Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet application written and distributed by Microsoft for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. It features calculation, graphing tools, pivot tables and a macro programming language called Visual Basic for Applications. It has been a very widely applied spreadsheet for these platforms, especially since version 5 in 1993. Excel forms part of Microsoft Office. The current versions are 2010 for Windows and 2011 for Mac.

Basic operation

Microsoft Excel has the basic features of all spreadsheets, using a grid of cells arranged in numbered rows and letter-named columns to organize data manipulations like arithmetic operations. It has a battery of supplied functions to answer statistical, engineering and financial needs. In addition, it can display data as line graphs, histograms and charts, and with a very limited three-dimensional graphical display. It allows sectioning of data to view its dependencies on various factors from different perspectives (using pivot tables and the scenario manager). And it has a programming aspect, Visual Basic for Applications, allowing the user to employ a wide variety of numerical methods, for example, for solving differential equations of mathematical physics, and then reporting the results back to the spreadsheet. Finally, it has a variety of interactive features allowing user interfaces that can completely hide the spreadsheet from the user, so the spreadsheet presents itself as a so-called application, or decision support system (DSS), via a custom-designed user interface, for example, a stock analyzer, or in general, as a design tool that asks the user questions and provides answers and reports. In a more elaborate realization, an Excel application can automatically poll external databases and measuring instruments using an update schedule,analyze the results, make a Word report or Power Point slide show, and e-mail these presentations on a regular basis to a list of participants.

Excel Charts

Like some other spreadsheet applications, Microsoft Excel supports charts, graphs or histograms generated from specified groups of cells. The generated graphic component either can be embedded within the current sheet, or added as a separate object.

These displays are dynamically updated if cells change content, making a useful design tool. For example, suppose that the important design requirements are displayed visually; then, in response to a user's change in trial values for parameters, the curves describing the design change shape, and their points of intersection shift, assisting the selection of the best design.

* 8.1 Excel 2.0
* 8.2 Excel 5.0
* 8.3 Excel 2000
* 8.4 Excel 2007
* 8.5 Excel 2010

Versions

* 9.1 Microsoft Windows
* 9.2 Apple Macintosh
* 9.3 OS/2

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