If the spreadsheet you use to run your business seems a little slow and creaky, then there’s a good reason. The old fella just turned 40 years old.
On Oct. 17, 1979, Software Arts released VisiCalc, the first spreadsheet program for personal computers. That was nearly three years before Lotus 1-2-3 hit the market and became the killer app for IBM PCs.
Spreadsheets started as computerized versions of the paper worksheets used for accounting and bookkeeping. But somewhere along the way, people started using them for all sorts of business situations where they needed to store and sort data.
You could use spreadsheets for crucial tasks such as tracking sale pipelines, storing employee data, or collecting lunch orders from everyone in the office.
And for a long time, spreadsheets were the best tool for keeping track of commercial real estate leases.
But things change.
Remember what it was like to make a phone call from your car back in 1979?
Of course not. Because you didn’t live in a James Bond film.
However, if you were one of the lucky few business people who had a “mobile radio telephone” back then, it might have looked something like this:
And that’s only the head unit. The part you saw up front in the passenger compartment. All the guts were hidden away out of sight. You needed a lot of junk in your trunk to make a mobile call during the Carter administration.
Luckily, the technology evolved. Now we’re all carrying little computers that have the power to make movies, order empanadas, and put you back in touch with the kid who took your pudding cup in third grade.
Oh. And they also let you make phone calls.
You won’t find anybody using the same mobile phone they used in 1979. Even if someone wanted to, it wouldn’t be possible. The technology isn’t supported anymore.
Beyond phones, nearly every other business tool used in the ‘70s has changed.
Computers, printers, filing systems — the way we book travel.
But despite all the updates, upgrades, and revolutionary technology, spreadsheets remained the default method for tracking leases until about two years ago.
We founded Leasecake in 2017 after talking to commercial landlords and tenants who were frustrated with the status quo. Both sides risk losing a lot of money when they forget renewals, expirations, increases, and critical clauses buried in paper leases.
Our mobile-first platform solves these problems by providing instant, mobile access to key information and documents. That’s why we say Leasecake makes saving time and money a piece of cake.
The spreadsheet had a nice run, but there’s a new tool in town. Happy birthday, old friend — and thanks for the memories.
Want to learn more about how Leasecake simplifies commercial real estate lease management? Please request a demo and we’ll show you what it’s all about.
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