OnePlan vs Excel
OnePlan vs Excel: It's Time to Graduate from Spreadsheets
You know the drill. Another budget cycle, another 15 spreadsheets to merge. Another formula break that takes hours to find. Another version control nightmare. Excel is where finance careers began—but it's not where modern FP&A should live. Here's an honest comparison.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | OnePlan | Excel |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose-built for FP&A | ||
| Team collaboration on one model | Limited (365) | |
| Multi-entity consolidation | ||
| Version control | ||
| AI that understands the model | ✓ Aurora | ✗ (or Copilot) |
| Approval record (who approved what) | ||
| Role-based access | ||
| Learning curve | Low | None |
| Upfront cost | Paid | Free (or M365) |
| Hidden costs (time, errors) | Low | High |
Detailed Feature Comparison
Pricing Comparison
Excel is free (or included in Microsoft 365), but its real cost is the time your team spends merging files, chasing formula errors and reconciling versions. OnePlan puts that work into a single model. Ask us for a proposal for your case.
When to Choose OnePlan
- Budget cycles take more than 2 weeks
- You're merging spreadsheets from multiple departments
- Formula errors have embarrassed you in board meetings
- Version control is a constant headache
- You spend more time on data than analysis
- Your company has grown past 20 employees
When Excel Might Be Better
Excel is universal, free, and infinitely flexible. For very simple use cases, it's hard to beat.
- You're a solo founder tracking personal finances
- Your planning is simple (single entity, few drivers)
- You have no collaboration needs
- You genuinely enjoy building spreadsheets (we won't judge)
Final Verdict
Excel will always have a place in finance. But if you're spending more time managing spreadsheets than making strategic decisions, OnePlan gives you that time back, with one version of the numbers.