Desired Upgrades: 5 Ways Excel Can Be Better

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Let me set the record straight from the start—I’m a big fan of Excel. It’s great for creating and organizing information, which is why I use it daily for my personal and work-related affairs. However, there are a few changes that Microsoft could implement that would make the program even better.

Excel Could Be More Intuitive

In short, Microsoft Excel is too complicated, especially if you’ve never used it before. Getting to know how to use complicated formulas, pivot tables , and macros takes experience, extensive training, or a concerning level of obsession—it’s not something that can be done quickly or if you’re under pressure. Even as an Excel power user, I still learn new tricks and tips from time to time that, had I known earlier, would have made my life a lot easier for a lot longer.

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AI enthusiasts might argue that Copilot for Excel is the way forward to maximizing the program’s use. However, that doesn’t help someone who is applying for a job that requires Excel expertise , and in today’s technological age, we should be especially careful not to let AI replace our fundamental computer skills . As it stands, however, people might see this as an easier route than learning how to use Excel from scratch.

While it’s great to know you can rely on How-to Geeks’ articles to help you wade through the treacherous waters of Excel’s complex menus, tools, and formulas, you shouldn’t have to. As it stands, Excel is a program for specialists, and adopting a simpler ribbon and offering a more intuitive experience (closer to Google Sheets’ user interface) would go some way to improving its accessibility.

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Excel’s Desktop App Should Be Free (or Cheaper)

While Microsoft has developed the free Excel for the web since its launch, the subscription-only desktop app still boasts many tools and features that make it an optimal choice over its web-based counterpart. What’s more, since the desktop app uses a computer’s memory (rather than being powered by your internet browser and connection), it runs more quickly and can handle large data and complex operations more effectively. And those are just a few of the many reasons you might prefer the desktop app to the online version.

If you want to get the Excel desktop app and the many benefits that come with it, you have to pay $6.99 a month or $69.99 a year for the whole Microsoft 365 subscription . You could purchase and download Excel only , but that’ll set you back a whopping $159.99.

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Moreover, Microsoft no longer supports one-time purchases. So, while you’ll still get security updates, you won’t get any new features, and once you’ve set it up on your computer, Microsoft won’t help you with any other issues you have.

Indeed, since the launch of Microsoft 365, Microsoft has preferred that people add its entire suite to their computer on a subscription basis, rather than encouraging customers to purchase and download its programs. If, like me, you use Microsoft programs daily, the subscription is worth it . But paying the full subscription fee seems unreasonable if you only want to use the best version of Excel.

Since Microsoft’s primary competitor, Google, offers users the best version of its spreadsheet software for free, it would seem right for Microsoft to strive to do the same. On the other hand, if Microsoft can’t offer it for free, there should be better options available for those who want to use only Excel, such as subscription plans for individual programs.

Excel Shouldn’t Break Your Computer

Excel is notorious for the vast memory it consumes on your computer, especially if you’re trying to work on a spreadsheet with complex formatting or operations. If you’re on a lower-spec device, you can forget about creating an all-singing-all-dancing spreadsheet without causing your system to slow or crash. While my tips to speed up your spreadsheet might help, adding advanced tools, such as macros or add-ins, can cause frustrating issues with the program’s performance.

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Many people who use Excel don’t necessarily need to use all of its advanced features, so a slimline version of the program for quick and easy spreadsheet work would address its well-known complexity and performance issues. Those of us who do want to use Excel to its full capacity should be able to do so without worrying about it crashing our devices.

Excel Should Spot Human Errors

Yes, Excel will sometimes flag formula inconsistencies (for example, if you have a column of formulas and one cell contains a formula that is different from the others), but one single typo in a formula could destroy a whole spreadsheet’s functionality. Excel is too sensitive to errors without offering too much of a solution to overcome such sensitivity.

It’s no secret that I’m not convinced about the use of Copilot in Microsoft 365’s apps , primarily due to its invasiveness in my work. However, I’d be more willing to accept AI in my spreadsheets if it were to spot potential issues that could significantly affect my work.

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I’m sure some big corporations would agree.

In 2008, Barclays mistakenly bought over 170 contracts because the Excel spreadsheet they used contained hidden rows with more data. Only when they converted the spreadsheet to a PDF was the hidden data discovered—but by then, it was too late, as the contracts were already signed and sealed. This simple human error could have been avoided if Excel had alerted the user when they tried to print or send a sheet with hidden rows or columns.

What’s more, accidentally typing too many zeros into an accounting spreadsheet—as a Kodak employee did in 2005, leading to an overpayment of $11 million in severance and benefits to former employees—could be easily avoided by Excel flagging excessively large numbers in cells containing the accounting number format .

The list doesn’t stop there. MI5 and the UK Government have also suffered significant issues due to Excel-related human errors. I understand that tech comes with the caveat of human error affecting its usefulness and accuracy. However, with so many individuals and businesses relying on Excel for essential data processing and financial matters, Microsoft should divert more of its upgrading attention to mitigating the chances of such catastrophic mistakes ever occurring.

After all, it is possible. My bank alerts me if a regular payment is lower or higher than usual, so Excel should be able to spot abnormal data in a spreadsheet.

Replace Merge Cells With Center Across Selection

Many people believe that merging cells is the best way to cover a whole row with the same data. However, this can cause issues when, for example, you sort and filter data containing a merged row. Similarly, if you try to paste data from an unmerged row to a merged row, Excel will unhelpfully respond with an error message.

Instead, it’s better to use the Center Across Selection tool, which results in the cells being merged but the cells’ structures being retained.

Since I discovered this alternative and better way to present my data in Excel, I’ve not once used the program’s Merge And Center tool, and I would bet that others would be of the same view. So, instead of having the Merge And Center icon in the Home tab on the ribbon, Excel should have the Center Across Selection option as a default tool, not least because this supports the spreadsheet’s long-term structural integrity more than the Merge And Center option does.

Let’s give Microsoft some credit here. The company is willing to listen to customer feedback, often making changes to its programs based on what people have to say. To make suggestions on how Excel can improve, go to the feedback portal , log in, and click “Send Feedback.” You can also vote for existing suggestions if they would enhance your Excel experience.

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Desired Upgrades: 5 Ways Excel Can Be Better