In this episode, we uncover the shocking truth that spreadsheets secretly run the world, and nowhere is this more evident than in global supply chains. Through interviews with a supply chain leader who’s seen the pros and cons of spreadsheets firsthand and a consultant who helps companies see the potential of new technologies, we explore how these digital grids became commerce's invisible backbone and why the AI-powered future means it's time to break up with our beloved rows and columns.

Trade Secrets

Chris McDivitt, Natalia Sawka, Sarah Harkins

How much of the world runs on spreadsheets?

JUL 11, 202515 MIN
Trade Secrets

How much of the world runs on spreadsheets?

JUL 11, 202515 MIN

Description

In this episode, we embark on a detective story to uncover how rows and columns became the invisible backbone of commerce—and why that's both amazing and terrifying.  We meet Natalia, a supply chain professional who shares a spreadsheet before-and-after story that’s a real glow-up. Then we meet Chris, a managing director at Accenture who's helped companies pivot from drowning in cells and formulas to making productivity gains as AI-powered innovators. As we journey from copy-paste disasters to AI-powered futures, we discover that while spreadsheets gave us the world as we know it, getting the world we want will require breaking up with static cells and evolving to intelligent systems.Guests:Chris McDivitt, Managing Director, AccentureNatalia Sawka, SAP S4 HANA Venture - Process Manager of Plan to Manufacture, InfineumArticles mentioned and additional resources:Making Autonomous Supply Chains Real - AccentureSpreadsheet errors can have disastrous consequences, yet we keep making the same mistakes – The ConversationTwo-thirds of companies consider Excel a supply chain system – Supply Chain DiveTwelve dudes and a hype tunnel: Scenes from the ‘Super Bowl for Nerds’ – The New York TimesCredits:Introductory sound clip from “Full Project in Excel | Excel Tutorials for Beginners” by Alex The Analyst is licensed under CC BY 3.0.Production by Josh CaldwellAdditional support from Carlos Gama, Suhas Sreedhar, Stefanie Gordish Kinaxis is a global leader in modern supply chain management. Our software is trusted by global brands in every industry to provide the agility and predictability needed to navigate today’s volatility and disruption. For more news and information, please visit kinaxis.com or follow us on LinkedIn.