By Fernando Cunha
The scenario is classic and repeats itself in companies of different sizes: the organization invests in the implementation of a state-of-the-art system, but in day-to-day operations, the business continues to run on spreadsheets.
Data is extracted from the system, manually processed and consolidated into local files spread across the organization. In practice, this creates the phenomenon of ERP as a “luxury Excel”: an underused tool that costs a lot, while business intelligence remains scattered across tabs and formulas.
Excel has played an important role in the evolution of many organizations, especially in their early stages. However, as the company grows, the market begins to demand more sophistication, compliance, performance and security.
As a result, keeping management anchored in multiple spreadsheets, although it may seem comfortable, becomes a strategic risk to the sustainability and evolution of the business.
When the spreadsheet stops being support and becomes a risk
The main problem arises when the organization no longer has a single source of truth.
When each area works with its own data, different file versions and different consolidation criteria, information silos are created. This scenario opens room for errors, rework and process failures that can compromise the company’s performance.
Among the most common risks are:
- Divergent information between areas
- Decisions based on outdated data
- Manual processes subject to human error
- Low traceability of information
- Difficulty ensuring compliance and governance
- Excessive dependence on specific people
Although these challenges are widely known in the market, many companies still struggle to begin the journey toward ERP.
And, in most cases, the main obstacle is not technical. It is cultural.
The cultural barrier in the journey to ERP
Many companies were born in different contexts, where the methods created at the beginning of the operation continued to work for a long time.
This creates a false sense of security: if people are used to a certain process, it seems reliable.
This resistance may also be associated with the mistaken idea that technology will replace human beings, causing unemployment or loss of relevance for the professionals involved.
In practice, the journey to ERP begins long before the system is implemented. It begins with a change in mindset.
Change starts before technology
Before implementing a new tool, it is necessary to analyze how the company makes decisions and which factors delay or harm this process.
Some questions help start this reflection:
- How long does the organization take to make an important decision?
- Which information needs to be consolidated manually?
- Which areas work with different versions of the same data?
- Which processes depend on frequent exceptions?
- Where does the lack of standardization compromise the operation?
It is through this preliminary analysis that it becomes possible to shift perspective and truly understand how a management system can support the company.
ERP should not be seen only as a new tool. It should be understood as a structural foundation for processes, data, governance and growth.
How to measure the return of an ERP journey?
When discussing the adoption of a new tool, a common question arises among leaders and managers: how can ROI be measured?
After all, implementing an ERP involves investment, time, team mobilization and organizational change. Therefore, it is natural to question whether the invested amount will return as expected.
The answer lies in practical results.
From the moment the company’s information becomes centralized in a single environment, gains such as agility, error reduction and governance become part of the operational routine.
Structured data as a foundation for growth
Data from Great Place to Work (GPTW) indicates that companies that invest in the maturity of their structured data are up to three times more likely to achieve rapid revenue growth.
This happens because the organization gains more predictability and control across all areas of the business.
In practice, this means management stops looking at the company through the rearview mirror and starts gaining visibility through the dashboard and windshield.
With centralized and updated information, it becomes possible to monitor indicators daily, increase process efficiency and manage business areas more closely.
This new model supports faster decision-making that is more connected to the company’s current reality.
Why does the transition not happen overnight?
Although it presents notable advantages, the change from Excel to ERP does not happen immediately.
It is a transformation that impacts the entire corporation: processes, people, indicators, approval flows, data and ways of working.
That is why the support of a specialized consulting firm is essential to show how a well-conducted implementation can bring significant benefits to the business routine.
A team of specialists helps to:
- Identify operational inefficiencies
- Map business pains and bottlenecks
- Prioritize challenges that need to be addressed
- Reduce risks during the transition
- Connect technology to the company’s strategic objectives
Technology is an enabler, but ERP is the transformation point
It is important to emphasize that technology is an enabler.
In some companies, technology is the business itself. In others, it supports the operation and enables efficiency, control and growth. But one thing does not change: ERP is a transformation point.
During its implementation, it is natural for the so-called “J-curve” to occur, in which the scenario first seems to get worse before it gets better.
This happens because processes are reviewed, routines are adjusted, data is standardized and teams need to adapt to a new way of operating.
However, it is important to understand that this phase is part of the transition process. With the right support, its impacts can be mitigated to ensure a safer and smoother change.
Excel is not the villain
Excel should not be treated as a villain.
For companies that are beginning their maturity evolution process, it remains a useful, flexible and accessible tool.
The central point is understanding when the organization has crossed the limit where spreadsheets can safely sustain the operation.
After a certain level of complexity, it becomes necessary to evolve to an integrated management system capable of delivering gains in:
- Compliance
- Governance
- Security
- Traceability
- Operational performance
- Information reliability
From ERP to artificial intelligence
For organizations that want to explore the full potential of artificial intelligence, having a single source of truth is a fundamental step.
Real-time data, integrated processes and centralized operations create the necessary foundation for more advanced initiatives in automation, predictive analysis and AI applied to the business.
Without this structure, artificial intelligence tends to operate on fragmented, inconsistent or unreliable data.
That is why the journey from Excel to ERP is not just a technological evolution. It is an essential movement to prepare the company for a more efficient, secure and intelligent future.
About the author
Fernando Cunha is Executive Director of Numen Centro-Oeste.
About Numen
With a presence in Brazil, Europe and North America, Numen is a consulting firm with strong expertise in SAP projects and a strategic partner of major global players such as AWS, Salesforce and Celonis.
Recognized for its innovative approach and consistent focus on results, Numen supports companies in their digital transformation and in generating sustainable value.
For more information, visit:
🌐 www.numenit.com
