Spreadsheets vs Software for Running a Pottery Studio
Not every studio needs software. Plenty run happily for years on a shared spreadsheet, a whiteboard and good habits. The trick is knowing when that stops working.
When a spreadsheet is enough
A spreadsheet is a sensible choice when:
- You have a small number of members, such as a few dozen.
- One or two people run the studio and keep the records.
- You fire one kiln on a regular schedule.
- Payments are collected simply, such as a monthly transfer.
- Members rarely ask where their work is.
It is free, flexible and you know how it works.
Signs you have outgrown it
Check how many of these sound familiar.
- You are the only person who understands the spreadsheet.
- Members ask where their work is, several times a week.
- You chase payments by hand.
- Class waitlists live in your inbox or notebook.
- Two people edit the sheet and overwrite each other.
- You have more than one spreadsheet for the same thing.
- You spend more than a few hours a week on admin.
- You hesitate to add a class because of the paperwork.
- You cannot say what a firing costs you.
If you ticked three or more, it is worth looking at software. See pottery studio management software compared.
What a spreadsheet does well
- Firing logs. See our kiln log template.
- Inventory of clay and glaze.
- Cost and pricing calculations.
- Simple member lists.
What it does badly
- Notifying members when work is ready
- Collecting recurring payments
- Handling a waitlist fairly
- Letting members see their own data without seeing everyone else's
- Working from many devices without conflicts
A starter layout
If you start with a spreadsheet, keep it simple. One workbook, a few tabs.
| Tab | Columns |
|---|---|
| Members | Name, contact, plan, start date, renewal date, notes |
| Pieces | Member, description, stage, location, date moved |
| Firings | Date, type, cone, pieces, total, fee |
| Payments | Date, member, amount, reason, paid |
| Classes | Course, date, student, status, waitlist position |
Protect formulas, back it up weekly and write down how it works so someone else can take over.
Plan the switch
When you do move to software:
- Clean your data first.
- Start with the one problem that hurts most.
- Run both for a month.
- Tell your members before you switch.
- Make sure you can export data again.
Tell us what you need
If a spreadsheet is holding you back, tell us what the missing piece is. We provide studio tools for firing, memberships, booking and more, and we tailor them to how your studio runs.