For the longest time, it seemed like most software designed to create and organize spreadsheets was the perfect solution across the entirety of industry. However, where government agencies are concerned, there are more restrictions and some of that software is not allowed to be used in certain agencies. Keep reading to find out why a lot of spreadsheet software does not work for most government agencies as well as what the software companies can do to make improvements.
Security Issues
While it seems that most spreadsheet software is decently secure, there are still way too many holes in the software to be considered secure enough to use for most government agencies. Many government agencies deal with sensitive, highly classified documents that have no business being seen by the wrong person. Since a data breach is very likely, many programs, such as Smartsheet, would leave such agencies susceptible to the hackers that caused the breach. Smartsheet competitors might have an easier time beefing up security, but they would have to go through some rigorous testing before they would even be considered.
Incompatibility With Other Programs
Not all software programs like to play nice with each other. Because most of the software that government agencies use is full of alterations and extra security measures, there may be some things that get lost in translation once a new software is thrown into the mix. There may be some issues with the new software, where it does not want to share information with the existing software. Because of this, there will need to be a trial period. If the software turns out to be incompatible, the search will have to continue until a compatible software is found.
Lack of Good Storage and Support
A lot of software programs have a suite they are connected to or a cloud drive where all of the files created in the software are stored. However, because of the nature of the information, government agencies would need a more regulated, secure method of file storage so they could be assured that their files could not be accessed by just anyone that has access to the cloud drive. However, because non-government businesses and individuals benefit from having easily accessible files, that sort of thing is not prioritized, and anything that is created for the purpose of having more restricted access might not come included and may even have an extra cost attached to it.
In terms of support, the tech support available for spreadsheet software programs is not that stellar. Not to mention that virtually every interaction is recorded, and some of them may need to take remote control of your computer. If you are a member of a government agency, you do not want them to have such accessibility.
While it makes sense for most spreadsheet software to be user-friendly and easily accessible, there are things to take into consideration where the government is concerned. Keep this article in mind if you are ever looking into spreadsheet software for your government agency, and make sure that you get the safest, most secure and compatible software on the market.
