Six Years in Excel
Priya Menon has been the head administrator at Lotus International School, Kochi, since 2018. For six years she managed everything in 23 interconnected Excel files. She knew every formula and every hidden dependency.
The Problem That Tipped the Balance
In February 2024, a formula error in the fee master sheet caused invoices for 47 students to show incorrect amounts. Correcting it took two days. I knew the system was fragile, Priya says. That incident made it undeniable.
Three Months In
When a parent asks about their fee balance, I click one button. In Excel I would have to open the master sheet, find the student, scroll to the right column, and hope I was reading the right row.
The Fee Reconciliation Revelation
The first month I ran the fee reconciliation in BatchBoard it took 12 minutes. My Excel reconciliation used to take me a full day and I would still find discrepancies.
Would She Go Back?
Not a chance. I miss knowing exactly where everything was, that sense of control. But I was confusing familiarity with reliability. They are not the same thing.