Knowledge base / Renewals and deadlines

Renewal tracking: when a spreadsheet stops being enough

The warning signs that your renewal spreadsheet is putting the business at risk, and what to look for in a replacement.

Spreadsheets are a good start

A renewal spreadsheet is free, familiar and quick to set up. For a handful of items managed by one person, it can be all you need. The free renewal tracker is a good template for that stage.

Warning signs it is no longer enough

• You have found out about a lapsed licence, policy or domain after the fact.
• Only one person knows the spreadsheet exists, or how it works.
• Certificates and contracts live in email attachments and different folders.
• Several copies of the file exist and nobody is sure which is current.
• An insurer, auditor or client asked for proof and it took hours to assemble.

What to look for in a replacement

• Reminders to the responsible person, several times before each due date, and again if it becomes overdue.
• Documents stored with each renewal, with the previous versions kept.
• One click to record a renewal and roll the due date forward.
• Team access with roles, including view-only access for an accountant.
• Easy import from your spreadsheet and full export, so you are never locked in.
• A simple report of what is overdue, due soon and expired.

Moving over without losing anything

Keep the column names from the template, export your spreadsheet as CSV and import it. Then upload the current certificate for each item and set an owner. Most small teams are done in an afternoon.