> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://calcs.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Run Calcs.com Alongside Your Existing Spreadsheets and Software

> Adopt Calcs.com gradually while your existing spreadsheets and tools stay in use.

You do not need to replace your spreadsheets before you start using Calcs.com. Most engineers and most teams run both for a while. The old files are retired once the new calculations have proven themselves on real jobs.

## Start with a few frequent checks

Pick the calculations you repeat most often, such as a floor beam, a stud wall, or a lintel. Rebuild those first. Because they come up on nearly every job, you will see results quickly and get a fair comparison against your existing method.

Leave the unusual one-off calculations where they are for now. There is little value in moving something you run twice a year.

## Compare results while you build confidence

Run the same member through both your spreadsheet and Calcs.com, then compare. Where the numbers differ, check the assumptions on each side before assuming either is wrong. Click any field label in Calcs.com to see the references, checks, and assumptions behind it. See [Checks, references, conditions and assumptions](/docs/running-calculations/checking-results/checks-references-conditions-assumptions).

This comparison step is how most engineers build trust in a new calculation, and it is worth doing deliberately rather than skipping.

## For teams, start with one project type

Teams usually adopt Calcs.com one project type at a time. A residential team might start with timber framing. A commercial team might start with steel beams and columns. Once that project type runs smoothly, expand to the next.

There is no requirement to abandon current workflows before trust is established. Existing tools and Calcs.com can sit side by side for as long as your office needs.

## Agree who reviews what

If two calculation methods are in use at once, be clear about which one governs a given job. Name the software used in the report, and keep the issued calculation consistent within a single project. Mixing sources inside one submission makes review harder.

## Signs you are ready to expand

Watch for these before moving more work across:

* Your standard members are covered and the results line up with what you expect.
* Your reviewers are comfortable reading the exported PDF reports.
* Loads flow between calculations instead of being retyped. See [Linking loads and reactions between calculators](/docs/running-calculations/linking-loads/linking-loads-reactions-between-calculators-load-path-tracking).

## Related

* [Quick Start Checklist](/docs/get-started/quick-start-checklist)
* [Move Your Calculations from Other Software](/docs/get-started/migrating)
* [How to share projects with colleagues](/docs/projects/create/share-projects-colleagues)