This piece will be more reflective than our typical content, because it ties heavily into why I’m writing these posts in the first place. I was fortunate to have someone help me get started (though he still denies he did much; you know who you are) in the world of reporting and automation early in my corporate career; manual reports became semi-automated, those became scheduled automation, then interactive dashboards, and it continued from there.

While most of what I was doing was in Excel and Power BI at the time, the skills I built (often through trial and error) during the growth process established a foundation of knowledge and transferrable skills that made future progress more achievable. By learning to work with data, I learned how to better structure it. By building reports for stakeholders, I learned how to make it tell a story. By learning to automate it, I learned how to think procedurally and design something that works not just once, but the next 50,000 times it runs.

With the onset of generative AI (ChatGPT, the new Bing, Bard, and the like), I started to realize that these skills prepared me to effectively utilize these tools, not because they could do it for me, but because I had a sufficient basis of knowledge and skills to use them effectively and work with them. I don’t see much chance of the pace of innovation slowing down (as a species, we’re not great at that), but I do see the possibilities for people who didn’t have the mentors and opportunities I did to fall behind.

If you ever met me and asked, I’d tell you I’m not a great teacher. I’ve always preferred the role of the team captain, or that dude in the back of the office building stuff for everyone else, but I try to make the world better when I get the chance, and perhaps taking time to share some of this will help with that.

So here we are, delving into the significance of Excel proficiency in this fast-paced, constantly evolving workplace. Why am I spending so much time writing about Excel, when Microsoft already has some pretty decent documentation, you ask? Let’s dive in and explore that very question.

You may find that (as our site name suggests), I’m trying to share knowledge in a way that the foundations of what you learn here become patterns that you can abstract away from Excel, and apply to other things. Abstract Foundations; get it?

Jeff

The Underestimated Power of Excel

Excel: it’s a tool that has quietly accompanied the rise of the digital age, persisting as a stalwart companion in the tumultuous seas of technological evolution. Its timeless interface and versatile functionality have allowed it to endure where others have fizzled out. While it may be easy to dismiss Excel as ‘just a spreadsheet program,’ this underestimates the transformative role it plays in the hands of those who know how to wield it.

At first glance, Excel seems to be all about numbers, columns, rows, and a myriad of dizzying formulas. Indeed, it is these elements. However, beyond this façade, Excel introduces concepts that form the bedrock of data management, programming, and automation.

Understanding Excel is not merely about mastering the manipulation of cells or crafting complex formulas. It’s about understanding data—its quirks, its patterns, its stories. It’s about learning the art of problem-solving, the logic of programming, the meticulous attention to detail required in data analysis, and the process of turning raw data into actionable insights.

At the end of the day, Excel skills are transferrable skills. They lay a solid foundation that translates into a variety of roles and contexts beyond spreadsheets, providing a launchpad into more complex arenas such as programming, data science, and machine learning.

Next, we’ll explore why Excel proficiency is such a valuable springboard into these more advanced fields and how it prepares you for the modern and future workplace. Let’s delve into the versatile world of Excel and see how it can be a stepping stone towards a brighter, more competitive future.

Excel as the Foundation of Programming Logic

You may wonder, ‘How can Excel, a spreadsheet program, prepare someone for programming?’ The answer lies in Excel’s very core – formulas, functions, and its visual basic for applications (VBA) capabilities.

Excel formulas and functions are, in essence, a form of programming. They require a clear understanding of inputs (arguments), outputs (results), and the process linking the two. They require careful crafting, meticulous debugging, and a mindset attuned to logic and problem-solving.

Consider a nested IF function. It’s an embodiment of the concept of conditional logic or ‘control flow,’ a foundational concept in programming. Each nested IF is a decision branch, closely related to the ‘if-then-else’ structure found in almost all programming languages. Mastering this in Excel prepares your mind for understanding more complex programming constructs.

Now, let’s talk about VBA. VBA in Excel is a full-fledged programming (or scripting, depending on who you ask) language that extends Excel’s functionality to automate complex tasks and manage large datasets. Delving into VBA, you’ll encounter variables, data types, loops, functions, and error handling—concepts at the heart of any programming language. The logical thinking you develop when writing VBA code is directly applicable to languages like Python, Java, or C#.

Finally, arrays in Excel—whether they are used in array formulas or in VBA—introduce the concept of data structures. This understanding facilitates the transition to more complex data structures like lists, stacks, and queues in programming.

All of this is to say, the path from Excel to programming is not a giant leap, but a series of smaller, connected steps. Excel is a friendly guide, leading you along the journey, introducing complex concepts in a simplified, digestible manner.

Excel as the Stepping Stone to Data Management Proficiency

As data becomes the lifeblood of decision-making in every industry, understanding how to handle, analyze, and present data becomes an increasingly valuable skillset. Excel is often the starting point for many professionals on this data journey.

Excel’s capabilities in data management go far beyond simple spreadsheets. Power Query, for example, is a data connection technology that enables you to discover, connect, combine, and refine data across a wide variety of sources. It encourages good data hygiene, understanding how to clean, shape and transform data – skills that are transferable to more advanced data management tools.

Similarly, Excel’s Data Model functionality introduces users to database design and relational data concepts. By learning how to create relationships between tables and using these relationships in data analysis, you’re stepping into the world of SQL and database management.

Power Pivot and Pivot Tables, on the other hand, get you acquainted with the basics of data aggregation and summarization. Grappling with these tools, you’re not just crunching numbers – you’re learning the principles of data analysis. This prepares you for learning specialized data analysis tools and languages such as R or Python’s pandas library.

Also, Excel’s built-in Charting and Data Visualization tools teach the principles of data presentation. Learning how to choose the right chart type, format it properly, and make it easy to understand is the first step towards mastering data visualization tools like Power BI or Tableau.

In conclusion, Excel serves as an excellent training ground for understanding data – how to manage it, analyze it, and present it. This proficiency in data management lays a solid foundation for venturing into more advanced tools and programming languages.

Now that we’ve seen how Excel acts as a primer for programming and data management, let’s look at the bigger picture in our next section: how these skills prepare you for the ever-evolving modern workplace.

The Evolving Workplace: Automation and Programming Proficiency

The business landscape is shifting towards greater digitalization and automation, and this change isn’t just coming; it’s already here. Now more than ever, there is a growing demand for employees to be technologically proficient, and not just in a specialized, narrow sense. The modern workplace values those who can think critically about technology, who can adapt to new tools quickly, and above all, who can leverage technology to streamline processes and enhance productivity.

By mastering Excel and building proficiency in data management, you’re developing a powerful skill set that makes you not just an asset but a necessity in this modern, automated workplace. But it’s more than just becoming a spreadsheet wizard. It’s about gaining the mindset of a problem-solver, a strategic thinker, a digital innovator.

For example, think about how you approach a problem in Excel. You need to understand the problem, plan your steps, execute those steps in the right order, and then check your results. This approach is essentially the same as coding in a programming language: understanding the problem, planning your algorithm, writing the code, and then testing it.

Excel also introduces you to the concepts of automation and scalability. Excel Macros, which are essentially tiny programs written in a language called VBA, allow you to automate repetitive tasks. This introduces you to the logic and flow of programming, providing a gentle introduction to more complex languages like Python or JavaScript.

Further, the more advanced features in Excel are remarkably similar to what you might encounter in coding. Excel functions are similar to functions in programming. Conditional formatting rules are similar to conditional (if-else) statements. Array formulas have a flavor of loops in them. All these constructs are cornerstones in programming, and by mastering them in Excel, you’re already one step ahead.

More importantly, these skills allow you to think about and interact with data in a way that opens doors to the vast landscape of Data Science, Machine Learning and AI, areas that are becoming increasingly relevant and valuable.

Looking Forward: Future-Proofing Your Skills

If you’re proficient with Excel and adept at data management, you’re in an excellent position to remain competitive in the evolving workplace. But this goes beyond just job security or being a desirable hire in the present. These skills are about future-proofing, about staying adaptable and relevant as the business landscape continues to evolve.

The future of work isn’t about learning one specific technology or software. It’s about understanding the concepts that underpin these tools, the language of problem-solving, and automation that transcends any specific programming language or software. Excel and data management are, in many ways, a microcosm of this broader technological landscape. As you build proficiency in these areas, you’re also building a mindset that will help you learn new technologies as they emerge, making you a lifelong learner.

Remember, the specifics of technology will change. New software will come into fashion, and others will become obsolete. But the principles — data analysis, problem-solving, automation — remain the same. By mastering Excel and becoming adept at managing data, you’re setting yourself up with a toolkit of transferrable skills that can be applied in numerous contexts.

At its heart, learning Excel is about learning a way of thinking: it’s about understanding how to break down complex problems into manageable parts, how to implement solutions, and how to automate these solutions where possible. And these are the skills that will be invaluable in the future of work.

In conclusion, as we look towards a future increasingly shaped by data and automation, proficiency in Excel and data management has never been more important. These aren’t just tools for spreadsheets and databases. They’re tools for thinking, for problem-solving, and for navigating the evolving landscape of the digital age. These skills offer a foundation that prepares you for future work in programming, automation, and many other areas yet to be explored.

So, whether you’re just starting your journey or looking to expand your existing skill set, know that the time and effort invested in mastering Excel and data management will pay dividends. Not just in your immediate work, but in the long-term trajectory of your career. It’s not just about becoming proficient in a tool; it’s about preparing yourself for the future of work. And that future is already here.

Thanks for reading, and I hope this helps!