Spreadsheet and calendar reminders: when they stop being enough
CSV template included.
Let's be honest: a spreadsheet with a column of dates, plus a few calendar reminders, is how most small businesses track renewals. It costs nothing and everyone knows how to use it. For a short list looked after by one careful person, it works.
Where the spreadsheet works
- Fewer than about ten items
- One person who checks it every month without fail
- Renewals that are cheap and easy to fix if missed
Where it starts to slip
Nobody opens it. A spreadsheet doesn't remind you. You remind yourself to look at it.
Calendar reminders fire once. Click dismiss on a busy morning and that's the only warning you get.
It lives with one person. When they're on leave or leave the company, so does the knowledge.
Dates don't roll forward. After renewing, someone has to remember to change the date and set next year's reminder.
Documents are elsewhere. The spreadsheet says the policy expires in June. The policy itself is in somebody's inbox.
No history. You can't easily see who changed a date, or when.
The cost of a miss
Depending on the item, a lapse can mean late fees, a gap in insurance cover, a vehicle that can't legally be driven, a contract that auto-renews at a higher price, or a staff member who can't work until their license is reinstated. One avoided miss often pays for a year of software.
What switching looks like
- Download our CSV template.
- Copy your columns across: item name, type, expiry date, owner.
- Import, check the preview, confirm.
- Set your reminder schedule once for everything, or per item.
- Upload documents as you go, or let AI read them for dates on Starter.
Keep the spreadsheet if
It's genuinely working, your list is short and one reliable person owns it. Our Free plan is still worth a look for 15 items, because the reminders keep going until you mark something done.
FAQ
Should I delete the spreadsheet after importing?
Keep it as an archive if you like. Just stop updating it, so there's only one list people trust.