Advanced Office Skills: Why Excel Remains the Most Underused Tool in Business

Excel: far more than a spreadsheetIn 2026, Microsoft Excel remains the most widely used application in business, but also the most underused. A study reveals that 78% of users only tap into 15% of the available features.The little-known featuresPivotTables make it possible to analyze thousands of rows in just a few clicks. Power Query automates data import and transformation. Array formulas (XLOOKUP, FILTER, SORT) eliminate hours of manual work. VBA macros automate repetitive tasks.The impact on productivityEmployees trained in advanced Excel save an average of 5 hours per week. Calculation errors drop by 70%. Reports that used to take a full day are generated in 15 minutes.Source: Chandoo.org & Microsoft 365 Skills Report, 2026