Is Excel Obsolete? Think Again. Here's Why It's BI's Secret Weapon (2024)

Is Excel Obsolete? Think Again. Here's Why It's BI's Secret Weapon (1)

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Apoorva Venkata Is Excel Obsolete? Think Again. Here's Why It's BI's Secret Weapon (2)

Apoorva Venkata

Data Analytics & Business Intelligence Specialist | MS Business Analytics, University at Buffalo | Transforming Data into Actionable Insights

Published Jan 17, 2024

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In the world of Business Intelligence (BI), the buzzwords are all about fancy tools and cloud platforms. But amidst the hype, there's a humble hero often overlooked: Excel. Yes, the spreadsheet software you've used since your high school days. I am currently working on data to evaluate a roofing company's marketing strategies as a part of my Project at FAST Clinic, so I tried my hands on a sample data set for a Toy manufacturing company.

Links for my dashboard: Maven Toys Regional Revenue Dashboard

Here's why Excel isn't just alive and kicking, but thriving as a construction BI secret weapon:

1. The Familiarity Factor: where time is money, learning complex new tools can be a hurdle. Excel's intuitive interface and widespread familiarity empower all stakeholders, from project managers to executives, to engage with data directly.

2. Data Wrangling Wizard: project reports, invoices, blueprints. Excel tackles this heterogeneity with ease. Its import and transformation capabilities, coupled with formulas like VLOOKUP and Power Query, let you seamlessly merge and clean diverse data sets, paving the way for insightful analysis.

3. The Power of Customization: The one-size-fits-all BI solutions rarely cut it. Excel's flexibility shines here. Its vast library of functions, from complex calculations like net present value to data validation tools, lets you tailor analyses to your specific needs and questions.

4. Dynamic Dashboard Dynamo: Don't settle for static reports gathering dust in filing cabinets. Excel's charts and graphs come alive with conditional formatting and slicers, allowing you to build interactive dashboards that update in real-time. With a few clicks, analyze project performance, track budget variances, and visualize key metrics, keeping everyone informed and on the same page.

The takeaway? Excel isn't obsolete; it's evolving. In the hands of a skilled BI professional, it becomes a powerful tool for unlocking actionable insights from construction data. So, the next time you encounter that humble spreadsheet icon, remember its hidden potential as a BI secret weapon ready to transform your projects.

Check out this course to get started on your Excel dashboard journey Udemy Advanced Excel dashboard Design

Thanks Madhav Bhatia , Sonali Dixit for being an amazing team. looking forward to more learnings and insight with you both!

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6mo

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Absolutely agree! Excel is a versatile and essential tool for crunching data and uncovering insights. #excellover

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Madhav Bhatia

Product and Data Analyst | SQL, Python, R and Tableau | CSM®| MS Business Analytics 23-24, SUNY Buffalo | Numbers are my language, Business my playground

6mo

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Keep it up!💪

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Is Excel Obsolete? Think Again. Here's Why It's BI's Secret Weapon (2024)

FAQs

Is Excel Obsolete? Think Again. Here's Why It's BI's Secret Weapon? ›

Excel isn't obsolete; it's evolving. In the hands of a skilled BI professional, it becomes a powerful tool for unlocking actionable insights from construction data. So, the next time you encounter that humble spreadsheet icon, remember its hidden potential as a BI secret weapon ready to transform your projects.

Is Excel becoming obsolete? ›

Yes, Excel remains a great tool for basic data analysis and calculations. Its user-friendly interface and familiar formulas make it easy to learn and use for quick tasks. However, for more advanced analytics you should consider data analytics tools.

What will replace MS Excel? ›

The Best Excel Alternatives of 2024
  • Hive. Hive is one of the top Excel alternatives for those who are looking for an all-in-one platform that offers a more collaborative experience. ...
  • Google Sheets. One of the most popular options in comparison to Excel is Google Sheets. ...
  • Zoho Sheet. ...
  • Smartsheet. ...
  • Quip. ...
  • Workzone. ...
  • Scoro. ...
  • ClickUp.
Mar 20, 2024

Is Microsoft Excel being replaced? ›

No, as part of Microsoft 365 you will continue to get access to apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. We will also continue to offer one-time purchases of those apps to consumers and businesses via Office 2021 and Office LTSC plans.

Does Excel have a future? ›

Yes, Excel is already increasingly becoming automated with the integration of AI technologies. The future is here, and Excel is evolving to incorporate more intelligent automation features that make data analysis more efficient and less time-consuming.

Will Excel be replaced by AI? ›

For AI and Excel, this is the same. For a lot of activities, Excel is better, more reliable, easier to audit, faster and more energy efficient. But the best is when you combine both! Here is when to use AI, when to use Excel and when to combine both!

When should I stop using Excel? ›

Five Reasons to Stop Using Spreadsheets
  1. They don't facilitate all processes. ...
  2. Tasks are time-consuming. ...
  3. Humans make mistakes. ...
  4. It's easy to lose data. ...
  5. Tax returns are painful.

Why is Excel quitting? ›

Sometimes, conflicts with add-ins or other software can cause Excel to crash. Check for Corrupted Files: Check if the Excel file itself is corrupted. Try opening other Excel files on the affected PC to see if they also cause Excel to crash. If only one specific file is causing the issue, it may be corrupted.

Is there anything better than Microsoft Excel? ›

Excel is the undisputed powerhouse of the spreadsheet world, but it can be overkill for many common tasks. Google Sheets should be your next stop, or if you're looking for a Google Sheets alternative, try Zoho Sheet. If you want a native application rather than a browser solution, LibreOffice Calc is your best bet.

Are companies moving away from Excel? ›

Conclusion. As businesses outgrow Excel, they are turning to ERP systems for their data management needs. These systems offer greater scalability, increased security, easier collaboration, and seamless integration with other business applications—all of which help businesses run more efficiently.

Will Excel survive? ›

But Excel spreadsheets aren't going away any time soon. Neither are the complex calculations and reports that rely on accurate data pulled from spreadsheets and a multitude of other systems. Simple solutions built on Excel may not provide the scalability to support future business growth and complexity.

Is there an end to Excel? ›

The Excel spreadsheet ends at 1,048,576 rows and the XFD column due to technical limitations and design choices. The row limit of 1,048,576 is because of how Excel internally represents numbers in binary form.

What is replacing VBA in Excel? ›

Looks like Microsoft is treating Office Script as a replacement for VBA. Targeting to automation progress in Excel.

Is Excel still relevant in 2024? ›

In the dynamic and data-driven world of 2024, Excel Experts are invaluable assets to any team, wielding the power of data analysis and visualization to inform strategic decisions.

How long will Excel be relevant? ›

Even if people completely stopped creating new Excel spreadsheets today it would take decades to fully replace them with other software solutions.

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