INV3NTORY vs Spreadsheets
Most shop owners start with a spreadsheet — and honestly, for a small range it works. A spreadsheet is free, flexible, and you already know how to use it. The problem isn’t spreadsheets; it’s what happens when your range passes a few hundred products and the sheet stops being updated.
A spreadsheet only knows what you type into it. It doesn’t know what sold today, it can’t warn you you’re about to run out of your best seller, and the moment you skip one update after a busy Saturday, every number in it is fiction. Here’s the honest comparison.
| Spreadsheets | INV3NTORY | |
|---|---|---|
| Stock levels update when something sells | No — manual entry only | Yes — syncs with Square, Zettle, Lightspeed & EPOS Now |
| Low-stock alerts before you run out | No (formulas possible, but nothing notifies you) | Yes — automatic alerts by email |
| Barcode scanning for deliveries & counts | No | Yes — scan with your phone camera |
| Margin & profit per product | Only if you build and maintain the formulas | Built in, calculated automatically |
| Waste tracking | Separate sheet, manual | Built in, with reports |
| Works on your phone behind the till | Painful on small screens | Designed for it |
| Multiple staff updating at once | Risky — overwrites and version chaos | Yes, with per-person roles |
| Cost | Free | Free 14-day trial, then a monthly subscription |
Where spreadsheets genuinely win
Fair is fair: if you stock under ~100 products, rarely change your range, and have one person doing the ordering, a well-kept spreadsheet costs nothing and does the job. Spreadsheets are also unbeatable for one-off analysis — that’s why INV3NTORY lets you export your data to CSV any time, so you never lose that flexibility.
Where they break down
The spreadsheet fails the day it stops being updated — and in a real shop that day always comes, usually during your busiest week, which is exactly when you most need accurate numbers. Stock software earns its subscription by removing the typing: when your till records a sale, your stock count changes by itself. The number on the screen is the number on the shelf.
The second failure is silence. A spreadsheet never taps you on the shoulder. INV3NTORY emails you when your fastest sellers drop below the minimum you set, so you order before the shelf goes empty, not after a customer asks.
The switch is smaller than you think
If your stock is already in a spreadsheet, you’re most of the way there: INV3NTORY imports your product list from CSV in minutes, and exports back to CSV whenever you want. Connect your till once, and the manual typing ends that day.
Common questions
Can I import my existing spreadsheet into INV3NTORY?
Yes. Export your sheet as CSV and import it directly — product names, barcodes, prices, cost prices, and quantities come across in one go.
When does it make sense to stay on a spreadsheet?
If you stock under about 100 products, your range rarely changes, and one person does all the ordering, a disciplined spreadsheet is fine. Past that, the time spent retyping usually costs more than software.
Can I still get my data out as a spreadsheet?
Always. Every product list and report exports to CSV, so you are never locked in.