8 bold predictions about the future of Excel!

1. THE FUTURE OF
EXCEL:
8 Bold Predictions!
features and functionality that better security is high and will
might appear in Excel over the only continue to grow.
next few years.
On the same note, it would be
Better Collaboration better to be able to define
different access privileges (like
Currently Excel is primarily in a database) so that different
confined to just a single-user. people can access certain
Yes, there are beginnings of parts of a file but not others.
multi-user collaborative
functionality e.g. shared Prediction #2: More robust
workbooks, which don’t work and granular security.
very well, and SharePoint
Excel. Microsoft have had to Better Business Intelligence
JEFF ROBSON play catch up in this area with
To be fair, Excel has been
CEO services like Google Docs,
getting better in this area, but
Access Analytic which were much quicker to
it has really only scratched the
jrobson@accessanalytic.com.au see the demand for more
surface so far. Microsoft could
collaborative, web based
take away market share from
business productivity tools.
business intelligence (BI)
Spreadsheets are ubiquitous vendors and ensure continued
Prediction #1: Much more
in modern business and upgrades for many years to
functionality in this direction
Microsoft’s Excel dominates come by enhancing Excel’s BI
to turn Excel into a true
the market. The computer
multi-user tool. capabilities to include more of
giant has consistently beaten the functionality other BI
down each rising competitor Better Security front-ends already have.
of the last 10+ years to
cement its position as the At the moment security is Prediction #3: Microsoft will
undisputed king of pretty weak in Excel and can develop Excel’s BI capabilities
spreadsheets. be cracked relatively easily by to ensure Excel remains a key
someone who knows what front-end tool for BI for the
But what of the future of they’re doing. Because masses.
Excel? companies store so much
confidential and commercially
In this forward-looking article,
sensitive information in
we make some bold
spreadsheets, the demand for
predictions and share some
radical ideas about the
© ACCESS ANALYTIC SOLUTIONS PTY LTD
SUITE 143, LEVEL 1, 580 HAY ST, PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA 6000
www.accessanalytic.com.au

2. Better Connectivity Device Independence Apart from Sparklines and
some extra styles, very little
It is still too hard for many Given the popularity of iPads has changed in charting for
average users to connect Excel and other tablet devices, about 10 years. If Microsoft
to a database and extract the Microsoft won’t be able to make it easy for developers to
information they need. I don’t resist these markets, nor create and sell their own chart
think it really needs to be that should they. They need a add-ins (see below), this could
hard! product that runs natively on all change very rapidly.
these mobile devices, rather
So many people would find than relying on terminal Prediction #6: We will see this
this feature really useful but services apps or apps that only area opened up so that users
MS Query looks like it hasn’t provide 75% compatibility. can get the charts and data
been touched by a developer visualisations they really
for about ten years. Prediction #5: We will see MS want.
Excel for the iPad and
Prediction #4: We will see Android very soon. MS Access Takeover
more development attention
in this area to make the New Visualisations Excel’s current tables are a
connection and extraction great way for keeping data in
process much easier for non- Excel has some great ways of a single table – they were the
IT people while also allowing visualising data in the variety single biggest improvement in
IT to setup connections that of charts and diagrams Excel 2007 (in my view).
users can then consume included in the software.
easily. However, there are still many However they fall far short of
areas where BI tools and relational databases when
specialist charting packages connecting two or more tables
walk all over Excel. together; ensuring records in
one table match another table
(referential integrity),
inputting data into more than
one table and reporting from
more than one table.
© ACCESS ANALYTIC SOLUTIONS PTY LTD
SUITE 143, LEVEL 1, 580 HAY ST, PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA 6000
www.accessanalytic.com.au

3. With some relatively minor
enhancements, Excel tables Summary
could take over much of the
functionality that Microsoft While I don’t have a special
Access has been doing with hotline to Microsoft I think
SQL Server left to handle the Excel could be so much more!
bigger end of town.
These are just my predictions
Prediction #7: Given that … please don’t think that I’ve
Microsoft has not been somehow gotten my hands on
putting as much effort into an alpha version of Microsoft
Access, my feeling is that Excel 2020!
Excel’s capabilities in this
area will be enhanced to the They are just a few things that
point where it can take over seem both likely and desirable
from Access. So many people to me.
use it like a database already
anyway, why not give them a But if you know someone at
few extra tools and make it Microsoft who works on Excel,
official? feel free to forward a copy of
the article to them.
In-app Purchases
Then, if they adopt some of
If Apple can do it, why not my suggestions, I’ll look
Microsoft? Apple have found a REALLY clever!
way to generate huge
revenues by making it easy for Excel Financial Modelling
developers and consumers to Specialists!
connect. Microsoft could do At Access Analytic, we spend a
the same so that developers LOT of our day working with
could sell templates, add-ins Excel and other business
and other customisations right analyst tools.
there inside the MS Office
products. Given the ubiquitous If you have a project in this
nature of Excel, there would area you’re considering, just
surely be a huge market for give us a call on
innovative apps for business. +61 8 6210 8500, or email us
at info@accessanalytic.com.au
Prediction #8: The current today!
Office Marketplace will
become far more iTunes-like.
© ACCESS ANALYTIC SOLUTIONS PTY LTD
SUITE 143, LEVEL 1, 580 HAY ST, PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA 6000
www.accessanalytic.com.au