If you use Confluence (and Jira), you should stop using Excel. Convince me otherwise 🤓

[Laura Campbell _Elements_]

My first experiences with Excel were for school science class lab reports, circa 1998. Followed college team project planning Gantt charts, lots of work experiences organizing information, and even a few pivot tables. I even organized some vacations because I needed organized tables for my itinerary. Maybe you use Excel for event participant participant lists, team holidays, Gantt charts, pie charts…

But all that was before working with Jira and Confluence. If you’re trying to be agile and increase collaboration with your team, you can stop using Excel. Excel belongs to the old work. Circa 1998.

Okay, it’s the hammer of the toolbox. Or maybe the screwdriver: it helps you get lots of stuff done.

But if you stop to think about what you actually want to do, what you need to keep track of, get done or organized with your team AND you have Confluence and Jira, there are a million better ways than using Excel.

So, I'm curious, what is that need that for you just can't be met by Confluence? What's your reason to keep using Excel alongside Confluence?

[Rilwan Ahmed]

Hi @Laura Campbell _Elements_ ,

The calculations/formulas/VLOOKUP's etc. cannot be done in Confluence/Jira (atleast in Native application).

Purpose of Jira/Confluence totally different from that of Excel. I agree we can use Excel in Confluence, but it will not stop people from using it.

[Laura Campbell _Elements_]

You're right @Rilwan Ahmed that natively you can't add formulas/VLookup's etc. But since there are apps that add those features directly to Confluence (and Jira) so you don't have to keep using an external tool, what kind of use cases are not currently met by these options?

Is there a process where you team feels more comfortable going back to Excel versus keeping everything in Confluence? Is there a process that could be met by Confluence with an app (instead of Excel), except for ______ roadblock that means everyone stays with Excel?

[Rilwan Ahmed]

Apps/Plugins cost $$ and confluence is usually handled by Company/teams and not by person.  Where as Excel comes with everyone's Laptop/PC usually. 

[Laura Campbell _Elements_]

Hmm, interesting. For your work situation, are you required to provide your own computer and basic software licenses (like Microsoft Office)? I was thinking of the situation where the company provides the laptops and has to buy the Office licenses, so there is a cost no matter what.

[Aron Gombas _Midori_]

You are not going to analyse a financial model using Confluence tables, sorry.

[Laura Campbell _Elements_]

True @Aron Gombas _Midori_ 

But once you've done your analysis, is sharing the Excel file with stakeholders the best way to make the information readily available? I like the All hands meeting template in Confluence for sharing high level financial information internally. Is there a different way you like to share information like finances that you've analyzed with Excel?

[Ravi Sagar _Sparxsys_]

Nice joke. Have you ever used Confluence before? 😎

[Laura Campbell _Elements_]

I have @Ravi Sagar _Sparxsys_ ! Hit me with your best example of collaborating on a project where Excel was better than Confluence (or Jira). 

[Ravi Sagar _Sparxsys_]

It is not about one tool better than other. They are both used for different purposes.

[Andy Gladstone]

I agree with you @Laura Campbell _Elements_ in sentiment but not in practice. Excel is too powerful of a tool to replace even with the most elaborate Marketplace add ons for Confluence. So while I believe the work will always need to be done in Excel, the focus should be on how to best share the results, and in that I 100% agree embedding the data in a Confluence page will outlast and outshine sharing an Excel file. 

[Danno]

@Laura Campbell _Elements_ I see where you are going with this and I can't believe you didn't get someone to bite.

I just listened to an ACE presentation from one of your colleagues on your tool Elements Connect. I always check out the add-ons and found your product Elements Spreadsheet. I'm going to give it a try as well as compare it to some other tools out there.

[Karina S_ _Elements_]

:) 

[Deleted user]

Hi @Danno

I am the Product Manager of Elements Spreadsheet. Thanks to be interested by our app. I would love to support your trial journey. If you need more information, feel free book a slot with me and share your needs to see how we can fill them. 

Cheers!

Vanthika