Domus vs Spreadsheets: Why Teams Move Beyond Excel

Why development teams are moving from fragmented Excel models to structured development workflows

The Fundamental Difference

See why teams are upgrading from fragmented spreadsheets to structured development workflows

Spreadsheet Approach

Problems
  • Every project starts from scratch
  • Version chaos across emails
  • Hidden formulas & errors
  • No scenario comparison
  • Data re-keying across teams
  • No audit trail

Domus Approach

Solutions
  • Structured baseline for all projects
  • Single source of truth
  • Standardised calculations
  • Instant scenario comparison
  • Multi-team collaboration
  • Complete audit trail

Seven Spreadsheet Problems Domus Solves

1. Version Control Chaos

Spreadsheet problem: "Project_Viability_v3_FINAL_JD_edits_NEW.xlsx" emailed across teams. No one knows which version is current.

Domus solution: One project, one dataset. Everyone sees the same current data. Change history tracked automatically.

2. Broken Formulas & Hidden Errors

Spreadsheet problem: Copy a row, delete a column, and suddenly profit calculations are wrong. Errors buried in hidden cells.

Domus solution: Standardised calculation engine. You input data; Domus handles the math consistently every time.

3. Scenario Comparison Difficulty

Spreadsheet problem: Want to test different unit mixes? Copy the file, rename it, hope you remember which scenario is which.

Domus solution: Create multiple scenarios within one project. Compare side-by-side instantly without file duplication.

4. Data Re-Keying Across Teams

Spreadsheet problem: Developer creates viability model. Lender rebuilds the same data in their spreadsheet. Planning consultant creates third version.

Domus solution: Developer, planning team, and finance all work from the same project baseline. No transcription errors.

5. No Audit Trail

Spreadsheet problem: Land value changed last week. Who made the change? What was the old assumption? No way to know.

Domus solution: Every change logged with user, timestamp, and modification details. Full history for governance and review.

6. Collaboration Friction

Spreadsheet problem: Only one person can edit at a time. Lock files, overwrite conflicts, merge issues.

Domus solution: Cloud-native collaboration. Multiple team members can work simultaneously without stepping on each other.

7. No Portfolio View

Spreadsheet problem: Every project is its own file. Hard to get a portfolio overview or benchmark across schemes.

Domus solution: All projects in one workspace. Pipeline dashboards, portfolio metrics, and benchmarking across schemes.

Who Moves from Spreadsheets to Domus

SME Developers

Running 5-15 opportunities with small teams. Tired of spreadsheet version chaos and want consistent project tracking.

Planning Consultancies

Managing client projects across multiple authorities. Need structured workflows and evidence tracking beyond spreadsheets.

Lenders & Funds

Underwriting development deals. Want borrower appraisals in structured format instead of chaotic Excel files.

Moving from Spreadsheets to Domus

You don't have to abandon spreadsheets overnight. Most teams start by:

  1. 1

    Test Domus on new opportunities

    Keep existing projects in spreadsheets. Use Domus for fresh pipeline screening.

  2. 2

    Migrate active projects gradually

    Move key opportunities into Domus as they progress through planning/finance stages.

  3. 3

    Keep spreadsheets for legacy archive

    Historical completed projects can stay in Excel. New workflow in Domus going forward.

See the Difference Yourself

Book a demo to see structured development workflows vs spreadsheet chaos