I'm running a payroll and shift scheduling system and sales budgeting system in Numbers. Only for seven staff (I only have a 20" screen) but could easily be scaled up. Contains hundreds of tables and about fifty worksheets. All linked in a rather complex manner.

A few things Numbers doesn't do, such as auto generate an email with address and subject (it does) and body text and attachment (it doesn't) but it comes close.

And date time calculations are a little clumsy but easily worked around.

It has indirect addressing of cells which is great.

It can almost function as a database program, not just a spreadsheet program.

Numbers is focused on multiple tables per worksheet where each worksheet is a blank page, rather than one big table. So think "relational database" when designing a Numbers "application". Yes, tables can be indexed together within and across the worksheets.

Some people have complained about row/column limitations in Numbers. These people miss the point: They are trying to design an Excel spreadsheet within Numbers - such a sad way to go. Better to do things the Numbers way!

My point: Numbers is robust and powerful. Not some immature "version 1" attempt at playing Excel catchup.

Took me a week to design and write. Sure, four weeks later I had to iron out a bug or two in my "programming" but I'm no genius. If I can get Numbers to do great stuff then you can too!

You won't miss much using Numbers when moving across from Excel. You'll soon learn to approach old tasks in a new way!