# Excel/Google Sheets: how AI models rank it, October 2026

Finance AI Recommendation Index, October 2026 Edition. Named in 8 judge labels across 4 categories by 5 of 14 models. Page: https://finance-ai-index.com/vendors/excel-google-sheets/

## Standing by category

| Category | Share | Rank | Negative rate | Labels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash flow forecasting | 0% | 100 | 60% | 5 |
| Financial close management | 0% | 73 | 100% | 1 |
| FP&A platforms | 0% | 64 | 100% | 1 |
| Treasury management systems | 0% | 92 | 0% | 1 |

## What the models said for it

- "Best for: Very small businesses just starting out ... Cons: Manual data entry, no automatic syncing with bank accounts" (Kimi K2, Cash flow forecasting)

## And against it

- "## 1. Excel/Google Sheets (Untethered)

Why to avoid:
- Manual data entry errors" (GLM 4.7 FlashX, Cash flow forecasting)
- "AI analyses flag Excel workflows as a top "avoid" for scaling." (Grok 4.1 Fast, Cash flow forecasting)
- "relying solely on spreadsheets is the riskiest approach" (Kimi K2, Cash flow forecasting)
- "Cons: High risk of human error ("fat finger" mistakes), version control issues, and lack of an automated audit trail." (Qwen 3.7 Flash, Financial close manageme)

## Movement since September 2026

Floor: 10 points of share, measured on the calibration repeat. A larger change is movement; a smaller one is noise.

- Cash flow forecasting: 0% to 0%, ±0. Inside the floor by 10 points · rank 81 → 100 of 101.
- Financial close management: 0% to 0%, ±0. Inside the floor by 10 points · rank 65 → 73 of 85.
- FP&A platforms: 0% to 0%, ±0. Inside the floor by 10 points · rank 21 → 64 of 74.
- Treasury management systems: 0% to 0%, ±0. New · not ranked in September 2026 · rank 92 of 124.

## Record

- Method: https://finance-ai-index.com/methodology/
- Raw judge labels and full responses: https://finance-ai-index.com/data/
- License: CC BY 4.0. Cite as Finance AI Recommendation Index, October 2026 Edition, finance-ai-index.com.