Given that these are relatively unskilled users, would switching away from Excel increase or decrease errors? I don't think it's a given that errors would decrease by switching away from Excel.
So yes, maybe these "relatively unskilled users" will struggle for a few weeks/months, but it will be a net positive change as many of them will see immense benefit after some tinkering.
Errors made from using a new , presumably neutral software, would be the kind you are supposed to catch as a researcher.
There is obviously scope for error in everything but Excel's user-hostile methods are not justified by this.
Excel is everywhere.
People are familiar with it. The same people are often not familiar with, and have never used, and may even be confused by “notepad.exe”.