Excel — the universal solution
Let’s be honest: Excel is fantastic. Flexible, familiar, already installed. When compliance work began, it was natural to create a file for the risk register, one for suppliers, one for actions.
But organisations grow. Requirements increase. And suddenly Excel is more problem than solution.
The realisation: It’s not wrong to start with Excel. It’s wrong to stay too long. Excel is a tool for calculation — not for compliance management.
Why Excel attracts
Excel advantages:
- No extra cost (already licensed)
- Everyone can use it (low learning curve)
- Total flexibility (do whatever you want)
- Quick to get started
- Offline access
- Export/import easily
The problem? These advantages become weaknesses when requirements increase. Flexibility becomes chaos. No structure leads to inconsistent data. “Everyone can edit” becomes version problems.
Excel problems
"Risk_register_final_v3_JD_NEW_LATEST.xlsx" — who has the current version? Changes are overwritten. History disappears.
Who changed what and when? Auditors want audit trails. Excel gives you nothing — unless you manually document every change.
Compliance requires regular updating. Manual work is forgotten, postponed, done inconsistently.
100 rows? No problem. 10,000 rows? Slow and impractical. Multiple frameworks? Impossible to keep synchronised.
Excel files with sensitive risk data on shared file servers, in emails, on laptops. Who has access? How is it protected?
Data in Excel is isolated. Connection to ticket systems, HR systems, cloud services? Manual copying and data entry.
Signs that Excel isn’t enough
- Multiple people editing the same document "Wait, I'm working in that file now" — conflicts and overwritten changes. SharePoint/OneDrive helps but doesn't solve the fundamental problem.
- You have more than two-three frameworks to manage NIS2, ISO 27001, GDPR — each framework has its own controls. In Excel this becomes separate files or enormous sheets. Control mapping? Manual nightmare.
- Auditors request audit trails "Show me the history of this risk's treatment." In Excel: embarrassment and sweating. In GRC system: two clicks.
- Incident management requires speed NIS2 requires reporting within 24 hours. Searching through Excel during an ongoing incident costs precious time.
- Leadership wants overview "How are we doing with compliance?" With Excel: hours to compile. With GRC: real-time dashboard.
GRC system advantages
What a GRC system gives you:
| Function | Excel | GRC system |
|---|---|---|
| Version control | Manual (chaotic) | Automatic |
| Audit trail | None | Complete |
| Real-time overview | Manual report | Dashboard |
| Multi-framework | Separate files | Integrated with mapping |
| Collaboration | Conflict risk | Designed for teams |
| Reminders | Manual | Automatic |
| Evidence linking | Difficult | Built-in |
| Reporting | Time-consuming | Automated |
| Integration | None | APIs |
| Security | File-based | Role-based access |
Hybrid approach — the transition
Staged migration:
You don’t need to change everything at once. A pragmatic approach:
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Start with the most critical Risk management is often most valuable to move first — it requires the most traceability and real-time overview.
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Keep Excel for simple things Checklists, one-off analyses, ad hoc calculations — Excel still works for isolated tasks.
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Migrate gradually
- Month 1: Risks and actions
- Month 2: Supplier management
- Month 3: Policies and documentation
- Month 4: Incident management
-
Export for backup Most GRC systems allow export. Your data isn’t locked in.
ROI calculation for GRC
Example calculation — typical SME:
Costs for Excel-based compliance:
- Compliance officer: 20h/week × 52 weeks = 1040h/year
- Manual reporting before audit: 80h/year
- Version conflicts and rework: 40h/year
- Total time: ~1160h/year
- With salary cost £50/h = ~£58,000/year
With GRC system:
- Automation saves 40-50% of time
- 580h/year in time savings
- Saving: ~£29,000/year
GRC system cost:
- Typical SaaS: £5,000-15,000/year
- Net ROI: £14,000-24,000/year
Plus: Reduced risk of compliance breaches, faster audits, better decision-making data.
What to look for in a GRC system?
Do they support the frameworks you need? ISO 27001, NIS2, GDPR? Can they add new ones?
Can your colleagues use it without extensive training? A demo is crucial.
Can you map controls between frameworks to avoid duplicate work?
Can you import existing Excel data? Export for backup or reports?
Per user? Per organisation? Which level fits your budget?
What's included? Do you get help getting started or are you left alone?
Migration process
- Inventory existing data Which Excel files do you have? Where are they? What do they contain? Create a list before you start migrating.
- Clean and standardise Excel data is often inconsistent. Take the opportunity to remove duplicates, standardise formats, remove irrelevant history.
- Prioritise and plan Start with the most important. Create a realistic timeline. Involve those who will use the system.
- Import and validate Use import functions. Check that data has transferred correctly. Catch mistakes early.
- Train users Without adoption, the system becomes an expensive shelf-warmer. Ensure everyone understands and uses the new system.
- Switch off Excel Set an end date for Excel files. Otherwise people will continue using the old system in parallel.
Common objections
“It costs too much” Compare with the cost of manual work and risk of compliance failures. GRC systems often pay for themselves within the first year.
“We don’t have time to migrate” Start small. Migrate one function at a time. It’s an investment that saves time long-term.
“My colleagues can’t learn a new system” Modern GRC systems are designed for usability. If they can handle Excel they can manage GRC. Training is often included.
“Our data is too messy” Migration is an opportunity to clean up. You don’t need to bring everything — focus on what’s relevant now.
How Securapilot can help
Securapilot is built to replace your Excel files:
- Import — Bring existing data from Excel
- Risk management — Structured risk register with history
- Control management — All controls in one place
- Multi-framework — ISO 27001, NIS2, GDPR in one system
- Dashboard — Real-time overview for everyone
- Audit trail — Complete traceability
Book a demo and see how easy it is to go from Excel to GRC.
Frequently asked questions
What is a GRC system?
GRC stands for Governance, Risk, Compliance. A GRC system is software that centralises and automates governance, risk management and compliance work — instead of scattered Excel files.
Don't GRC systems cost too much for small businesses?
Modern GRC solutions come at different price points. The cost should be weighed against the time you spend on manual work, risk of errors, and cost of missed compliance. Many have pricing models for SMBs.
Can I use Excel alongside a GRC system?
Yes, a hybrid approach works for the transition. Start with the most critical (e.g. risk management) in the GRC system whilst simpler tasks continue in Excel. Migrate gradually.
How long does it take to migrate from Excel?
It depends on data volume and complexity. Simple setups can be migrated in days-weeks. Complex environments with extensive history can take months. Most GRC systems have import functions.
