What are the biggest challenges for you working with Excel and CSV sheets?
Jernej Samide
22 replies
After talking to hundreds of companies, stakeholders, and end users - one of the biggest challenges I saw for a lot of Excel and CSV users is to structure the data and import/upload it to an application where they can use the data to work with it.
What are the biggest challenges for you personally?
Replies
Yousaf Ishaq@yishaq13
I think Automation and Data manipulation are the biggest challenges that are faced when working with Excel and CSV sheets:
Automation: When working with large amounts of data, automating processes can save a significant amount of time and effort. However, automating Excel and CSV sheets can be challenging, especially if the data is not consistent or the calculations are complex.
Data manipulation: Excel and CSV sheets can be challenging to manipulate, especially if the data is complex or contains a lot of calculations. This can be further complicated by formatting issues, such as merged cells or hidden rows.
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When you use a big formula with different sheets and then because there is just one "," mistake you need to start all over again...
@olatz_urrutia I can definitely relate to that. Maybe Generative AI will be able to solve these cases :D
@olatz_urrutia there is a new formula editor for that!
Data accuracy: One of the biggest challenges with working with Excel and CSV sheets is ensuring the accuracy of the data. Data errors and inconsistencies can lead to incorrect results or decisions, which can be costly and time-consuming to correct.
Data organization: Managing large amounts of data in Excel and CSV sheets can be challenging. It can be difficult to organize data in a way that is easy to read, sort, filter, and analyze, particularly when dealing with complex data sets.
Data input and manipulation: Entering and manipulating data in Excel and CSV sheets can be time-consuming, particularly when dealing with large data sets. It can be challenging to ensure that data is entered accurately and consistently, and to manipulate data in a way that supports the analysis and reporting needed.
Compatibility and integration: Excel and CSV sheets may not always be compatible with other systems or software, which can make it challenging to integrate data across different platforms. This can be particularly problematic when dealing with large amounts of data or complex data sets.
Security and access control: Excel and CSV sheets may contain sensitive or confidential data, which can make it challenging to ensure that data is secure and access is appropriately controlled. It can be difficult to ensure that data is protected from unauthorized access or accidental disclosure.
Version control: Keeping track of different versions of Excel and CSV sheets can be challenging, particularly when multiple people are working on the same data set. It can be difficult to ensure that everyone is working with the most up-to-date version of the data, which can lead to errors and inconsistencies.
@vishal_patel15 These are a lot of points Vishal. Thanks a lot for sharing them. If you would have to pick one of them which one takes the most effort and time for your personally?
Adding the same data to multiple cells
@mahad_kamran Minha, very good point. I cheated and asked ChatGBT for a solution :D. It came up with three different ways to help you. Let me know if that helps.
There are a few different ways to add the same data to multiple cells in Excel, depending on how many cells you need to fill and what type of data you're adding. Here are three common methods:
1. Fill Handle: The Fill Handle is a small square at the bottom right corner of a selected cell or range of cells. You can use it to quickly copy the contents of one cell to adjacent cells. Here's how:
a. Enter the data you want to add into a cell.
b. Click on the cell to select it.
c. Hover your cursor over the Fill Handle until it turns into a small black plus sign.
d. Click and hold the left mouse button and drag the Fill Handle over the cells where you want to add the same data.
e. Release the mouse button to fill the cells with the same data.
2. Copy and Paste: If you need to add the same data to non-adjacent cells, you can use the copy and paste commands. Here's how:
a. Enter the data you want to add into a cell.
b. Click on the cell to select it.
c. Press Ctrl + C on your keyboard to copy the cell contents.
d. Select the cells where you want to add the same data.
e. Press Ctrl + V on your keyboard to paste the copied data into the selected cells.
3. Excel Function: If you need to add the same data to a large number of cells, you can use an Excel function called "Fill Series." Here's how:
a. Enter the data you want to add into a cell.
b. Click on the cell to select it.
c. Click on the "Home" tab in the Excel ribbon.
d. Click on the "Fill" button in the "Editing" group.
e. Select "Series" from the drop-down menu.
f. In the "Series" dialog box, select "Columns" or "Rows," depending on how you want the data to be filled.
g. Enter the starting and ending values for the data, as well as any other options you want to use.
h. Click "OK" to fill the selected cells with the same data.
Apart from the other mentioned problems, one huge problem is parsing Excel files. The data itself can be parsed easily, but you often run into issues with the data type because the ones from Excel are so different from the common data types used in other applications.
Just the UX is terrible. If they could make it like Google sheets UX that would be a massive improvement
@richard_gao2 Agree Richard. Do you miss any functionalities in Google Sheets that Excel is able to provide?
For me, it's memorizing formulas or at least having better access to them. I've found myself compiling a list of formulas in a separate document just so that I don't have to Google them again and again.
