₹50 Crore College Used Excel for Admissions — Chaos Ensued
A well-funded college boasting modern infrastructure made a surprising decision — it continued using Excel spreadsheets to manage admissions. On the surface, it seemed manageable. But as enquiries surged and student data piled up, the institution collided with reality. The result was operational chaos, financial leakage, and reputational damage that technology could have easily prevented.
Key Benefits
- 1
Data Duplication & Version Confusion
- 2
Manual Follow-Up Failures
- 3
Inaccurate Reporting & Zero Real-Time Visibility
- 4
Increased Fraud & Unauthorized Edits
- 5
Overloaded Staff & Exhausting Manual Work
- 6
Lost Revenue & Seat Leakage
- 7
Damage to Institutional Reputation
Data Duplication & Version Confusion
Hundreds of enquiries and applications were manually entered across different files by different staff. The outcome: Duplicated entries, Inconsistent data, and Lost applicant information.
Manual Follow-Up Failures
Excel could not track enquiry lifecycle or prompt timely communication. No automated reminders, no enquiry nurturing. Students expecting fast responses shifted to competitors.
Inaccurate Reporting & Zero Real-Time Visibility
Management struggled to answer basic questions about conversion, stream demand, or dropout reasons. Decisions were based on fragmented files instead of live dashboards.
Increased Fraud & Unauthorized Edits
Excel files were shared widely, allowing anyone to modify data without traceability. This created opportunities for manipulation and human error.
Overloaded Staff & Exhausting Manual Work
Admission teams spent hours on repetitive tasks: Sorting sheets, Filtering applicants, Checking duplicates. Instead of student engagement, staff became spreadsheet operators.
Lost Revenue & Seat Leakage
With no automated lead nurturing, serious prospects were lost. Parents chose institutions with modern systems — resulting in empty seats and avoidable revenue loss.
Damage to Institutional Reputation
Parents judge colleges by their digital readiness. A campus operating on spreadsheets looked outdated and disorganized, undermining trust despite its strong infrastructure.
Conclusion
Excel is powerful — but not for institutional admissions. What happened at this college proves that even wealthy institutions can suffer if they ignore system-driven processes. Admission automation isn't a luxury; it's a necessity for accuracy, scale, and student experience. With Vighnotech's Admission Automation Platform, institutions move from Excel chaos to structured digital workflows — enabling real-time tracking, seamless communication, and transparent operations that match modern expectations.