Spreadsheets aren’t strategy: the hidden risks in your legacy fund data workflow

How fund data fragmentation is still holding asset managers back in 2026

Fund managers today face unprecedented pressure to deliver accurate, timely and transparent fund data. Regulators expect more frequent disclosure, distributors demand consistent templates and clients assume information will be available on-demand. Yet despite this new reality, many firms are trying to meet modern expectations with tools and processes built for a different era.

Our surveys show the cost of this disconnect. 56% of asset managers still struggle with fragmented data, 46% rely on manual processes to keep their product information up to date and 44% continue to use spreadsheets as core infrastructure. While these tools feel familiar and flexible, they introduce operational risks and limit capacity for scale.

Fragmentation creates conflicting versions of the truth

When data lives across spreadsheets, shared drives, email chains and siloed systems, consistency becomes almost impossible. A minor update in one file may not be reflected in another. A naming convention may differ between teams. A regulatory template may pull from outdated fields.

The result is predictable: conflicting outputs, last-minute reconciliations and an erosion of confidence in the data itself. Teams spend hours validating numbers that should have been accurate from the start.

Manual processes increase error exposure

Every manual touchpoint introduces the risk of human error. Re-keying data. Reformatting fields. Copying information between systems that cannot talk to each other. As product ranges expand and reporting requirements intensify, these errors propagate downstream faster than teams can catch them.

Manual processes do not only slow operations. They increase regulatory and reputational risk at a time when accuracy matters more than ever.

Legacy systems lack the governance needed for modern demands

Traditional enterprise data management systems (EDMs) were designed around storage, not active governance. They often assume incoming data is already correct, leaving firms scrambling to fix errors after they’ve already spread. These systems also depend heavily on IT teams, making everyday data changes too slow and cumbersome for modern operations.

Scale highlights their limitations. Firms that once managed dozens of products are now responsible for hundreds. Regulatory templates have multiplied and continue to evolve. Distribution channels have expanded. Yet the underlying infrastructure has barely changed.

Modernisation is no longer optional

In the next five years, firms that treat data as infrastructure, not administration, will lead the pack. A unified, governed and scalable data foundation reduces operational friction, increases accuracy and enables faster product launches. It also prepares firms for the next wave of digital tools, including AI and advanced analytics, which depend on clean and consistent data.

If the day-to-day management of fund data feels harder than it should, there is a more effective way forward.

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