Microsoft Excel is a commercial spreadsheet software application. It’s developed, updated and distributed by Microsoft and is available in both Windows and Mac formats. It is the most popular spreadsheet application in the world, largely due to its suitability for corporate use alongside home and student use. Many people use Microsoft Excel as part of the popular Microsoft Office suite of productivity applications at work, college/university or home.

Basic Functionality

An Excel worksheet is split into columns and rows, forming a grid of cells. Each cell can hold data (text, numerical values) or formulas/functions, enabling complex calculations and data manipulation to be performed.

A popular use of the Excel is to conduct financial analysis and management reporting. Excel can then display this data in graphical form, using bar charts, pie charts and other visual aids. The most common way to manipulate the display of data for management reporting is through the use of pivot tables – the topic this very website is all about.

Excel functions including SUM and HLOOKUP

Excel contains many mathematical functions and formulas allowing you to manipulate data. Some examples include SUM(), which adds up the numbers in a selected column of cells and HLOOKUP(), used to find specific values from tables of information.

VBA – Visual Basic for Applications

Excel can be extended yet further to integrate with other applications (including Microsoft Word and Access, for example). This more advanced functionality is via a macro programming language called VBA – Visual Basic for Applications.

How to Buy Excel

Excel is widely sold as part of the popular Microsoft Office suite, alongside Word, PowerPoint, Access and Outlook (depending on the version you buy). However it can also be purchased seperately as a standalone application. Also, if you are a teacher or student, you may find better value by purchasing the academic version of Office.