Research administrators use grant tracking spreadsheets at everywhere from nonprofits and independent research institutes to large, research-intensive universities. They’re easy to set up and sort by names of key personnel, funding agency, agency number, project start and end dates, title, or budget for each grant. But they have drawbacks as well. Let’s look at both the pros and cons of using spreadsheets to track grant funding.
Advantages of grant tracking spreadsheets
Spreadsheets have many advantages, including:
- Affordable solution for small institutions
- Quick to set up
- Easily adaptable to unique situations
- Excellent graphing capabilities
- Standard software tool
Grant tracking spreadsheets work well for tracking a relatively small number of grants (typically less than 20 per year) and for organizations with small administrative budgets. They are ideal for small nonprofits, two-year colleges, liberal arts colleges, departments in primarily undergraduate institutions, and individual research labs. The decision whether to use a spreadsheet is normally based on the number of grants being managed, not the total amount of funding.
Limitations of grant tracking spreadsheets
When you’re managing a lot of grants and proposals, spreadsheets quickly become insufficient. Limitations of spreadsheets include:
- Lack of simultaneous data entry capability
- Limited data validation
- Maintaining multiple versions to meet specialized reporting requirements
- Overcoming security issues when data is stored within a single spreadsheet
- Difficulties when non-tabular formats are needed
- Difficulties in managing multiple key personnel on the same grant
- Difficulties in managing or comparing information that spans multiple years
- Maintaining multiple subtotals when data is re-sorted
- Maintaining consistent internal coding systems to identify funding agencies, etc.
While there is no set number of grants or proposals when a spreadsheet is no longer optimal, institutions must take into consideration the complexity or amount of data being maintained per grant and the total number of grants in relation to the bandwidth of a single administrator. In addition, when large numbers of grants are involved, maintaining data integrity and keeping multiple versions up to date can become problematic.
Alternatives to spreadsheets
Administrators of larger organizations commonly use research administration software to overcome the shortcomings of grant tracking spreadsheets. Today, most grant management systems are cloud-based and can be simultaneously accessed by multiple administrators. When compared to spreadsheets, they provide superior functionality by maintaining data integrity and include features such as data validation systems, options for simultaneous data access, internal security systems, and numerous report formats.
Many institutions have turned to Cayuse for a more robust tracking solution. We have been providing grants management software for administrators at research organizations since 1994. Our solutions are flexible, scalable, and have been designed based on specific needs of administrators at leading research organizations. Members of our implementation team also bring substantial experience managing grants. For more information about our grant tracking solutions, contact us today.
