the ArchieFile - Compare

Database Solutions for your Business

Spreadsheet vs. Custom Web Database Application

Online Features	Spreadsheet	Web Database Application
Available anytime, anywhere with a web browser
No software to install
Look and feel of a spreadsheet
No technical skills required
Supports many simultaneous users
Custom views of data
User controlled access
Security Features	Spreadsheet	Web Database Application
Encrypted, password-protected
Each record tagged with it's author/editor/date/time
Automated Features	Spreadsheet	Web Database Application
Up-to-the-minute stats
Color-coding (e.g. overdue = red)
Integrated Google Maps
Multiple, staggered backup files
Program new features or alter existing ones
Spreadsheet Features	Spreadsheet	Web Database Application
Import/Export data from/to Excel
Highly scalable
Data validation
Sorts and filters
Charts
Database Features	Spreadsheet	Web Database Application
Add/Delete/Update data with validation
User defined data searching
Database enabled
International Features	Spreadsheet	Web Database Application
Number/Date formats automatically managed
Multi-currency, multi-language

Obsolete claims against Web Database Applications:

Claim: Performance can lag when not only DATA, but an entire interface must download for each action taken by a user.
Fact: Web development techniques (e.g. AJAX) now allow a web application to avoid such unnecessary downloading thus making application performance robust and the user experience much more 'seamless'.
Claim: Offline use is often desirable but not possible with a web based application.
Fact: This may have been an issue prior to the widespread availability and use of always-on, broadband internet access, but is no longer so. The rise of web-enabled mobile devices has made web based applications more appealing than ever.

It's also worth noting that browsers themselves are becoming more powerful and feature rich. Since a web based application runs in your browser, all of the browser's features (e.g. spell check, multi-lingual support, auto form-fill, to name a few) are available to you as you use the web based application.