Excel is not a documentation or testing tool

I have seen this coming up in multiple places and wanted to make my own comment. While Excel and spreadsheets in general are fine tools, they are NOT documentation or testing tools. I know it's become the norm to create test cases and even test plans and publish them as spreadsheets so they are easily shared. But to be honest, it pains me to no end. Excel is fine for making a basic checklist, or listing ticket numbers associated with a project and handing it over to the client to or to someone in the business so they can check the progress at a glance, but using it to store API data, SQL queries, write elaborate steps that someone should follow to perform an action, color coding dozens of columns, creating dozens of sheets filled to the gills with test permutations, or using it to backlog tickets, sends me into a terrible frenzy. Simply put, there are far better tools […]