Why Spreadsheets Are Holding Back Your Workforce: 5 Signs It’s Time to Switch

For many mining, oil & gas and engineering services operations, spreadsheets are still the go-to tool for managing rosters. They’re familiar, flexible, and often “good enough” to get the job done. But as teams grow, contracts multiply, and compliance demands become more complex, that once-reliable spreadsheet can quietly turn into a major operational risk.

If you’re still relying on spreadsheets to manage your workforce, it might be time to ask: Have we outgrown spreadsheets?

Spreadsheets may still feel like the easiest option if they’re getting the basics done and the team is used to the process. But for growing, compliance-heavy operations, they often hide inefficiencies happening on the daily. The reality is, these are costing you more than you realise, from missed flight windows that result in thousands in travel changes, to idle crews waiting for shift confirmations, or even entire projects delayed by rostering errors. 

One missed mobilisation can mean thousands in lost revenue in a single day, not including the rework, downtime, admin overhead, and compliance risk that follow. What once worked is now slowing you down, creating friction, and putting your business at risk.

We’ve outlined the signs that should make you consider if something might need to change. You don’t have to make the switch today, but they’re a strong indication it could be time to explore smarter, purpose-built alternatives.

Constant Rework and Version Control Headaches

If you’ve ever wasted hours reconciling different versions of a roster or discovered too late that someone was working from an outdated copy, you’re not alone. Spreadsheets lack a single source of truth. Files get duplicated, edited offline, emailed between departments, and overwritten without warning.

The result? Confusion, double-handling, and costly mistakes. Sound familiar?

If your team spends more time fixing rosters than creating them, or you simply find yourself dealing with version control problems regularly, it’s time to rethink your system.

Too Much Time in Admin, Not Enough in Operations

We know it’s a delicate juggle, but rostering should be a strategic function matching the right people to the right projects at the right time. But when you’re buried in the formulas, formatting, and manual data entry, it becomes a time drain.

For many teams, it’s not unusual to spend entire days each week just maintaining the roster. That’s time not spent optimising labour costs, responding to last-minute changes, or improving project performance. Admin fatigue doesn’t just slow you down, it reduces your team’s ability to focus on what really matters.

Growing Compliance Risk

Workforce compliance requirements have never been more complex. From fatigue management and enterprise agreements to site access and skill certifications, there’s a growing list of boxes to tick. Spreadsheets offer little protection here. It’s easy to miss expiry dates, overlook training gaps, or fail to notice non-compliant shifts until an audit or incident forces the issue.

When compliance is a spreadsheet column buried in row 473, the reality is it’s almost inevitable.

Your Workforce Has Grown, But Your Tools Haven’t

Maybe your spreadsheet worked when you had one crew and a handful of projects. But now you’re juggling:

• Multiple clients
• Multiple sites
• Dozens (or hundreds) of workers
• Tight timelines

Scaling your business without scaling your rostering system leads to errors, burnout, and missed opportunities. It’s also about preparing for the future of your business. The growth has been great but how do you future proof yourself for the next evolution.

If your rostering process feels like a bottleneck, not a business enabler, that’s a red flag.

No Real-Time Visibility or Mobile Access

Today’s workforce is mobile. Projects change daily (if not hourly). Workers need clarity on where to be and when. Leaders need real-time oversight to make informed, confident decisions.

Spreadsheets don’t provide real-time updates. They can’t send automatic shift notifications. They’re not easily accessible in the field. This creates communication gaps and increases the risk of missed shifts, idle crews, or worse. You shouldn’t have to wait for someone to open a laptop to know who’s on site.

It’s Time to Move from Chaos to Control

If you’re nodding along to any of the points above, you’re not alone, the reality is it’s likely your team has outgrown spreadsheets.

Cru Software is designed specifically for resource-heavy, compliance-driven industries like mining, oil & gas and engineering services. It gives you a smarter, simpler way to manage complex rosters without the chaos.

• Real-time visibility
• Built-in compliance tracking
• Easy drag-and-drop rostering
• Mobile access for teams on the move
• Clear audit trails and reporting

Stop struggling with spreadsheets. Start simplifying operations.

Book a Demo to see how Cru Software can transform the way you roster.