Why Excel Will Always Be King (and What Data Professionals Can Learn From It)
Imagine this: you’ve spent weeks designing a state-of-the-art dashboard. It has interactive visualizations, drill-down capabilities, and real-time updates. You proudly present it to your business users, only to hear the inevitable question:
“How do I export that to EXCEL?”
If you’ve ever worked in data, you’ve likely faced this scenario. No matter how advanced our tools become, Excel remains the backbone of many business workflows. It’s not just a tool; it’s a language most business users speak fluently. As data professionals, it’s crucial to understand why Excel remains indispensable and how to work with it effectively—not against it.
In this post, we’ll explore:
Why Excel continues to dominate business workflows.
How to bridge the gap between Excel and modern data platforms.
Practical tips for data professionals to thrive in an Excel-first world.
Why Excel Remains the King
There’s a reason Excel has been a cornerstone of business operations for decades. Let’s break it down:
1. Accessibility
Everyone, from the intern to the CEO, knows how to use Excel. It’s pre-installed on most corporate computers, and its intuitive interface means anyone can jump in and start working with data.
2. Versatility
Excel’s flexibility is unmatched. Whether it’s financial modeling, ad-hoc analysis, or quick reporting, Excel can handle it all. Need a quick pivot table? Excel. A simple chart? Excel. An automation hack with VBA? You guessed it—Excel.
3. Resourcefulness
Business users are incredibly resourceful. If the data team takes too long, they’ll build their own solution in Excel. While this can create challenges, it also speaks to Excel’s power as a problem-solving tool.
Add to that the fact that there are more business users than data professionals, and you’ve got a recipe for Excel’s continued dominance.
Relatable Scenarios You’ve Probably Seen
Here are some common situations that highlight Excel’s staying power:
📅 It’s going to take a month (or more) to get a report in production.
They’ve already started doing it in Excel...
📊 They get a report, but it isn’t quite what they want.
They’re going to export it to Excel...
🤔 A business unit feels like your Data team takes too long or is disconnected from their needs.
Not only did they do it in Excel, but they also found someone to write custom VBA to automate part of the process—and one day, you’ll be migrating that to a production solution...
Sound familiar? These scenarios may feel frustrating, but they highlight the importance of understanding Excel’s role in the business ecosystem.
Why Data Professionals Need Excel Skills
So, how do you thrive in a world where Excel reigns supreme? By embracing it. Here’s why Excel is a must-have skill for data professionals:
1. Bridging the Gap Between Business and Data Teams
When you understand Excel, you’re better equipped to communicate with business users. You can translate their needs into scalable, automated solutions. Plus, knowing Excel builds trust. Business users feel heard when they see you “speaking their language.”
2. Reverse Engineering Excel Workflows
Excel often serves as the starting point for legacy workflows. Understanding how these processes work helps you migrate them into modern, production-ready systems. Whether it’s dissecting a complex VBA script or unraveling an Excel-based dashboard, your Excel knowledge becomes invaluable.
3. The Ongoing Role of Excel in Modern Workflows
Even after migrating processes to dashboards or automated pipelines, users will still ask for an export-to-Excel option. Ensuring seamless Excel integration keeps business users happy while maintaining the integrity of your modern systems.
Practical Tips for Data Professionals
Here are actionable steps to help you leverage Excel in your data career:
✅ Learn Excel Basics: Master core functions like VLOOKUP, INDEX-MATCH, PivotTables, and conditional formatting. Dive into VBA if you’re up for it—it’s a powerful tool for understanding automation scripts.
✅ Understand Excel’s Limitations: Recognize when a process has outgrown Excel and needs to be migrated to more robust platforms like Power BI, SQL Server, or Azure Data Factory.
✅ Communicate Effectively with Business Users: Show them how new systems meet their needs while still giving them the flexibility they love in Excel. Provide training and support to ease transitions.
Modernizing Excel-Based Workflows
When it’s time to migrate an Excel-based workflow to a modern system, follow these steps:
Understand the Existing Process: Work with business users to understand what the Excel solution does and why it’s critical.
Replicate in a Scalable Platform: Use tools like Power BI for visualization, Azure Data Factory for ETL, or Python for automation.
Train Users: Provide documentation and training to help users transition to the new system. But always keep an export-to-Excel option available.
Conclusion
Excel isn’t going anywhere, and that’s a good thing. It empowers business users and keeps data professionals on their toes. By learning Excel, understanding its role in business workflows, and modernizing where needed, you can bridge the gap between business needs and scalable data solutions.
What’s Your Experience?
Have you ever faced a situation where Excel saved the day—or caused you headaches? Share your stories in the comments, or reach out if you’re looking for help modernizing your workflows!