What do you like best about Microsoft Excel?
What I love most about Microsoft Excel is how seamlessly it fits into my day-to-day workflow as a software developer. PivotTables and Power Query let me summarize and transform SQL Server data in seconds without writing extra code, and that alone saves me hours every week.
Excel also really shines because of its integration ecosystem. The Claude add-in has been a game-changer for me: I can ask Claude to generate complex formulas, explain patterns in my data, or help me structure spreadsheets using natural language, all without leaving Excel. Tasks that used to require a lot of trial and error now take only seconds.
From a performance standpoint, Excel handles large datasets reliably, and the ribbon UI keeps features easy to find and use.
Overall, Excel is the tool that helps me move faster and get more done. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.
What do you dislike about Microsoft Excel?
The biggest pain point for me is performance with large datasets. Once files pass a certain size—especially when there are multiple formulas referencing external data—recalculation times become frustrating, and crashes aren’t uncommon. For heavier data work, this ends up pushing users toward proper database tools, even in cases where Excel could handle the job better.
Version control is also nearly nonexistent. Coming from a development background, the lack of native Git integration or any meaningful change tracking is a constant source of frustration. Cloud co-authoring has improved, but conflict resolution still feels rough when multiple people edit at the same time, especially compared to more modern collaboration tools.
The AI/Copilot experience is inconsistent as well. While the Claude add-in fills this gap beautifully, the native Copilot feature often misunderstands context or generates incorrect formulas—and it requires a separate, higher-tier Microsoft 365 subscription, which hurts the ROI proposition.
Onboarding for advanced features is steep. Power Query, Power Pivot, and array formulas are incredibly useful, but they’re not well explained for the average user. Microsoft’s official support resources often feel outdated or overly generic, which makes it harder than it should be to learn these capabilities.
Finally, pricing transparency could be better. It’s not always clear which features require which license tier, and realizing a feature you need is locked behind an upgrade creates a poor user experience. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.