Olumba vs. Spreadsheets for Correction Tracking
Spreadsheets are the default. Here's where they break down for AEC teams — and what purpose-built correction tracking looks like.
| Feature | Spreadsheet | Olumba |
|---|---|---|
| Extracting correction items from PDF | Manual — copy each item by hand | Automatic — upload PDF, parser extracts all items |
| Item-level assignment | Possible, but requires column setup and discipline | Built-in — assign each item to a team member or consultant |
| Status tracking (open/in progress/resolved) | Manual — requires cell updates by each assignee | Live — each assignee updates their own items in real time |
| Multi-agency correction letters | Requires merging multiple documents manually | Multiple letters attach to the same project; items stay separated by department |
| Audit trail (who changed what, when) | Absent unless you use version history, which is hard to read | Every status change and comment is timestamped and logged |
| Resubmittal readiness check | Manual — PM has to review every row | Dashboard shows open vs. closed by department instantly |
| Initial setup time | Low — anyone can open a spreadsheet | Slightly higher — account creation + project setup (~5 min) |
| Cost | Included in Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 | Free tier available; paid plans from $39/mo |
Common questions
When does a spreadsheet stop working for correction tracking?
Spreadsheets break down when you have more than one reviewing agency, more than one consultant handling corrections, or more than two resubmittal cycles. The coordination overhead — routing items, chasing status updates, assembling a resubmittal-ready view — becomes the bottleneck, not the technical correction work itself.
What does purpose-built correction tracking software do that a spreadsheet can't?
Purpose-built tools like Olumba can parse correction letter PDFs automatically, maintain real-time status from multiple contributors without version conflicts, and show a resubmittal-ready view (which items are closed, which are still open) without any PM intervention. They also create a timestamped audit trail and connect correction items to the drawings and documents that address them.
Is Olumba only for large projects?
No. Olumba works at any scale — a single-family residence with 8 correction items or a mixed-use commercial project with 80+. The free tier is fully functional for smaller projects. The paid tiers add team collaboration, multi-project views, and unlimited document storage.
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