TermSignals vs Spreadsheets
Spreadsheets are free and flexible—but they don't send reminders. Here's when it makes sense to switch to dedicated contract tracking software.
📊 Spreadsheets are best when...
- • You have fewer than 10 contracts
- • One person manages everything
- • You're very disciplined about checking regularly
- • Budget is extremely tight
✨ TermSignals is best when...
- • You've already missed a renewal deadline
- • Multiple people need visibility
- • You want automated reminders
- • Contracts have significant financial impact
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Spreadsheets | TermSignals |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic reminders | Manual calendar entries | ✓ Automated email alerts at 90/60/30 days |
| Notice deadline calculation | Manual formula (error-prone) | ✓ Automatic calculation |
| Document storage | Separate folder/drive | ✓ Attached to each contract |
| Team collaboration | Version conflicts, overwrites | ✓ Real-time multi-user access |
| Renewal calendar view | Requires pivot tables/charts | ✓ Built-in calendar view |
| Setup time | Hours (formulas, formatting) | ✓ Minutes |
| Cost | ✓ Free (if you have Office/Google) | Starting at $19/month |
| Customization | ✓ Unlimited (if you know formulas) | Focused on contract tracking |
The Real Problem with Spreadsheets
Spreadsheets are great tools. The problem isn't the spreadsheet itself—it's that spreadsheets don't do anything on their own.
A contract renewal date sitting in cell D14 won't send you an email. It won't pop up on your calendar. It won't tap you on the shoulder 60 days before the notice deadline.
For spreadsheet-based tracking to work, you need to:
- Remember to check the spreadsheet regularly
- Manually create calendar reminders for each contract
- Update everything when dates change
- Hope nobody accidentally deletes or overwrites data
Most teams start with a spreadsheet, and it works fine for a while. Then one day, someone notices a $5,000 charge for a tool nobody uses anymore. The spreadsheet had the date—but nobody looked at it in time.
The Math: Is $19/Month Worth It?
TermSignals Starter plan costs $19/month ($228/year).
The average unwanted auto-renewal costs businesses $2,000-$10,000.
If TermSignals prevents just one missed renewal in a year, it pays for itself 10-40x over.
10-40x
ROI from preventing one missed renewal
Ready to upgrade from spreadsheets?
Import your contracts in minutes. Get your first automated reminder within 24 hours.