Spreadsheets have long been the default tool for managing projects, budgets, and processes. They are familiar, flexible, and widely available. But as companies grow, the cracks in spreadsheets become impossible to ignore. Teams lose track of versions, formulas break, and updates lag behind reality. Instead of creating clarity, spreadsheets create confusion—and employees end up spending more time managing the tool than managing the work.
This is why organizations are moving toward unified project management tools. Unlike spreadsheets, these platforms don’t just store data; they connect tasks, communication, scheduling, and knowledge into a system that reflects the way teams actually work. Lark exemplifies this shift. By centralizing workflows into one real-time environment, it transforms how teams manage complexity, scale, and accountability.
Lark Base: replacing scattered sheets with connected workflows
The biggest weakness of spreadsheets is fragmentation. Different departments create their own files, and soon the organization is juggling dozens of versions of “the truth.” Inconsistent data makes alignment nearly impossible.
Lark Base solves this by offering a single database where workflows are connected. Teams can build views that fit their needs—Kanban boards, tables, or timelines—but all pull from the same data. Updates are visible instantly, eliminating the chaos of version mismatches. Automation features allow repetitive tasks, such as reminders or status updates, to run without manual effort.
This approach reflects the discipline of business process management software, where visibility and consistency replace disconnected, error-prone systems. For businesses accustomed to spreadsheet sprawl, Base provides the structure needed to scale without losing accuracy.
Lark Docs: keeping knowledge current and accessible
Spreadsheets frequently become the garage of information—process notes, project briefs, even training materials. This often leads to confusion because when it is trapped in cells and tabs, it can be difficult to locate or update important knowledge.
Lark Docs provides a better solution. Team members edit content simultaneously in real time, thus there is no confusion about whose version is current. Every report, plan, and policy is available as a single source of truth for the whole organization. For long-term reference, Docs can be organized in Wiki view, which turns documents into searchable knowledge bases with the embeddable links and files available for context. With this, employees have better access to the information they need, rather than sorting through outdated email threads or spreadsheets.
Separating structured data (in Base) from knowledge content (in Docs) keeps information organized and appropriate for its purpose.
Lark Calendar: connecting timelines to actual work
Updating project timelines in a spreadsheet can be one of the most frustrating aspects of project management. Dates can get typed into cells, but if anything changes, there will be no automatic way for tasks to translate to cunningly innovative programs. Teams essentially have a fixed chart that quickly becomes out of sync with reality!
With Lark Calendar, scheduling is linked to tasks and projects directly, with deadlines rolling into calendars automatically, providing reminders to keep deadlines visible. Teams will see their timelines and schedules but will also see how things line up with their colleagues. Calendar represents a distinct alternative to managing timelines in a spreadsheet- instead of putting manual updates into the spreadsheet and hoping for the best, managers trust Calendar to represent the actual worldview of the projects in real time. Keeping timelines accurate is a huge step forward for organizations saying goodbye to spreadsheets, helping make time management dynamic and accurate instead of static and highly error-prone.
Lark Messenger: reducing miscommunication hidden in rows and comments
Often, spreadsheets are attempting to act as communication tools too. Comments located in cells or color-coded notes scattered across multiple tabs can confuse teams trying to follow a conversation or link discussions back to a definite outcomes.
Lark Messenger offers a structured alternative, that provides clarity and direction. Teams conduct conversations through threads, can pin significant updates, and convert chat requests into tasks. Messenger is connected to all things Docs, Base, and Calendar so conversations are linked to the work itself. Where teams would spend time deciphering comments buried in a spreadsheet, they can easily take action and have clarity on Messenger.
Lark Tasks: clarifying ownership beyond rows and checkboxes
Spreadsheets may have lists of tasks, but they can’t track accountability. A row labeled “in progress” shows that something is being worked on but not who owns the work. Managers often spend more time chasing updates than seeing progress.
Lark Tasks allows accountability to be front-and-center. Tasks are assigned and automatically tracked (the due date and status). Reports appear automatically so that you don’t have to consistently follow up on status every time you see a team member (and you shouldn’t need to). Apart from clicking the Task tab to create a new one, you can also create tasks directly from the Messenger or Docs menu items, where responsibility grows naturally from a conversation or content.
For teams used to task lists appearing vague in spreadsheets or as a list, Tasks’ visibility should drive their project forward.
Lark Meetings: turning decisions into lasting records
Spreadsheets fall short in another key area as well: capturing decisions. Updates to projects are often mentioned in casual conversation and they usually go unrecorded unless someone takes the time to enter them into a file. Remote and hybrid teams are at even higher risk of losing context, given that absent team members miss the nuance of the conversation.
Lark Meetings makes it easy to get decisions captured and shared. Meeting schedules are integrated through Calendar with agendas and follow-up items generated automatically in notes, transcripts, and action items that are completed after the meeting. These meeting artifacts are stored directly in Docs and can be shared in Messenger. Email tasks that are created during the meeting means that team members receive follow-up on what they take responsibility for. Instead of being detached or lost, decisions remain documented, visible, and actionable.
Conclusion
Spreadsheets are powerful tools, but they were never designed to be full workflow systems. As companies grow, the risks of relying on them—version conflicts, manual errors, missing accountability, and communication breakdowns—become too costly. High-performing teams need tools that centralize data, automate updates, and connect every part of the workflow.
Lark delivers exactly that. Base replaces fragmented sheets with connected workflows, Docs and Wiki keep knowledge current, Calendar ensures timelines reflect reality, Messenger anchors communication, Tasks make ownership explicit, and Meetings preserve decisions. Together, these features offer the clarity and reliability spreadsheets cannot.
