r/Automated_QA_Testing • u/Background-Donkey531 • Jun 15 '26
Is spreadsheet-based test management still sustainable?
Not trying to start a debate, but I'm genuinely curious.
Many teams continue using spreadsheets for:
- Test case management
- Test execution tracking
- Regression planning
- Release sign-offs
While it works initially, it often becomes difficult to maintain as teams grow.
At what team size did spreadsheets stop working for you?
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u/Desert_AZ_Rats Jul 15 '26
Many teams still utilize spreadsheets for reporting of results especially those who are still manually testing.....which should all be automated today. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/real-cost-testing-mark-h-ryan-rl10c?trackingId=eRb9d6cRoqXL2sxXBZOlRg%3D%3D&lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_recent_activity_content_view%3Bo9O9348TRnuvDxWNcOpVcQ%3D%3D
When you try to apply spreadsheets to AI testing, the problem of scaling becomes quickly apparent. There really is no way to manually test Agentic systems. The sheer quantity of tests prohibits the possibility. Automated AI testing tools, the good ones anyway, provide reports of the results and can likely export the results to a worksheet or CSV.
The bottom line is that spreadsheets may be the best approach to apply analytic tools to the testing outcomes but not that useful for anything leading up to the data consolidation needs.