Campaign analysis — spreadsheets versus a dedicated tool
Can I keep doing campaign analysis in a spreadsheet?
Aggregation works fine. Variance decomposition and confidence intervals do not.
Spreadsheets are enough for aggregation and charts. The difficulty starts after that. Splitting a CPA change into volume, efficiency, and mix, judging outliers statistically, or attaching confidence intervals means rebuilding formulas every time. The reason to use a dedicated tool is reproducibility, not visualization.
Side by side
| Task | Spreadsheet | Dedicated tool |
|---|---|---|
| Period aggregation and charts | Sufficient | Same |
| Decomposing a change | Formulas must be redesigned each time | Automatic split into volume, efficiency, mix |
| Outlier judgment | By eye or an arbitrary threshold | Statistical criteria with confidence intervals |
| Totals across levels | Roll-ups easily stop adding up | One decomposition at the finest grain, then summed |
| Reproducibility | Formulas drift between files | Same input, same result |
| Data handling | Depends on how files are shared | Processed in the browser, never transmitted |
Which one to use
- If you only need aggregation and reporting charts
- A spreadsheet is enough. No new tool is required.
- If you must explain what changed every week
- A tool with variance decomposition saves substantial time.
- If estimates need uncertainty attached
- Automatic confidence intervals are the safer path.
- If the data is internally sensitive
- Confirm it is processed in the browser and never transmitted.
Frequently asked questions
Can a spreadsheet do variance decomposition?
Yes, but decomposing separately at each level makes upper-level totals disagree. Decompose once at the finest grain and sum upward so the identity holds at every level.
Where is my CSV stored after upload?
Files you upload directly and their mappings can stay in this browser until 90 days after their last use. Parsing and computation run in your browser, and source rows are never sent to or retained on a server. You can remove them or turn storage off at any time.
Does it connect directly to my ad accounts?
No. You upload a CSV exported from each platform. Live API integrations are not provided.
Tools for this
- Marketing Operations DashboardAnalyze campaign CSV data in your browser and review spend, installs, CPI, ROAS, and performance shifts in one dashboard.
- Campaign Performance VarianceDecompose performance change into volume, rate, and mix effects to find the channels and campaigns behind the shift.
- Creative Fatigue AnalysisCompare creative-level CTR, CVR, CPA, and fatigue signals to prioritize replacements and the next production brief.