Audits in Excel – or with audit software?
Most QM teams start with Excel and Word – and that works for a surprisingly long time. Here you can read, plainly, where Excel is enough in audit management, where it breaks and how to switch without disruption: Excel import in, Excel export out.
Nine points in direct comparison
| Topic | Excel / Word | Audit software (IMS-Audit Cloud) |
|---|---|---|
| Audit programme / annual plan | One spreadsheet per year, maintained by hand; rescheduling has to be carried through everywhere | Annual and Gantt views, move dates with a click, everyone involved sees the same status |
| Conducting audits on site | Laptop or printout, typed up later; photos and notes live elsewhere | Rate directly in the question catalogue on a tablet, record findings immediately; without a network, work offline via Excel and re-import |
| Actions & deadlines | Separate list, reminders by hand; overdue items are only noticed at the next glance | Actions directly from findings, owners and deadlines, automatic e-mail escalation, effectiveness checks |
| Several editors | File locks, copies named “_v2_final”, version conflicts | Work simultaneously as a team, everyone on the same status in real time; roles and permissions per person |
| History & evidence | Who changed what and when? Only traceable with discipline | Field-level change tracking, year-on-year comparison question by question with trend arrows |
| Reports | Compiled by hand, layout differs from colleague to colleague | PDF reports in your corporate design straight from the data, dashboards with key figures for management |
| Several plants / sites | One file per site – or one very large one | Multi-site: plants, sites and departments cleanly separated in one licence |
| Multiple languages | One column per language, translated by hand | Interface in 7 languages, multilingual catalogues, audit answers translated automatically (DeepL integration) |
| Cost | Licence usually already there; hidden cost = working time for upkeep and coordination | From €49 per user per month (net), all modules included, no set-up fee |
When Excel is perfectly sufficient
- You carry out only a few audits a year and one person maintains everything alone
- A single site, no external participants, no multilingual requirements
- Actions are manageable and are followed up in meetings anyway
- Certification does not require a complete change history per field
When it is time for software
- Several auditors or sites work in parallel – file copies and version status become a problem
- Actions get lost: deadlines pass, nobody sends reminders automatically
- In the certification audit, gathering evidence costs hours every time
- You need proof of effectiveness against the previous year – question by question, not from memory
- Suppliers, auditees or management should be involved in a targeted way
- Reports and key figures should be produced without manual work
From Excel to the cloud – without disruption
Import master data
People and processes come into the cloud via Excel import – your existing lists are the starting point.
Bring over question catalogues
Import proven checklists and catalogues via Excel; standard catalogues are available ready-made (sold separately).
First audit the same day
No implementation project: ready to use in minutes – create an audit, choose a catalogue, get going.
Excel remains your tool
Export evaluations as Excel/CSV at any time – and when there is no network, audits can be carried out offline via Excel and re-imported.
Find out more: Import & export via Excel · Planning & conducting audits
Excel and audit software
Can I bring over my existing Excel lists?
Yes. You import master data such as people and processes as well as your own question catalogues into IMS-Audit Cloud via Excel. Evaluations can be exported again as Excel/CSV at any time.
Does audit software also work without internet on site?
IMS-Audit Cloud runs in the browser. If there is no network in the plant, you carry out the audit offline via Excel and import the results back afterwards – so the history remains complete.
Is software worthwhile with only a few audits a year?
The fewer audits, the more action tracking and evidence count: that is exactly where Excel costs the most time. At €49 per user per month (net), getting started is manageable for a small QM team – all modules included, no set-up fee.
How long does implementation take?
No project: access at yourcompany.ims-audit.de, import master data and catalogues via Excel – the first audit is possible the same day. We give a personal introduction in an appointment, based on your own topics.
Read on: What does audit software cost? · Selection checklist
Bring your Excel list with you.
In an appointment we show you how your existing catalogues and master data look in IMS-Audit Cloud – using your real topics.