Excel at the London 2012 Olympics
Yes, an Excel spreadsheet can do all kinds of magical things, and you can push it well beyond its expected limits. But, you also have to know when to quit pushing.
In an article in today’s Register, the author, Kelly Fiveash, has uncovered a job advertisement for someone to manage the London 2012 Olympics “Cultural Olympiad” events. And the database they’re using is Excel.
The majority of the Team & Database Administrators work will be to work with the Senior Operations Manager, and Business Manager, in management of the central cultural events database (held in excel).
That can’t be good! You can read Kelly’s article here:
Entire London 2012 Olympics’ cultural events database held on Excel
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Though I’m a huge Excel fan and work in sport business, I too had the same reaction you did – Yikes!
Also, the LOCOG spokesman seems to be missing the point. Data security is important, sure, but Excel’s use as a “database” is the problem (one just has to look at DSUM and its friends to know that). He does make one truism – “spreadsheets are a common corporate tool” that ARE used as primary databases all too often.
Hey, maybe they have a slick PowerPivot system going. That would be better, though, sadly, I doubt that’s the case.
David, I hope you’re right about the PowerPivot system, but it’s probably an Excel 2003 file, with no fancy features. With luck, they have a backup copy somewhere!