Through the start of the day i was cleaning up the towering piles of loose files in my office, entering them into our system and signing them locations to be refiled to. My boss called me up and told me to stop doing that, just create him a spreadsheet showing the data on them.
That’s not easier. It’s not quicker. It’s not more helpful, especially to me and the other guy who works with me here. Entering the details into the system basically just requires scanning a barcode and copy-pasting some numbers, then typing out a sort sequence I’ve helpfully appended to each file already. Putting them in a spreadsheet required drawing up a table, scanning the barcodes, then i had to manually type out the details i had already written for each file. It just felt like such a pointless exercise, especially since i still have to go through the process i detailed before at some future date.
Okay, rant over.
They’re the default tool for everything.
Counting stuff? Spreadsheet.
Making a list? Spreadsheet.
Making a database? Spreadsheet.
Making a brochure? Spreadsheet.
(yes, I’ve seen all of those, and more)