Get Your Training Records Off Spreadsheets

Spreadsheets tend to be the go-to tool for managing staff training; they’re familiar, easy to start with, and can be shared around quickly. That's the theory. In reality, they often end up misplaced, duplicated, and our of date and as your airport operation grows and regulations tighten, spreadsheets quickly shift from being a helpful tool to a serious liability.

Here’s why it’s time to get your training records off spreadsheets.

Increase Efficiency

On the surface, spreadsheets look simple but the moment you start managing hundreds of staff, multiple training requirements, and expiry dates, they quickly become a drag on efficiency. Every update requires manual entry and with that comes human error. Want to share the file? Cue endless email threads, attachments with confusing names and no clear sense of which version is the “source of truth.”

Managers end up spending more time and energy chasing updates than actually developing their workforce and leaders lose confidence in the data when different versions tell different stories.

By contrast, a centralized training management platform removes all of this noise:

• Updates happen once and flow instantly to everyone who needs them.
• Version control is no longer a problem because there’s only ever one live record.
• And because the system is built for training, you can link records directly to roles, courses, and compliance requirements without messy workarounds.

Reduce Risk

Managing your training records in spreadsheets is not only inefficient, it's risky: a single missed update can mean a staff member is rostered without the right certification or that a qualification expired last month.

In an airport environment, these aren’t just administrative oversights but can impact safety, security, and compliance. The consequences of a lapse are serious: non-compliance fines, operational delays, reputational damage, or worse, a safety incident.

A digital workforce management platform drastically reduces this risk by taking the “remembering” out of human hands:

• Automated reminders flag upcoming expiry dates well before they become critical.
• Dashboards highlight gaps at team and organizational level so you can take proactive action.
• Access controls ensure that only the right people update records, keeping data secure and consistent.

In short, the system acts as a safety net that spreadsheets simply can’t provide.

Simplify Audits

For most managers, the word “audit” is enough to cause a knot in the stomach, especially if training records live in spreadsheets. Auditors don’t want to wait while you cross-reference multiple tabs, check versions, or dig through email trails to prove a staff member’s certification, and that's if you even have the right spreadsheet on hand! Every delay chips away at confidence in your compliance processes.

With a centralized platform, audit time becomes straightforward: instead of scrambling, you can generate a real-time report that shows exactly:

• who is current,
• which qualifications are due to expire,
• how training maps against regulatory standards.

Auditors can see the evidence immediately, which builds trust and reduces stress for everyone involved. It’s not just about passing the audit but about demonstrating a culture of proactive compliance and continuous improvement.

Gain Visibility Into Training Plans

Spreadsheets only give you a static snapshot of what has happened. They can usually tell you who has completed which training and when but what they can't tell you is what training needs to be done or how to support your workforce development. 

Airports need to know what’s coming next:

• Which critical roles are at risk because of upcoming expiries?
• Which teams are on track with training, and which are falling behind?
• Where should you allocate resources to close skill gaps before they become operational problems?
• How can you put succession planning in place?
• What do career development options look like?

A digital training management platform provides this visibility in real time and give executives a bird’s-eye view of workforce readiness. Instead of working reactively, leaders can plan with confidence, aligning training with both regulatory requirements and long-term workforce strategies.

This visibility doesn’t just reduce risk, it also creates opportunity. By connecting training records to job roles and career pathways, you can identify talent pipelines, support staff development, and strengthen retention.

Moving Beyond Spreadsheets

At some point, every airport outgrows its spreadsheets as the risks and inefficiencies start to outweigh the convenience. A dedicated workforce management platform like Klayo helps you:

• Track qualifications and expiry dates with automated alerts

• Keep track of your compliance requirements

• Map training against job roles 

• Give leaders clear visibility of workforce readiness

It’s time to stop wrestling with spreadsheets and start managing training with the same professionalism and precision that defines your operations.