Handbook vs. Google Sheets or Microsoft Word: Why Handbook is the Better Choice
When it comes to managing policies and procedures, many organizations turn to familiar tools like Google Sheets and Microsoft Word. While these tools are versatile, they may not be the best fit for this specific purpose. Here’s a comparison highlighting why Handbook is the superior choice.
- Collaboration and Editing
- Accessibility and Security
- Specialized Features for Policy Management
- Cost
- Give Handbook a chance with a 30-day free trial
1. Collaboration and Editing
Handbook:
Controlled Editing: Handbook allows for controlled editing environments where access and editing permissions can be precisely managed. This ensures that only authorized personnel can make changes to important documents. Change Tracking: Handbook provides robust change tracking features, allowing you to see who made what changes and when. This audit trail is essential for maintaining document integrity and accountability.
Google Sheets:
Unrestricted Editing: Anyone with edit access can change the content, which can lead to unauthorized or accidental edits. Tracking changes is cumbersome and not as straightforward as it should be. Limited Change Tracking: While Google Sheets offers some change tracking, it is not as robust or intuitive as Handbook. It can be challenging to manage document history, especially with multiple collaborators.
Microsoft Word:
Uncontrolled Edits: Similar to Google Sheets, anyone with access can edit documents. This can lead to version control issues and unauthorized changes.
Manual Change Tracking: Microsoft Word offers a “Track Changes” feature, but it requires manual activation and management. This can be easily overlooked, leading to gaps in document history.
2. Accessibility and Security
Handbook:
Secure Access: Handbook is designed with security in mind, ensuring that sensitive documents are accessible only to those with the appropriate permissions. This minimizes the risk of unauthorized access. Consistent Availability: As a cloud-based solution, Handbook ensures that your documents are accessible from anywhere, with robust security protocols in place to protect your data.
Google Sheets:
Potentially Unsecure Sharing: Documents can be shared with anyone via a link, potentially leading to unauthorized access if links are mishandled. Security relies heavily on users managing permissions correctly. Accessibility Issues: While generally reliable, Google Sheets can suffer from downtime or accessibility issues, impacting your ability to access documents when needed.
Microsoft Word:
Local Storage Issues: Documents are often stored locally or on internal servers, which can limit accessibility. This can be problematic for remote teams or in case of hardware failures. Security Concerns: Security depends on the user’s infrastructure and practices. Without proper measures, documents can be vulnerable to unauthorized access or loss.
3. Specialized Features for Policy Management
| Feature | Handbook | Google Docs / Microsoft Word |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | ✔️ Simple and intuitive user interface for creating and managing training documents and policies | ✔️ Familiar word processor interface |
| Automation of Employee Training & Onboarding | ✔️ Fully automated employee training, policy assignments, and reminders | ❌ Requires manual updates and assignments |
| Integration with HR & Payroll Systems | ✔️ Seamless payroll and HR integration for automated employee data syncing | ❌ No HR or payroll system integration |
| Compliance Tracking & Reporting | ✔️ Automated compliance tracking, employee sign-offs, and audit-ready reporting | ❌ No compliance tracking or reporting functionality |
| Security & Access Control | ✔️ Advanced security features like multi-factor authentication (MFA) and access control | ❌ Limited security features (e.g., basic password protection) |
| Document Management & Version Control | ✔️ Document management with version control, automatic updates, and e-signatures | ✔️ Basic document version control, but lacks automatic updates |
| Training & Policy Templates | ✔️ Ready-to-use training templates and policies designed for easy implementation | ❌ Requires manual creation of templates |
| Mobile Accessibility | ✔️ Fully accessible on mobile devices for remote teams | ✔️ Available on mobile via Google Docs/Microsoft Word apps |
| Pricing | ✔️ Affordable pricing based on employee count, with great value for small businesses to large enterprises | ✔️ Free for Google Docs, Microsoft Word has affordable plans |
| Customer Support | ✔️ 24/7 dedicated support with fast response times | ❌ Basic support with long wait times |
Handbook:
Designed for Policies and Procedures: Handbook offers features specifically tailored for managing policies and procedures, such as templates, structured formatting, and compliance tracking. User-Friendly Interface: The interface is designed to be intuitive, making it easy for users to create, update, and manage documents without extensive training.
Google Sheets:
General Purpose Tool: While versatile, Google Sheets is not designed for policy management. It lacks specialized features that make document creation and management streamlined and efficient. Complex Formatting Needs: Creating well-structured documents in Google Sheets can be cumbersome, requiring significant manual effort.
Microsoft Word:
General Purpose Tool: Like Google Sheets, Word is a general-purpose tool. It is powerful but not specifically designed for managing policies and procedures.
Formatting Challenges: Maintaining consistent formatting across documents can be challenging, especially with complex layouts and multiple contributors.
4. Cost Differences
Handbook:
Affordable Pricing: Handbook offers a cost-effective pricing structure suitable for startups and small to medium-sized businesses. Plans start at $2 per month per user for small teams. This makes Handbook an accessible option for businesses looking to manage their policies and procedures without a significant financial burden.
Google Sheets:
Free Tier: Google Sheets is available for free with a Google account, making it a cost-effective option for very small teams or individuals.
Business Plans: For additional features and storage, Google Workspace plans start at $6 per user per month and can go up to $18 per user per month for the Business Plus plan. These costs can add up quickly for larger teams, especially if you need more advanced features.
Microsoft Word:
Standalone Purchase: Microsoft Word can be purchased as a standalone product, with a one-time fee of approximately $139.99. However, this option does not include updates or additional cloud services. Microsoft 365 Subscription: Microsoft 365 subscription plans, which include Word along with other Office applications, start at $6.99 per month for individuals or $69.99 per year. Business plans start at $5 per user per month for the Basic plan, with more comprehensive plans reaching $20 per user per month. This can become expensive for larger organizations.
In summary, Handbook provides a more affordable and scalable pricing model compared to the cumulative costs associated with using Google Sheets and Microsoft Word, especially when considering the specialized features and security benefits tailored for policy and procedure management.
Why Choose Handbook?
Handbook offers a privacy-focused, cost-effective, and straightforward solution for managing your organization's policies and procedures. While Whale provides extensive features and customization options, Handbook's simplicity and affordability make it the better choice for businesses looking to efficiently manage their documentation without unnecessary complexity.
