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    Comparison

    Marina Management Software vs Spreadsheets

    Spreadsheets and whiteboards have served UK marinas for decades. They're free (or cheap), flexible, and everyone knows how to use them. But they come with hidden costs that grow as your operation scales. Here's an honest comparison.

    Feature-by-Feature Comparison

    FeatureMarina Yard ManagerSpreadsheets & Whiteboards
    Job SchedulingVisual drag-and-drop timeline with notificationsManual entry. No notifications. Easy to overwrite.
    InvoicingAuto-generated from logged time and materialsManual copy-paste. Easy to miss line items.
    Zone TrackingLive visual capacity mapTab per zone. Manual updates. Often outdated.
    BSS ComplianceAutomatic expiry alerts and reportingManual date tracking. Relies on someone checking.
    Labour LoggingMobile time logging by team membersRelies on team self-reporting at end of day.
    Customer RecordsCentralised database with search and filtersScattered across sheets, emails, and notebooks.
    Multi-User AccessCloud-based. Real-time. Any device.File conflicts. Version control issues. One user at a time.
    ReportingBuilt-in dashboards and CSV exportManual. Requires spreadsheet skills to build.

    Pricing Comparison

    Marina Yard Manager

    From £29/month. Pays for itself in the first month through captured revenue.

    Spreadsheets & Whiteboards

    Free (Excel/Sheets). But hidden costs: 10–15 hrs/week admin time, missed invoice line items, compliance gaps.

    Making the Switch

    Most marinas switching from spreadsheets to Marina Yard Manager are surprised how quickly they see the return. The first month typically uncovers hours of missed labour and materials that weren't being captured — often worth more than a year's subscription.

    Our Verdict

    Spreadsheets work until they don't. If your marina handles more than 20 jobs per month, has multiple team members, or needs to track compliance, the spreadsheet approach is actively costing you money. The switch to dedicated software is the single best operational investment you can make.

    Try Marina Yard Manager Free

    14-day free trial. No credit card required. Full feature access.

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