Limelight vs. Datarails
Don’t settle for Excel 2.0
Upgrade to a platform designed for modern finance teams


Growing finance teams need a scalable, intuitive, and automation-driven FP&A platform—not just another Excel add-on. While Datarails relies heavily on Excel, Limelight is built for the future with seamless integrations, multi-dimensional modeling, and real-time collaboration—all without the limitations of spreadsheets.

Trusted by the Best Teams, Like Yours

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Right Choice for Our Team!

We were able to create forecasts and new metric reports that better guide our business decisions.

Megan Koren

VP of Finance

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Adds Tremendous Value for Us

Users find it easier to adopt the system and we now have a centralized place for budgets, expenses and reports.

Benny Chan

Senior Project Manager

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Everything in One Place

Limelight lets us put everything in one place. We can get our budgets and reports done much faster now.

Jane Murphy

VP of Finance & Admin

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Accurate and Timely

I think success, a lot of times, is also based on accuracy of the data. Should the CEO be looking for something, I would say I'm successful if she knows where she can go and find an accurate and timely number when she needs it.

Sarah O'Connor

Director of Finance

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Allows considerable flexibility to drill down.

Very user-friendly and similar to Excel, our team felt comfortable using Limelight right away.

Drew Knight

CFO - MEDICINAL GENOMICS

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Limelight vs. Datarails
Which One is Right for You

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User Experience

Beautiful, modern, easy-to-use interface
Built on Excel, limited by spreadsheet constraints, multiple interfaces

Implementation

Fast & seamless – deploy in weeksx
Complex & time-consuming – relies on Excel add-ins

Excel Dependency

Everything you love about Excel without the limitations
Fully dependent on Excel’s constraints

Multi-Dimensional Modeling

Unlimited flexibility – finance teams can create and modify models with ease
Limited customization – constrained by Excel functions

Collaboration & Reporting

Built-in workflows, dynamic, role-based access, automated insights
Basic reporting with limited drill-down capabilities and static reports.
User Experience

Beautiful, modern, easy-to-use interface

Built on Excel, limited by spreadsheet constraints, multiple interfaces

Implementation

Fast & seamless – deploy in weeksx

Complex & time-consuming – relies on Excel add-ins

Excel Dependency

Everything you love about Excel without the limitations

Fully dependent on Excel’s constraints

Multi-Dimensional Modeling

Unlimited flexibility – finance teams can create and modify models with ease

Limited customization – constrained by Excel functions

Collaboration & Reporting

Built-in workflows, dynamic, role-based access, automated insights

Basic reporting with limited drill-down capabilities and static reports.

Connect your entire finance tech stack seamlessly

Limelight offers real-time ERP integration and Power BI connectivity, ensuring finance teams work with live data—without manual updates.

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With Limelight You Get the Ease of Excel and So Much More

Dynamic Planning & Forecasting

Spreadsheets slow you down with manual processes and static data. Limelight’s intelligent planning and forecasting features let you build, refine, and analyze models in real time. Driver-based forecasting, scenario modeling, and rolling forecasts keep your plans agile and your decisions data-driven.

Unparalleled Efficiency 

Multi-Dimensional Modeling

Integrated Financial Hub

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With Limelight You Get the Ease of Excel and So Much More

Innovative Version Control

Unlike Vena's Excel-based versioning, Limelight's sheet-by-sheet version control tracks every change automatically. No more emailing spreadsheets or wondering which version is current. One central platform, complete audit trail, zero version conflicts.

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Customizable Dashboards

Move beyond Vena's basic Excel views with interactive dashboards built for modern FP&A. Create role-specific views, add custom widgets, and set granular access controls. Every team gets exactly what they need, when they need it.

Advanced Financial Modeling

While Vena constrains you to Excel's modeling limits, Limelight's modeling engine handles complex scenarios effortlessly. Build parent-child hierarchies, create sophisticated business rules, and modify models on the fly – all without touching a spreadsheet.

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Detailed Analytics

Excel's basic drill-downs can't match Limelight's analytical power. Instantly dive from top-level metrics to transaction details, explore sub-ledgers, and uncover insights across your entire financial dataset – all in real time.

Real-Time Data Orchestration

Leave Vena's manual data updates behind. Limelight synchronizes data automatically across all your systems, from ERPs to CRMs. Every number is current, every insight is fresh, and every decision is based on real-time data.

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Trusted by the Best Teams, Like Yours

Frequently Asked Questions

How well does Limelight integrate with other systems and data sources?

Our platform connects seamlessly with your ERP, CRM, and financial software through real-time data syncing. Setting up these connections is straightforward, ensuring your data flows automatically between systems without manual intervention. This keeps your information accurate and your teams efficient.

Is the user interface intuitive, especially for teams moving from Excel?

If your team knows Excel, they'll feel right at home with Limelight. We've designed our interface to feel familiar while adding powerful new capabilities. You'll find the same modeling tools you're used to, plus customizable dashboards that make your data more accessible and actionable. Teams typically start working productively from day one.

What level of customization does Limelight offer for reports and dashboards?

You have complete control over how your reports and dashboards look and work. Create the exact layouts you need, choose your key metrics, and design visualizations that tell your story. As your business needs change, you can easily adjust your reports and business rules to match. From basic templates to complex configurations, you decide what works best for your team.

How long does it take to implement Limelight?

Implementation varies based on your organization's needs, but most teams are up and running within a few weeks. We guide you through each step, from initial setup through to daily operations, making sure you have everything you need to succeed with the platform.

What kind of customer support and training does Limelight provide?

You're never alone in your Limelight journey. Our support team is ready to help whenever you need assistance, with quick responses to keep your work moving forward. We also provide comprehensive training resources to help your team master the platform and get the most value from its features.

Your Team Deserves Better

Experience why forward-thinking finance leaders choose Limelight over Datarails

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