Eos Group sees these spreadsheets all the time. Some clients have been developing them for 20+ years. Multiple internal authors have added their touch and external software developers have cracked into the code and added a little here, a little there. These spreadsheets can do some wild things. If you’re the author of the spreadsheet, you know a lot about it. If you’re not, you can shoot your foot off in a heartbeat.

Eos Group builds MOASs as well. Some clients insist that no packaged cost estimating software solution fits their world. Nothing can match their approach, work process, or methodology. Some need a MOAS to supplement their existing system. Fine. So they ask us to build them one, usually taking what they have and advancing it with next-generation development platforms, the latest development practices, and better architecture. They want it stabilized, scalable, and modified to meet their new business needs. They want a modern version of what’s worked for them so well in the past.

I’m not saying MOASs are good or bad. They have their place for many organizations—as long as they’re done right.