Embarking on a digital transformation journey often sees new InRule customers grappling with the limitations of Excel spreadsheets as their primary tool for managing decision logic and processes. While Excel serves its purpose to a certain extent, to realise true digital transformation it is necessary to break free from its constraints and adopt a more integrated and holistic approach to automation.
Let's delve into the common pain points voiced by customers transitioning from Excel spreadsheets to decision and process automation technologies. Consider these application limitations as you evaluate whether it's time to embrace a more streamlined and comprehensive solution:
1. Excel's Struggle with Complex Logic
While Excel might suffice for straightforward processes or single decisions, it falters when faced with complex logic. The confined workspace of info cells makes creating and updating intricate and nested logic, or a collection of rules, a challenging, if not impossible, task. Troubleshooting automation issues becomes an arduous process due to these limitations.
2. Limited Data Functionality
Excel allows for data imports, but its capacity for handling large amounts of data is restricted. Although it permits testing multiple scenarios, this functionality is accessible primarily to seasoned users. Integrating Excel spreadsheets across enterprise applications is notoriously difficult, and connections to external data sources are fragile at best. Running true queries within Excel remains unattainable.
3. Lack of In-Depth Metrics
Optimising decisions and processes require extracting comprehensive metrics from available data feedback. Excel, unfortunately, falls short in this aspect. It lacks the capability to derive metrics from current decisioning and process automation logic, forcing users to seek external support for assessing effectiveness and implementing improvements.
4. Explainability Gap
When logic outcomes deviate from expectations, Excel provides minimal assistance in deciphering the reasons behind the anomaly. It lacks a historical record of changes, making it challenging to trace alterations and understand why decisions were made. This becomes particularly critical for organisations in heavily regulated industries, such as insurance and financial services.
5. Risk of Knowledge Loss
Excel's lack of explainability means that the rationale behind decisions and processes resides solely with its authors. In scenarios where logic managers leave the organisation, vital information may be lost with them, posing a risk to the continuity of operations.
For over two decades, InRule has empowered business analysts and subject matter experts to escape the constraints of Excel and isolated spreadsheets with accessible, comprehensive, no-code AI power. Contact us to find out more about our leading decisioning platform, and how you can ensure a seamless transition beyond the limitations of Excel.