along, you will see that there are three key areas where Excel spreadsheets are failing an organization’s ability to effectively manage and present their data.

They Are Highly Susceptible to Human Error

Because of all the keystrokes needed to compile a list of data, the risk of human error is high when it comes to pulling together a spreadsheet. There are no “controls” on who can add information to a spreadsheet once it is finished, especially if multiple people within your organization have access to the same files. According to Softrax.com, one article states: “Without controls on who can touch what, it is very difficult to prevent human error or even malicious intent.”

They Require a High Volume of Keystrokes

So much typing, so little time—if this sounds like your mantra, you may need to find a new financial management system like RDA’s ASR module to cut back on the amount of captured data you type during annual school reporting time. Thanks to automation, pulling together sourced data within the ASR module is a cinch.

They Are Not Automated, and Therefore, Time-Consuming to Pull Together

Automation is the wave of the future. Because the outdated way of pulling together spreadsheets is not automated, manually typing out, copying and pasting every tidbit of data is time-consuming and even obsolete. One article states: “Today, businesses are considered to be using outdated methods if they’re still using software programs that remain on the desktop computer.” With RDA’s ASR solution, annual school reports are fully automated for you after the initial setup by our RDA staff and your data is stored in the Cloud.

Financial Management for Schools: ASR Module

The ASR (Annual School Reporting) Module is RDA’s solution to the problem of having to source copious amounts of data for yearly school reports. Our automated solution saves your staff hours of data entry, while increasing your team’s productivity. With our module, your team can focus on the critical tasks of running the school office, and not have to worry about typing tedious spreadsheets from scratch or correcting copious amounts of mistakes.

It’s Time to Say Goodbye to Endless Data Entry and Spreadsheets

Excel spreadsheets are no longer serving your team effectively. Storing your data in the Cloud is the safest option. The ASR Module will save your school office staff hours of data entry, countless mistakes, and time, all thanks to the marvels of automation. Reach out to one of RDA’s team members by clicking here and schedule a demonstration of the ASR Module today!

About RDA

RDA’s innovative ERP software provides meaningful transparency and access for your community and staff, along with powerful insights into data. The RDA Solution is hosted in the Cloud, providing regular backups, product updates and concierge support, ensuring that clients feel confident and are successful with their new software.

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