Why they abandoned Excel: 5 Quality Managers share their experiences (Sames, Eiffage, Novares, JTEKT, SAB Group)

In today's industrial landscape, Excel-dependency is a reality for many, but a hindrance for those aiming for operational excellence. While the spreadsheet remains the ultimate all-purpose tool, it quickly reaches its limits when it comes to managing the complexity, traceability and compliance demanded by modern standards (IATF 16949, EN 9145, ISO 9001).

Information silos, copy-and-paste errors, obsolete versions circulating by email... The "hidden costs" of Excel are measured in wasted hours and risks of non-quality. To understand why manufacturers are taking the plunge into digitalization, we spoke to those who have already done so.

From automotive to energy and general industry, here's why 5 Directors and Quality Managers at Sames, Eiffage, Novares, JTEKT and SAB Group decided to cut the cord with Excel and adopt a dedicated solution like Skill FMEA Pro.

1. Sames: "Target innovation without starting from scratch".

For Eric Jeanne, QSE System Manager at Sames (a specialist in the application of paints and high-viscosity products), the limitation of Excel was felt not so much in the initial analysis, but in the management of the product life cycle.

The main problem with Excel is its static nature. Once the risk analysis has been completed and the product launched, the file often ends up "dead" in a network folder. Yet the life of the product goes on, with its technical modifications and customer feedback.

" Our FMEA software simplifies updates throughout the life of the product, particularly when modifications are made in response to customer non-conformities, which is difficult to do in Excel. Thanks to the centralized management of actions, we are able to monitor them efficiently, without having to exchange e-mails or send manual reminders. What's more, generic FMEAs, which are complex to carry out in Excel, become more accessible via dedicated software. This reduces the number and duration of meetings by focusing solely on new developments, enabling us to target innovation without starting from scratch. " - Eric Jeanne, QSE System Manager, Sames

Skill Software analysis

The Sames testimonial highlights two key functionalities impossible to reproduce effectively in Excel:
1. Centralized Action Workflow: No more scattered action plans in separate files. The software can dynamically link an action to a failure, and automatically restart the drivers.
2. Generics Management: The ability to create "parents" (family FMEAs) who automatically transmit their knowledge to the "children" (specific FMEAs) enables real capitalization of know-how.

👉 To find out more: Discover the complete Sames Success Story

2. Eiffage Énergie Systèmes: "Capitalize to save time on maintenance".

In the maintenance and industrial projects sector, every intervention must be secure and optimized. For Laurent Morisset ofEiffage Énergie Systèmes, the challenge was to structure knowledge so as not to reinvent the wheel with each new contract or project.

Excel encourages the creation of duplicates: each project manager tends to create his own version of the analysis, with his own terminologies. This prevents the company from building a coherent, cross-functional knowledge base.

" The creation of generic subsets that capitalize on previous analyses... This represents a significant time-saver. " - Laurent Morisset, Eiffage Énergie Systèmes.

Skill Software analysis

The abandonment of Excel at Eiffage illustrates the need for Knowledge Management. With dedicated software like Skill FMEA Pro, each analysis enriches a common database. When a new project is launched, teams can "pick and choose" from standardized, pre-validated building blocks. This transforms the FMEA from an administrative constraint into a genuine intellectual asset for the company, drastically reducing the time needed to prepare technical files.

👉 Read the feedback: Success Story Eiffage : Risk management and industrial maintenance

3. Novares: "A customer requirement turned productivity lever"

For Tier 1 automotive suppliers like Novares, the pressure doesn't just come from within, but from OEMs and standards such as IATF 16949. Excel no longer offers the guarantees of robustness demanded by these standards.

Jean-François Chocquet, Core Engineering Manager, explains how an external constraint was transformed into an internal opportunity. Using Excel made updating documents cumbersome and prone to human error (copy-paste, line shifts).

" Customers often impose the use of FMEA software to guarantee rigorous analysis management and reinforce reliability compared with the old Excel files [...]. [...] The obligation to switch to this type of software has therefore not only enabled us to improve quality, but has also favored a more serious and structured approach to projects. Its interface, despite the complexity of the subject, remains simple and ergonomic, which makes it easier to use than other competing solutions that we had found too cumbersome. " - Jean-François Chocquet, Core Engineering Manager, Novares

Skill Software analysis

Here, Novares points the finger at credibility in the eyes of the customer. Presenting a FMEA in Excel during an audit means taking the risk of showing inconsistencies (e.g.: a modified risk rating in the FMEA but not in the Monitoring Plan). Switching to software guarantees data integrity: the structure is imposed, links are locked, and the history is unforgeable. This gives auditors immediate confidence.

👉 Read the case study: Novares: FMEA, the key to compliance and productivity

4. JTEKT: "Halving drafting time".

The argument most often put forward against abandoning Excel is the cost of the software license. However, Karine Ponsot, Methods Assistant at JTEKT (automotive steering systems), demonstrates that the return on investment (ROI) is achieved through massive time savings.

Managing the complexity of AIAG-VDA standards on spreadsheets requires exhausting intellectual and administrative gymnastics. Time spent formatting and checking links between tabs is time wasted on actual technical analysis.

" The use of FMEA software has considerably reduced the time needed to draw up analyses. Where previously an FMEA could take 20 hours, it now takes just 10, thanks to the integration of actions and the centralization of data in a single tool. The software also facilitates the management of actions that may concern several failures. - Karine Ponsot, Methods Assistant, JTEKT

Skill Software analysis

50% productivity gains. That's the figure to remember. This gain can be explained by the automation of low value-added tasks:

- Automatic page layout.
- Propagation of modifications (changing a process name updates all related analyses).
- Automatic generation of deliverables (Monitoring Plan, Flowchart). If you multiply this gain by the number of engineers and projects per year, the cost of the software pays for itself in just a few months.

👉 Detailed analysis: Success Story JTEKT: Reducing risk management lead times

5. SAB Group: "Ensuring consistency between Monitoring Plan and FMEA".

Every quality manager's nightmare is to end up in an audit with a Monitoring Plan that doesn't match the Process FMEA. With Excel, this is almost inevitable: there are two separate files (or two tabs) that need to be updated manually and simultaneously.

For Sandra Nesme, Quality Technician at Groupe SAB, this was the breaking point. Non-quality documentation was generating a risk of major non-conformity.

" We abandoned Excel for FMEA software because the data was too infrequently updated and too inconsistent between documents. The integration of FMEA from the outset of projects and the homogenization of information between the monitoring plan and the FMEA were praised for their effectiveness during an IATF audit. " - Sandra Nesme, SAB Group

Skill Software analysis

This is the concept of Digital Continuity (Digital Thread). In Skill FMEA Pro, the FMEA and the Monitoring Plan are not two documents, but two "views" of the same database. If you modify a critical characteristic in the FMEA, it is updated in the Monitoring Plan. This native synchronization mechanically eliminates the risk of inconsistency, transforming the audit test into a mere formality.

👉 Read the testimonial: SAB Group: Transforming risk management

Why Excel is no longer enough: The summary

Through these 5 testimonials, a clear trend emerges. Abandoning Excel is not a question of "technological trend", but a pragmatic response to three major operational pains:

1. Lost time (Productivity)

As JTEKT shows, Excel is time-consuming. Re-entering data from Flowchart to FMEA, then to Monitoring Plan, then to Job Cards is a waste (Muda) that industry can no longer afford.

- The software answer: the data is captured once and propagated everywhere.

2. The risk of error (Reliability)

The figure is alarming: 73% of errors in FMEAs are due to the use of spreadsheets (formula errors, shifted lines, overwritten versions).

- The software response: A structured database that locks in the method and guarantees the integrity of criticality calculations.

3. The absence of memory (Capitalization)

As pointed out by Eiffage and Sames, Excel creates data graveyards. Knowledge acquired on one project cannot easily be reused on the next.

- The software answer: knowledge libraries and generic FMEAs transform individual experience into collective intelligence.

Ready to calculate your own ROI?

These quality managers have taken the plunge and wouldn't turn back for the world. Are you still hesitating because of the budget?

We've put together a complete guide to help you calculate the cost of your current practices in Excel, and build a solid argument for your management.

Download our White Paper: Leaving Excel for FMEA: The Practical Guide to Convincing Management and Making a Successful Transition

In this guide, you'll find :

- The ROI calculation method
- Detailed Excel vs. Software comparisons
- Key arguments to unlock your 2026 budget

Don't let a spreadsheet limit your quality performance.

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