If you’re a freelancer, you’ve probably done this: opened a fresh spreadsheet, color-coded your tasks, added some deadlines, and felt mildly in control. It’s a decent start, but when it comes to real process management – tracking feedback, approvals, and shifting priorities, spreadsheets quickly fall short.
Spreadsheets have been the go-to solution for decades, mainly because they’re accessible, customizable, and familiar. From tracking client tasks, invoices, revisions, to-do lists, and delivery timelines, they can do a lot. But we think – they weren’t built for creative workflows.
You’re not managing a corporate budget. You’re building campaigns, editing videos, juggling client feedback, and trying to stay creatively sane while meeting deadlines. That’s a very different job, and it needs a workflow that actually works for you.
So, here’s the real question:
Do creative professionals really need to spend time managing cells, formulas, and color-coded rows and columns?
We don’t think so. And that’s why we built ButtonShift.
Why Freelancers Default to Spreadsheets?
Freelancers wear many hats. You’re the designer, the copywriter, the social media strategist, and also the project manager. So when it comes to staying organized, most freelancers reach for something simple and reliable: the humble spreadsheet.
Why? Because spreadsheets feel like home. They’re quick to set up, they don’t cost a dime, and you can make them do (almost) anything. Need a place to log client deliverables? Done. Want to track payment dates, invoice numbers, or project timelines? Easy. Want to color-code tasks or build your own dashboard? Spreadsheets can do that, too – well, sort of.
You can track:
- Deadlines
- Client communication logs
- Payment records
- Tasks per project
- Asset links
And, here’s the thing – no one ever had to Google “how to use a spreadsheet.” They’re familiar, flexible, and you don’t have to rely on anyone else’s system.
But while spreadsheets feel like the all-in-one solution, they start to fray at the edges as your workload grows. Suddenly, you’re scrolling through multiple tabs, forgetting which column tracks what, or wondering if this is the latest version you sent your client.
They’re a great starting point, but when it comes to true process management, especially for creative work – they often fall short.
The Catch with Spreadsheets…
But here’s where it starts to go crazy: spreadsheets were never really meant to manage creative work, were they?
Ever tried referencing client feedback buried across multiple tabs? Or figuring out which version of a file you sent last week? Or worse, updating a status in your spreadsheet and your email and your Slack channel… only to realize your teammate was still looking at the wrong version?
Spreadsheets are great for formulas and budgets, not for collaboration or context-rich updates. They can’t show you whether a file has been reviewed, approved, or is still stuck in feedback limbo. They won’t ping you when a client drops comments. In fact, one project management platform recently summed it up: spreadsheets “don’t help you with team collaboration” because they lack visibility into who’s doing what and when and static versions get outdated fast
Ok, truth be told – trying to manage a creative workflow through a spreadsheet feels like organizing a photoshoot with sticky notes and a walkie-talkie. It might technically function, but it’s clunky, outdated, and puts unnecessary pressure on your team to remember everything.
That’s where a better process management system makes all the difference. One that’s visual. Built for creative rhythms. And designed to keep feedback, files, tasks, and team communication all in sync – without you playing digital detective.
Is It Really Necessary for Creative People to Track So Much Data?
Here’s the real talk: You didn’t become a designer, a writer, or a video editor to spend your day buried in spreadsheets and to-do lists. You’re here to create, not file status reports. But here’s the truth – when things aren’t tracked, things go sideways. Deadlines slip. Files disappear. Feedback gets buried in a maze of DMs, Slack threads, and mysterious Google Drive folders.
So yes, some level of tracking matters. But here’s the key – it shouldn’t be a job on top of your actual job.
That’s where smart process management comes in. Not the kind that feels like managing a factory floor, but the kind that’s built for the creative chaos you actually work in. It should be intuitive, visual, and flexible – something that fits how you think, not the other way around.
Tools designed for freelancers and creative teams make this possible. They let you keep tabs on your projects, versions, and feedback loops without drowning in admin. With the right setup, process management becomes a quiet backstage assistant, not the star of the show.
Check out this article by UpWork and dive deeper into mastering project management for freelancers.
ButtonShift: A Simpler, More Focused Approach
Unlike spreadsheets that demand constant manual updates, ButtonShift is designed to help freelancers streamline their process management and workflow without adding more mental clutter. It understands the creative process, how one idea turns into multiple iterations, how feedback flows in from various channels, and how timelines evolve.
Instead of juggling files, tasks, and client communication in separate places, you bring everything together in one flow. Projects feel less like a balancing act and more like a process that actually works for you. See why ButtonShift should be the ultimate workflow tool for freelancers.
We’re not here to bash spreadsheets. They’ll always have their place. But if you’ve ever felt like managing your freelance projects is a job in itself, it might be time for something smarter.
That’s where our Worklist feature in ButtonShift comes in handy. Think of it as your personal project command center. You can list out what needs to be done, sort tasks by priority, and actually see your day take shape- without the chaos of digging through multiple docs and tabs.
Check out how you can keep your creative projects on track with ButtonShift.
Ready to Work Smarter, Not Harder?
If spreadsheets have been your second brain till now, we get it. They’ve been the default for organizing chaos, from tracking tasks to mapping timelines. But here’s the thing: creative work doesn’t always fit neatly into rows and columns.
It’s time to upgrade to something designed for the way you actually work.
ButtonShift keeps your creative energy focused where it belongs- on creating. So whether you’re a designer, freelancer, agency, or in-house team, give your workflow the upgrade it deserves. Because the right tools don’t just make work easier – they make it better.
