Spreadsheets stay popular in soapmaking because they are flexible and familiar. The tradeoff is that the maker has to assemble the workflow around them.
Where a spreadsheet still wins
It is hard to beat a spreadsheet for ad hoc analysis, custom columns, and personal experimentation if you already know exactly how you want to manage the data.
Where Soapie is trying to be better
Soapie focuses on the connective tissue around the formula:
- batch execution
- cure tracking
- cost snapshots
- exports that read like records rather than raw cells
The useful question
Do you only need a calculator, or do you want a workshop record that survives beyond the formula itself?