Allay and spreadsheets
Spreadsheets are free, flexible and familiar. Most grant work starts in one. Here's where they hold up, and where they start to strain.
What they do well
They cost nothing. You already have one.
They bend to anything. Any funder's format, any column you need.
Everyone knows them. No one needs training to open a sheet.
Where they strain
Deadlines live in someone's head. The sheet doesn't remind you a report is due.
Versions multiply. Which "final" is the real one?
Numbers get typed twice. Allocations and claims are re-keyed by hand.
Reports start from scratch. Every quarter, a blank page.
Knowledge leaves with the person. When they move on, so does the why.
Side by side
| Spreadsheet | Allay | |
|---|---|---|
| Deadlines | A tab, or a memory | Every report and claim in one place, with one clear next step |
| Versions | A copy for each person | One place your whole team shares |
| Budget and spending | Copied over from the books | Tracked per grant, alongside QuickBooks Online |
| Claims and reports | Rebuilt by hand each time | On every plan, with Soyo to guide each step |
| When someone leaves | The context goes too | The history stays with the grant |
| Cost | Free | From $15 a month, no seat fees |
When a spreadsheet is enough
If you have one or two simple grants, one person minding them and a report once a year, a good spreadsheet is fine. Keep it. There's no prize for using more software than you need.
You'll know it's time for more when a deadline sneaks up, a claim takes an afternoon, or someone asks "where's the latest version?" Or when a new person takes over and has to ask what everything means.
You don't start over
Allay starts from the spreadsheets you already have. Nothing you've built is wasted. Soyo guides you step by step, in plain words.
Your books stay in QuickBooks Online. Allay works alongside them, and nothing changes there without your OK.
Not ready for that? Try the free report calendar. Add your grants and get every due date for the year. No sign-up.
Bring one sheet
Start with a grant you already track. Soyo will show you the next step.