Stay with Excel or change systems? First review how you use your data

If sales totals differ between two files, I would first look at how they were created and updated. There may be emailed copies, different criteria or an incorrect formula. Changing tools without resolving those differences can carry the same problem into a new database.

A spreadsheet can be suitable for analysing information, preparing forecasts or managing a limited list. It can also support shared work: Microsoft documents coauthoring in workbooks stored in OneDrive or SharePoint Online. A local file sent by email should not be confused with that form of collaboration.

What I would review before migrating

I would find a specific record, such as an order, and trace its path. Where is it created? Who changes it? Which file is considered authoritative? How do you know which amount was approved? If those answers are unclear, defining them can help even without leaving Excel.

Then I would compare the work’s requirements:

Requirement	What I would check
Several people edit	A shared file, compatible versions and editing rules.
Linked customers and orders	Stable identifiers and controls to prevent invalid relationships.
Different access to sensitive data	Who can see each dataset and whether the tool enforces that separation.
Reliable historical records	What is retained when a price, address or status changes.
Connections to other programs	Available integration, cost, failures and who maintains it.

Protecting a formula can prevent accidental changes. However, Microsoft makes clear that worksheet protection is not a security feature. I would not use hidden or locked cells as a substitute for appropriate permissions to separate confidential information.

What linking tables adds

In a relational structure, you can store customers and orders separately and link them with an identifier. PostgreSQL describes foreign keys that require a valid reference. That control needs configuring; installing a database does not, by itself, fix duplicate names or ambiguous rules.

Separating a customer’s current record from historical data matters too. If their address changes, you may want to update their profile while preserving the address shown on an issued document. I would not automatically make every earlier record reflect the new address. First, decide which data describes the present and which documents a past transaction.

Automation does not require abandoning the spreadsheet

Excel supports automation with Office Scripts and Power Automate; that use requires a Microsoft 365 business licence. You would need to review the integration’s limits and the cost applicable to your situation. A database or specialist application also needs configuration, permissions and maintenance.

If the workflow is simple and the shared spreadsheet works, I would first test controls and a small improvement. If you need strict relationships, permissions you cannot enforce or a history that is difficult to preserve, I would compare other systems using a complete work case. I would include importing, data review and the option of exporting it later.

Repeating a customer’s name across several rows is a reason to review the structure, not definitive proof that you should migrate. Before choosing, I would try to answer one question: what specific error or waiting time must the new tool prevent? That answer lets you check whether the change is worthwhile.