Leave requests
Spreadsheets
Status is spread across files and messages
BaanHR
Status, approver and history stay in one system
Comparison
BaanHR vs Excel for HR teams that want fewer repetitive tasks
Spreadsheets are useful at the start, but growing teams need status, access controls, approvals and history they can review.
Time and OT
Spreadsheets
Data comes from many places
BaanHR
Attendance, OT and payroll preparation connect
Data access
Spreadsheets
Hard to protect once files are shared
BaanHR
Data follows user access
Mobile and LINE
Spreadsheets
Needs separate channels
BaanHR
Employees use mobile and LINE ESS
Decision frame
When communication tools stop being enough for HR
The key question is not whether spreadsheets or chat are useful. They are. The question is which HR work now needs ownership, permissions, searchable history and a clear final record.
Status becomes visible without asking in chat.
Access follows roles instead of copied files.
Payroll preparation uses reviewed attendance, OT and leave data.
Employees can use mobile and LINE while HR keeps structured records.
Migration steps
Move without forcing the whole company to change at once
01
Choose one time-consuming HR task first
Keep the old process visible until the new trusted record is accepted.
02
Organize the spreadsheet or chat process you use today
Keep the old process visible until the new trusted record is accepted.
03
Import the first employee and request data
Keep the old process visible until the new trusted record is accepted.
04
Run HR and manager review in parallel for one cycle
Keep the old process visible until the new trusted record is accepted.
05
Make BaanHR the trusted HR record after the team is comfortable
Keep the old process visible until the new trusted record is accepted.
Readiness scorecard
Five checks before deciding what should move into BaanHR
A good comparison is not only about features. It should reveal where HR work has become operational data that the company must protect, review and reuse.
01
Clear final HR record
Can HR answer which record is final without comparing a spreadsheet, a chat thread and a manager message? If the answer is no, the process needs a clear system owner.
02
Approval evidence
Can the team see who approved, rejected or changed a request, including the time and reason? HR work that affects pay or compliance should leave an audit trail.
03
Employee self-service
Can employees check their own balance, payslip, request status or profile details without sending a new message to HR?
04
Permission control
Can sensitive data stay visible only to the right employee, manager, payroll user or admin after files and messages are shared?
05
Payroll impact
Can approved leave, attendance and OT flow into pay review without repeated entry at the end of the month?
What can still stay in Spreadsheets
Old tools can remain useful when the work is temporary, low-risk and not the official employee record.
- Ad-hoc analysis and quick exports
- One-time planning before the process is official
- Light team communication that does not contain private HR data
What should move into BaanHR
Move the HR process when it needs ownership, permission, approval evidence and reusable data for payroll, compliance or management reporting.
- Requests that need status and approver history
- Private employee, payroll and payslip data
- Attendance, OT and leave data used before payroll closing
See the decision in real HR processes
Decision questions
Review these questions with HR, payroll, managers and one employee group before switching the process. The goal is not to remove Spreadsheets from every task, but to make sure official HR records, approvals and private data live where the company can protect and audit them.
When should HR move away from spreadsheets?
When leave, time, OT, payroll or approval status is spread across files and hard to audit.
Can HR still export data?
Yes. Spreadsheets can still be useful for analysis, while the system keeps source data, access and history controlled.
Do teams need to migrate everything at once?
No. Many teams start with leave, attendance or LINE ESS before expanding to payroll and dashboards.