How would you make Excel better for FP&A Forecasting?

hi FPandA community,

We’re currently building a web-based financial modeling tool tailored for fractional CFOs, startups, and SMBs. One of the core components we’re developing is a flexible spreadsheet feature for advanced financial planning and analysis (FP&A). Think Excel, but designed for FP&A workflows with modern integrations (QuickBooks, Shopify, Square, etc.).

We know spreadsheets are both loved and loathed in the world of FP&A. They’re incredibly powerful, but they can also be clunky, error-prone, and limiting for real-time collaboration or scaling financial models.

So, I’d love to hear your thoughts:

• What’s the one feature you wish Excel had to make financial modeling easier?
• What drives you crazy about spreadsheets in your FP&A work?
• Have you ever tried other spreadsheet tools (e.g., Google Sheets, Airtable, SmartSheet)? What worked and what didn’t?
• If you could automate one part of your financial planning or variance analysis process, what would it be?

We want to ensure our tool aligns with what professionals actually need in their day-to-day work. Your insights will be invaluable in shaping how we approach this!

Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences. If this thread sparks any “I’ve always wanted this feature!” moments, please chime in—your input could directly influence the future of FP&A tools. 😊