AI Act and SMEs: Why an Excel spreadsheet Isn't Enough for the AI Systems Registry

Edited by Solucom · June 17, 2026

You've started using some AI tools in your company – a text assistant, a customer care one, maybe a data analysis tool. At some point, someone asks, «But which AIs are we using, and for what?» The answer, often, is a Excel spreadsheet Opened in a hurry. It seems like the easy way. The problem is that during an inspection, or even with a demanding client, that document won't hold up.

What AI Act Asks of AI Users

Even if you don't develop AI systems, but limit yourself to to use them, the AI Act still asks you to follow some common-sense guidelines: knowing which AI tools you use and for what purposes, and training the people who use them (the so-called AI literacy, already recalled as of February 2, 2025), transparently indicate AI-generated content, and monitor uses that affect decisions about people. The common thread is one: to have government of what you use.

Why Excel isn't enough

• He doesn't remember deadlines. A periodic review, the renewal of an assessment: Excel won't alert you to it. You realize it when it's too late.
• It doesn't have a story. Who changed what, and when? In a shared spreadsheet, the last edit overwrites everything: you don't have a reliable record to show.
• Doesn't distinguish roles. Who is responsible for that tool? Who authorized it? In a table, this information, if it exists, is just one column that nobody updates.
• It gets dirty quickly. Duplicate rows, half-finished entries, «to be verified» items that linger for months. A messy record — as we know well from CRMs too — simply doesn't get used.
• It doesn't produce proof. In case of a check, you don't need a sheet of paper: you need a ordered file that demonstrates that you have control over your AI systems.

What is really needed

Not complicated software, but a tool designed for the task: a Live registry of your AI systems, of the people involved, and of the evaluations, with Automatic reminders On deadlines, one trace of who does what and the possibility of Export a file ready for an audit. It's the difference between «we have a file somewhere» and «we have control.».

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you want an AI registry that's ready for AI Act without having to start from scratch? We have created AInventoryAI tools, people, and reviews in a single platform, with reminders and exportable files. There's a free plan to get started.