Title: Cercha vs spreadsheet: finding and tracking | Cercha

Description: Compare Cercha and a spreadsheet sub list for discovery, work examples, notes, and follow-up. Keep the records you need for hiring.

Canonical: https://cercha.pages.dev/guides/cercha-vs-spreadsheet/

# Cercha vs a spreadsheet subcontractor list

Choosing construction connections

Keep your spreadsheet for private business records. Consider Cercha for discovering residential trade partners and reviewing member work.

You need a replacement sub and already have names in a spreadsheet. Keep that sheet for private records; consider Cercha when you need to discover another residential firm or inspect a member's work. The useful choice is which tool supports each step from finding a candidate to keeping your own hiring record.

## Who this comparison is for

This comparison is for builders and remodelers maintaining a trade bench, subs keeping builder contacts, and suppliers organizing business relationships. It uses Google Sheets as a documented example of a spreadsheet. It does not assume every Excel file, paper list, or cloud sheet has the same controls.

Suppose your usual HVAC sub cannot cover a start. Your list should tell you who else you have considered and what remains to check. A discovery platform can introduce another candidate, but your firm still needs a place for its own decisions and follow-up.

## What a spreadsheet is built to do

Google describes Sheets as a collaborative spreadsheet where multiple people can work on the same file. Its documentation supports sorting, filters, dropdowns, and controlled file sharing. You can use those capabilities to design a sub list around your own process. [Sheets overview](https://workspace.google.com/products/sheets/), [sorting and filtering](https://support.google.com/docs/answer/3540681)

Google also documents viewer, commenter, and editor permissions through Drive. Those roles make a shared sheet a practical option for records that only your team should see, provided you configure access. Check the file and its parent folder before adding sensitive business notes. [Sharing permissions](https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2494822)

Version history lets permitted users inspect changes and restore an earlier version. Files can also be downloaded in a chosen format. Those are documented record-management capabilities, not a guarantee that someone keeps the information accurate. [Version history](https://support.google.com/docs/answer/190843), [downloads](https://support.google.com/docs/answer/49114)

## Compare features against the need

The Cercha column uses observed beta features. Spreadsheet entries describe Google Sheets capabilities and proposed ways to apply them. Google's pages were checked October 14, 2026.

| Your need | Cercha | A Google Sheets sub list |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Discover a new local trade | Search filters for trade, ZIP, and radius | Sort or filter records your team has entered. [Filters](https://support.google.com/docs/answer/3540681) |
| Inspect work examples | Gallery captions and named Portfolio projects | Design your own columns for project names and references; Sheets provides the editable spreadsheet. [Overview](https://workspace.google.com/products/sheets/) |
| Understand relationship context | Builder and Sub Endorsements identify joint work | Create fields for your own reference-call notes; access follows sharing permissions. [Sharing](https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2494822) |
| Track your qualification status | Credential badges display information; private onboarding tracking is unconfirmed | Dropdowns can standardize statuses you define. [Dropdowns](https://support.google.com/docs/answer/186103) |
| Keep internal business notes | Private team notes and their access controls are unconfirmed | Viewer, commenter, and editor roles control file access when configured. [Permissions](https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2494822) |
| Review a changed record | Record-history and export features are unconfirmed | Version history and file downloads are documented. [History](https://support.google.com/docs/answer/190843), [downloads](https://support.google.com/docs/answer/49114) |
| Start a conversation | Direct member messaging | Use contact information in your list through your separate business communication process. [Spreadsheet scope](https://workspace.google.com/products/sheets/) |

The sheet's contents are your responsibility. Filters can reveal a row only if someone entered useful information. A profile can help you investigate a firm, but it does not replace the private record of what your own team checked.

## Where the spreadsheet is the better choice

Choose the spreadsheet when you need a private working list of firms you already know. You can define columns for the scope, contact owner, last conversation, and next step. Google's sorting and filtering tools support reviewing that information by the fields you choose. [Filters](https://support.google.com/docs/answer/3540681)

It is also the stronger choice for internal qualification status. Define simple statuses such as new candidate, documents requested, and review pending. Google's dropdown rules can reject values outside the chosen list or display a warning. Decide which behavior suits your team. [Dropdown documentation](https://support.google.com/docs/answer/186103)

Use the sheet for commercial notes that should stay within your company. Keep quote history and internal assessments in a file with appropriate access rather than treating a public-facing member profile as your purchasing record. Drive's permissions support that file-level decision when you configure them correctly. [Sharing roles](https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2494822)

A sheet also fits work across several markets without depending on Cercha's rollout. Cercha launches in Raleigh-Durham and waitlists other markets. Your existing contact record remains useful wherever the firms you work with serve the scope.

## Give each record enough context to survive a handoff

Treat the company and the person as separate fields. Record the business identity, the responsible contact, and the communication route used. This helps another team member understand whether a number belongs to the office, an owner, or a site lead.

Add the trade scope and exclusions in plain language. “Cabinets” is too broad when the company installs but does not supply or design them. Record the distinction you confirmed instead of guessing from the company name.

For each work example, note who performed the scope and who can discuss it. Keep the date of your reference conversation alongside the reference's role. A name without that context asks the next reviewer to repeat the investigation.

Add a last-checked date to time-sensitive information. A proposed opening next month should not become a permanent statement of availability. Use a follow-up field so your office knows what must be reconfirmed before the next inquiry.

For suppliers, record the branch, buying contact, and the brands discussed. Keep quote terms and delivery questions with the relevant transaction. Avoid making a brand list stand in for a stock check or a material reservation.

Use [the subcontractor list guide](/guides/subcontractor-list/) to define the private record. Use [subcontractor vetting](/guides/vet-a-subcontractor/) for qualification questions, and [the capability statement guide](/guides/capability-sheet/) to ask a candidate for a concise scope summary.

## Protect the value of the list

Assign a person to maintain the record and define when updates are due. Give team members the access they need for their role. Check folder permissions as well as individual file settings because Google's sharing guidance describes inherited access. [Sharing documentation](https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2494822)

Use version history when you need to investigate an edit. Google documents viewing changes and restoring earlier versions for users with the required permission. Keep that as a recovery aid rather than a substitute for deciding who maintains the list. [History documentation](https://support.google.com/docs/answer/190843)

Plan how your business keeps a usable copy. Google's download instructions provide a way to choose a file format. Confirm that the downloaded file contains the fields your team needs before relying on it for a handoff. [Download instructions](https://support.google.com/docs/answer/49114)

## Keep discovery and verification distinct

When you find someone through Cercha, review the work and contact the company about your scope. Enter your own qualification observations manually in your business records. Cercha spreadsheet export or automatic synchronization is unconfirmed, so do not build a process that assumes either feature.

Use the [NC GC license search](https://portal.nclbgc.org/Public/Search) where applicable. Confirm current coverage directly; the [NC Industrial Commission](https://www.ic.nc.gov/) warns that its coverage database is not proof of insurance. Ask your adviser what evidence the job requires.

## Where Cercha fits

Cercha Technologies' app adds residential member discovery through trade and location Search, work portfolios, endorsements, and Messages. Supplier profiles show carried brands, and credential badges provide information to investigate. Evaluate those features in the Research Triangle without expecting them to manage your private sub list.

Published 2026.10.14. Updated 2026.10.14.

[More guides: Construction connections](</guides/topics/construction-connections/>)

## Build your connections

[Ask about the Cercha beta](</beta/>)

## Sources

<a id="source-1"></a>

1. Google. (n.d.). *Collaborative, AI-powered spreadsheets*. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://workspace.google.com/products/sheets/

<a id="source-2"></a>

2. Google. (n.d.). *Sort & filter your data*. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://support.google.com/docs/answer/3540681

<a id="source-3"></a>

3. Google. (n.d.). *Create an in-cell dropdown list*. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://support.google.com/docs/answer/186103

<a id="source-4"></a>

4. Google. (n.d.). *Share files from Google Drive*. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2494822

<a id="source-5"></a>

5. Google. (n.d.). *Find what's changed in a file*. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://support.google.com/docs/answer/190843

<a id="source-6"></a>

6. Google. (n.d.). *Create, view, or download a file*. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://support.google.com/docs/answer/49114

<a id="source-7"></a>

7. North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors. (n.d.). *Verify License/Qualifier Search*. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://portal.nclbgc.org/Public/Search

<a id="source-8"></a>

8. North Carolina Industrial Commission. (n.d.). *Welcome to the North Carolina Industrial Commission*. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://www.ic.nc.gov/