Most breweries start out using spreadsheets — and with good reason. They’re flexible, familiar, and relatively easy to set up. But as your brewery grows, those spreadsheets can start to pile up. Before long, you’re juggling a dozen tabs, three different versions of the same report, and a tangled web of formulas that only one person on your team knows how to fix.

Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Many breweries end up in what we call “spreadsheet hell.”

Let’s talk about how to avoid it — and what a more modern, scalable solution looks like.

First: How to Keep Your Brewery Spreadsheets from Spiraling Out of Control

While spreadsheets can be powerful, they’re only as good as the systems you put around them. Here are a few tips to keep your data organized and working for you:

Use Consistent File Naming

Disorganized files are a silent productivity killer. Stick to a naming convention like YYYY_MM_ReportType_Version. For example, 2025_04_TankTurns_v1.xlsx. This ensures your team can always find the most recent version — and avoids a graveyard of files named “FINALfinal_USE_THIS_ONE.xlsx.”

Standardize Templates Across Departments

Have consistent spreadsheet formats for things like brew logs, ingredient receipts, and cost tracking. That way, no matter who’s filling it out, the layout and logic stay the same, making it easier to review, compare, and analyze data over time.

Minimize Data Duplication

The more you copy and paste, the more chances for errors. Instead of duplicating data across multiple sheets, link your spreadsheets to pull from a single source of truth. Use tools like Google Sheets’ IMPORTRANGE or Excel’s Power Query to sync key data across files.

Control Access and Track Changes

Not everyone needs full edit access. Set up viewer vs. editor roles, and use version history to track who changed what. This prevents accidental overwrites and lets you roll back if something breaks.

Schedule Regular “Data Hygiene” Sessions

Block out time monthly or quarterly to clean your spreadsheets: remove outdated tabs, fix broken formulas, and archive older versions. Think of it like a deep clean for your brewery’s digital workspace.

Automate Where Possible

Repetitive calculations? Use ARRAYFORMULA, QUERY, or macros to automate them. For recurring reports, consider using built-in dashboards that auto-update with linked data. Less manual work means more time brewing and analyzing, not spreadsheet-wrangling.

But Even the Best Spreadsheet System Has Limits

Let’s be honest — even with the cleanest spreadsheets and best practices, they’re still just that: spreadsheets. Static, fragile, and often a step behind the real-time action happening on your brew floor or in your sales department.

As your brewery scales, data complexity multiplies. Suddenly, you’re asking:

• What’s our beer loss by brand and location last quarter?
• How efficient were our brews this month compared to last?
• Which SKUs are our most profitable across package types?
• Are we staying within our COGS targets week over week?

Answering those questions from spreadsheets means jumping between files, comparing exports, and pulling out a calculator — all while trying to keep up with your production schedule.

Using Brewery Software for Better Data Management

If you’re not a spreadsheet wizard or want an easier way to track your data and easily see opportunities for improvements, brewery software may be the way to go. Brewery software helps breweries break free from the spreadsheet mess.

Using brewery management software, you can easily track:

• • Tank Utilization and Turnover Rates
  • Batch Efficiency and Brew Length
  • Beer Loss Across Brands and Locations
  • Sales Summaries and Trends
  • COGS Analysis and Per-Unit Breakdowns
  • Ingredient Inventory and Usage
  • Raw Materials by Brand
  • Received Ingredient Logs

Built for Humans, Not Just Data Analysts

Even if your team doesn’t live in spreadsheets, brewery software like Beer30 makes it easy to explore data. Click into a sales chart to filter by package type (cans vs. kegs), location, or beer style. Or drill down into ingredient usage to identify patterns that could help optimize your next brew schedule.

“Using [brewery software] gives us the ability to view data in real time, identifying areas of need,” said Nathalie Carisey, President of Kona Brewing Hawaii. “This enables us to quickly pivot and provide immediate responses to emerging issues.”

Final Pour: From Spreadsheets to Smarter Brewing

If your brewery is still juggling half a dozen spreadsheets to get a sense of what’s going on, it might be time to upgrade. Whether you stick with spreadsheets or move toward a software solution, the key is to ensure your data is:

• • Easy to find
  • Easy to understand
  • Easy to act on

Proper data management, whether through spreadsheets or brewery management software, ensures you’re keeping things organized so you can spend less time at the desk and more time making beer.

To learn more about Beer30 and demo the new Command Center, visit GetBeer30.com or shoot the Beer30 team an email at pint@the5thingredient.com.