Where can I get a free spreadsheet program?.However, even with the available free options, Excel remains the most-used spreadsheet because of all its available options, features, and because many businesses still use the program. Today, there are many free spreadsheet programs that someone could use instead of Excel. Why would someone use Excel over another spreadsheet program? See our spreadsheet definition for a complete list of reasons and examples of how people use a spreadsheet. For example, someone might use Excel and a spreadsheet to keep track of their expenses. This spreadsheet illustrates some of the capabilities of a spreadsheet, formulas, and functions, and allows you to experiment more with a spreadsheet.
We created a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that you can download and open in any spreadsheet program, including Microsoft Excel.
If you do not want (or cannot afford) to purchase Excel, you can use a limited version for free at the Microsoft Office website.
It must be purchased and installed before running it on your computer. Keep in mind that new computers do not include Excel. If you have Excel or the entire Microsoft Office package installed on your Windows computer, you can find Excel in the Start menu. See the formula bar, cell, column, row, or sheet tab links for further information about each of these sections. It can analyze data, calculate statistics, generate pivot tables, and represent data as charts or graphs.įor example, you could create an Excel spreadsheet that calculates a monthly budget, tracks associated expenses, and interactively sorts the data by criteria.īelow is an example of Microsoft Excel with each of its major sections highlighted. What are the different versions of Microsoft Excel?Įxcel is a tool for organizing and performing calculations on data.Why would someone use Excel over another spreadsheet program?.Download an example of a spreadsheet file.How to open Microsoft Excel without using a mouse.