It happens so often that it isn't surprising anymore: even the largest, most technical sorts of companies utilize fairly primitive techniques for managing the data that they use. Usually this is because business employ people adept at running the business--not necessarily solution developers.
If any important information is stored in Word or Excel files, it is in terrible danger. Documents get duplicated, changed, deleted. Now which one has the correct information?
Additionally, documents have a habit of presenting information one single way. If you want to show another point of view, chances are that you will have to create a new document to rearrange your information. This is because information in word files or spreadsheets is essentially dead. Reusing it usually requires making another copy of it. And copies have a nasty habit of not remaining identical for long.
Storing information in this manner is also an inefficient use of manpower: Somebody has to maintain this growing list of documents to ensure that formatting is 'consistent'. Consistency
Instead, this information belongs in a database application designed for your business and its processes.
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