When spreadsheets work
A spreadsheet is often enough for a one-off launch, a few marketing strings, or a handoff to an external translator.
When they break
- Values drift from JSON/YAML files in the repo.
- Missing locales are discovered late.
- Context lives in tickets instead of next to the key.
- Exports require manual copy/paste.
Migration path
Import the current files, normalize keys, add review tags, fix missing translations, and export bundles back to the application. Keep spreadsheets for exceptional external review only when needed.