There is little question that Excel is at least pretty close to the worst possible choice. It literally started as 'some quick calculations', then more calcs, then a list of parts tied to the calcs...then a part number generator.....then a parts list with over 3,000 parts from screws to CNC parts to resistors......then a cost estimator.....then a time estimator.....then an assembly reference......on and on and on.
This is a patchwork of efforts designed to get me to the next day and it ballooned out of control. I made a failed attempt at migrating to some manufacturing software but it was only about the process and it defined a way of working that I could not deal with. So the spreadsheets grew and grew.....until today where the whole thing is hanging on by a thread. The only long-term solution is for me to start developing in Filemaker PRO which can easily do all of this stuff ....supporting design level data to sales and contacts. It just can't happen before I need to do a lot more design, testing, assembly, purchasing etc.
The business is only myself full time and my wife is part time so clearly are a limited resource endeavor. We are managing many hundreds of parts, dozens of vendors, 10 products, about 500 customers in addition to design, test, assembly, sales, website, webstore, marketing, trade shows and periodically - a short nap :-)
At this point - I would do nearly anything to bail on Excel, but it is not so easy to do so. Python is my closest option for quick and dirty data processing - but then I have yet another secret step in the process that is already piled high with little 'helper' scripts and band-aids. At least keeping things in Excel means I do not have to remember much the next time I have a new design completed.
Tough choices, I am almost a 'real' business. Just a few more nights and weekends (I have been saying that for a bit too long, lol)