Grist - Flexible Spreadsheet... Or Full database?!
November 01, 2021
Grist - Flexible Spreadsheet... Or Full database?!
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Overall Satisfaction with Grist
I am using it in the place where I'd use a comprehensive spreadsheet or database. Generally, it's used by myself only, however, another staff member will use it to check data. It's helping me have the data in small enough sets using the widgets, but also having it all linked in the tables so that I can see or find any info that is needed quickly. In the past, finding and storing this info has been challenging, but has been made simple with Grist. I also use it on a personal level to track mood/health as this impacts on my day to day work also.
- Linked data tables so you can use the info in whatever way you'd like
- Ability to use python to create formulas that get what you need - And support for using python in the user support forum
- Widgets and new pages can help you display the info however it is needed
- Making the user permissions more obvious on how to use them - They are highly adaptable, but hard to understand how to use them
- Small changes such as auto colouring the choices/toggles options and being able to edit them once set.
- Being able to copy the formatting from one column to the next
- Ability to use data across different widgets to manipulate it to easily see (and enter) the data I need to work with often, but still have all the other data there.
- Have the different options for the column types such as number, text, choices, link etc.
- Being online means I can use it wherever I am.
- It's saved a lot of time in both creating an advertising database and managing it week to week effectively. I had previously created in others that haven't worked, and this does, saving me a good 1 hour weekly, and 5 hours or more each time I had problems with the last ones
- Being able to stay on track with this has meant I'm following up at the right time (advertisers) and keeping a professional manner and not losing business due to missed communication
- Saving me $ from buying a program like Access (or Airtable monthly) and then the learning curve that that has. This has a much easier learning curve to say the least.
I still have subscriptions to both of the above and use them sporadically. Infinity is less user friendly in terms of copying data and moving around the tables, entering data using the keyboard only as I tend to do on a spreadsheet. For this reason, I tended to move across to Stackby prior to using Grist instead of using Infinity. Stackby works well, and has some features that are better than Grist (Predominantly the powerups that I use, and integrations that I don't). However, Grist is still a level above in manipulation of data using python (or Excel functions too), the ability to use widgets and the table duplicated in a seperate page.
Do you think Grist delivers good value for the price?
Yes
Are you happy with Grist's feature set?
Yes
Did Grist live up to sales and marketing promises?
Yes
Did implementation of Grist go as expected?
Yes
Would you buy Grist again?
Yes