Excel served us well for decades. But security estimating has evolved beyond what spreadsheets can handle. See why integrators are making the switch.
Excel is familiar, flexible, and "free." Most integrators have years of templates and workflows built around spreadsheets. Here's what we hear:
Years of refinement, familiar formulas, customized workflows
Part of Office 365, no additional software cost
Total flexibility to build whatever I need
All valid points. But here's what Excel can't do...
| Feature | Excel | DesignRight.ai |
|---|---|---|
| Product database | Manual entry Copy-paste from spec sheets | 195K+ products Searchable with specs |
| Pricing accuracy | When last updated Outdated price lists | Real-time verified Updated from distributors |
| Labor calculation | Manual formulas Fixed rates, no regional data | BLS regional rates Equipment-specific times |
| Proposal generation | Separate Word doc Copy-paste from spreadsheet | One-click generation Professional templates |
| Scope of work | Manual writing Template copy-paste | AI-generated Project-specific language |
| Client signatures | PDF + DocuSign Multiple tools needed | Built-in e-signature Send directly from platform |
| NDAA compliance | Manual research Check each manufacturer | Automatic filtering Products tagged by compliance |
| Collaboration | File sharing Email attachments, version conflicts | Real-time access Team-wide visibility |
| Pipeline tracking | Separate CRM Manual data entry | Integrated Kanban Automatic pipeline updates |
Excel is "free" but the real costs add up fast
From outdated pricing and labor underestimates
On manual data entry and document creation
Competitors respond faster with better proposals
Accidentally bidding banned products
You don't have to abandon your Excel data. Import it.
Export your existing price lists and product data from Excel
Our import tool maps your columns to our database
Your custom pricing plus our 195K+ product database
Try DesignRight.ai free for 7 days. You won't be charged until day 8 — cancel anytime.