Stakesauce vs. the calling spreadsheet
Nearly every ward and stake tracks callings the same way: a spreadsheet, lovingly maintained by a clerk, quietly drifting out of date. The sheet isn't the villain — it remembers everything you type. The problem is what it can't do: a spreadsheet never reminds anyone of anything. Here's the honest comparison.
| Spreadsheet | Stakesauce | |
|---|---|---|
| Reminding people | Silent. Someone has to notice a stale row and send a text. | Emails the specific leader whose turn it is, with the actual ask and a link to the item. |
| Who does what next | Lives in the clerk's head, or in a column nobody reads. | Every item shows who it's waiting on and for what; each leader signs in to a queue of exactly their tasks. |
| High council votes | A cell with "9/12?" typed in it. | Each councilor's answer recorded individually; the item advances at your stake's threshold and holds on any objection. |
| Releases | A separate tab that drifts out of sync with the callings tab. | The release decision travels with the new calling all the way to the appointment. |
| Confidentiality | One shared file — anyone with the link sees every row, including the ones they shouldn't. | Access follows each leader's position, and confidential items never generate email and stay off shared views. |
| History | Overwritten every time a cell is edited. | Every step, approval and email is kept on the item — who acted, and when. |
| When leadership changes | The new clerk inherits a file and a mystery. | The new leader is linked to the position and inherits the pipeline, mid-flight, with its history. |
| Cost | Free. | $10/month for a ward, $50/month for a whole stake, after a free 30-day trial. |
In one sentence: Stakesauce is a purpose-built replacement for the calling spreadsheet that tracks every calling, release and ordination through its steps and emails the right leader at each one — see how a calling moves for the whole journey.
Common questions
- Is a spreadsheet good enough for tracking callings?
- Sometimes, honestly. A small ward with one meticulous clerk and few callings in flight can run fine on a sheet. Spreadsheets fail at scale and at hand-offs: many callings moving at once, steps owned by different leaders, and anything that needs a reminder rather than a memory.
- What does Stakesauce do that a spreadsheet can't?
- It acts on its own: when an item reaches a stage, it emails the leader who owns that stage with the specific ask. A spreadsheet stores what you type; it never notices that someone was sustained three weeks ago and still hasn't been set apart.
- Can I bring my existing spreadsheet into Stakesauce?
- Yes — export it as a CSV and use the importer to load your members and current callings. Most units are running the same day.
- What if we stop using Stakesauce?
- Export your data and go back to the sheet. Your account stays readable even if you stop paying — data is never deleted for non-payment.
Retire the spreadsheet for 30 days and see
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