1. Only one person really understands the file
If a key spreadsheet has grown formulas nobody else can follow, you have a single point of failure. When that person is on holiday, the business slows down.
2. You are re-typing the same data twice
Customer details entered into a quote, then again into an invoice, then again into a job sheet. Duplicate entry is where errors and lost hours live.
3. Nobody agrees on the numbers
Two people open two versions of the file and get two answers. If your monthly reporting starts with reconciling the reports, the tool is the problem.
4. Follow-ups are being missed
Spreadsheets do not remind anyone to call a prospect back. Most lost sales are not lost on price — they are lost because nobody followed up on day seven.
5. You cannot answer simple questions quickly
How many quotes did we send last month, and what percentage converted? If that takes more than a minute to answer, you are flying without instruments.
What to do next
Do not start by shopping for software. Write down the three questions you want to answer instantly and the two duplicate-entry jobs you want to remove. Those five lines become your requirements list, and they make supplier demos far shorter and far more honest.