Microsoft Excel Overview | Uses of Microsoft Excel

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Microsoft Excel Overview

In general, Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet tool that is capable of performing calculations, analyzing data, presenting information in advanced dashboards and integrating information from different programs. That is just for starters. Microsoft Excel is comprised of organizational units called workbooks. A standard workbook contains worksheets and chart sheets. Worksheets perform calculations, store and organize data, present graphics, charts and controls like a web page; they are extremely versatile. A worksheet is comprised of millions of cells. The job of a cell is to store a formula that performs a calculation or communicates with some other application (i.e. program) such as a database. They also store and present data. A chart sheet's job is to present a chart (graph) developed from data stored on a worksheet or from some other data source.

• A not so typical business dashboard, just a taste of what Excel is capable of, its elements and the workbook that contains it are presented in the illustration below. The dashboard presents revenue and was developed in Microsoft Excel in about an hour. It utilizes drawing shapes, charts, and worksheet functions (behind the scenes). These are all Excel features which operate on the worksheet.

• A typical engineering model, its elements and the worksheet that contains it are presented in the illustration below. This simple ramjet model utilizes Data Validation, a chart, drawing shapes, worksheet functions and formulas. These are all Excel features which operate on the worksheet.

Basic Capabilities of Microsoft Excel

Think of Microsoft Excel as a modular tool set that can be rapidly configured to accomplish a desired task. Some of Excel's key tools include:

• Worksheets that can store and organize massive amounts of data
• Formulas that perform basic algebraic operations
• Formulas that perform basic logic operations using relational operators
•  Array Formulas that can analyze massive amounts of worksheet data
• Worksheet functions that perform automated tasks on massive amounts of data that simple formulas cannot do
• Data validation that is used to protect against invalid cell data entry, allows forms to be constructed
• Conditional formatting that colors worksheet cells based on logical conditions
• Chart creation that visualizes worksheet data
• Excel tables that organize and adapt to resizing worksheet data
• Power Query that can fuse, clean and edit data from multiple data sources
• Pivot Tables (Power Pivot) that can be used to rapidly organize, analyze and display worksheet data
• Grouping outlines that can group, hide and display data
• Built-in drawing shapes, imported pictures and ActiveX controls that can be used to create advanced visual interfaces like dashboards
• Built-in programming language called Visual Basic for Applications (VBA, Macros) that can be used to automate Excel's features and develop time saving tools

By using Microsoft Excel, company funds and time are not invested in developing software tools from the "ground up" in computer languages that take large staffs to maintain.