My Spreadsheets Are Good Enough (But Are They Really?)

How many of us have lost countless hours meticulously crafting a spreadsheet to manage just one process? As the former Water Utility Superintendent for a small Indiana town, I cringe at the memory of endless Google searches and Help articles, desperately seeking the perfect formula, calculation, or formatting trick. When our masterpiece was finally complete, it was like admiring a sculpture by Michelangelo. We shared our creation with the operators, emphasizing how much time we spent on it and hoping they’d recognize their value. Yet, despite our best efforts, spreadsheets, like Excel or Google Sheets, have two glaring limitations:  

1) Spreadsheets don’t teach

2) They require constant updating  

Spreadsheets fail to teach 

Let’s face it, we are all pressed for time. Introducing a new operator to the team is both a necessity and a challenge. We need them to get up to speed quickly without making costly mistakes. So, what do we do? We hand them those spreadsheets, hoping they'll understand how the results relate to plant operations and safe drinking water. But here is the problem – spreadsheets do not teach. They crunch numbers and store data, but they don’t help operators to truly understand what the data means. Is that chlorine residual too high? Does that flow look normal? Spreadsheets fail to provide valuable insights to operators.  

“Spreadsheets will never be able to educate your new operators on their own, nor will they be able to prevent arising issues before they escalate.”

It is becoming necessary that the shift is made to more purposely-built data management systems. Spreadsheets will never be able to educate your new operators on their own, nor will they be able to prevent arising issues before they escalate. The ability to incorporate out-of-range alerts for things such as odd chemical dosages to abnormal flow rates is becoming increasingly available, through the development of more intuitive and reactive tools (like Waterly). The importance of this technology cannot be understated as now operators can focus on inputting data while observing live results to deepen their understanding of processes.  

Data Management Systems as teaching mechanisms  

We all know that operator who can drive to any location in the system and tell you exactly where a valve is at 2 a.m. We treasure the ability to glean that heritage knowledge by using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in asset management strategies. In fact, their value is so undisputed that many regulatory agencies require that knowledge base in an asset management program. That same operational treatment knowledge is critical when adjusting to retiring operators and employee turnover.

Modern data management systems are set up to mirror what the operator would do on their daily rounds. Set up specifically for each utility, they guide a new operator through each step. They also offer out-of-range notifications. Upper and lower limits are set by the supervisor and then the values entered are compared to the limits set. Any value that is out-of-range will be flagged immediately notifying the operator that something is not quite right. Either the value they entered was incorrect or they entered a correct value and something in the system is not right. The immediate feedback teaches the operator what ranges they should be looking for and can prevent issues down the road.

It is so valuable to be able to capture critical plant operation data and store these valuable insights in a centralized location. Data management systems provide a location. This means your team can access vital plant knowledge anytime, anywhere, streamlining operations and preserving invaluable institutional wisdom for future generations. A superintendent shared that “skipping the outdated clipboard and Excel routine and using software, that is able to consistently update, with our new operator allowed them to grasp the workflow far quicker than with the old system.” 

“What happens when your Excel guru decides to take that knowledge with them somewhere else?”

 Spreadsheets require constant updating 

I’ll come right out and say it, “I’m proud of my spreadsheets!” It took time, mental resources, and a phenomenal amount of education to become an Excel guru. Pivot tables and macros don’t just appear out of nowhere. But...that complexity comes at a cost.  And that cost is maintenance and updates. Despite our best efforts, spreadsheet formulas break, protected sheets get unlocked. This leads to tracking down when that error occurred and who did it to educate them why they need to be more careful. Then the regulatory parameters change; new regulations require a new spreadsheet. All this cuts into a precious commodity, time. In addition, what happens when your Excel guru decides to take that knowledge with them somewhere else? We are all familiar with that struggle. You may be that Excel master, but what will your legacy be, a bunch of well executed but now outdated spreadsheets? 

The better choice is a purpose-built data management platform built by operators for operators. That is a legacy your community will thank you for!