Electronic spreadsheet is a table made in a computer that performs calculations, plot charts and present data in an automatic form.
Microsoft Excel is the most popular electronic spreadsheet software, but the VisiCalc was the pioneer at 1970’s and Lotus 123 turn electronic spreadsheets popular.
Currently, Microsoft Excel is the most popular application to create electronic spreadsheet.
In this post, we explain how electronic spreadsheets appeared and evolved until today.
How electronic spreadsheet began?
For centuries, tables and spreadsheets are used as tools to organize data and repetitive calculation. Then, the idea of electronic spreadsheet comes from the necessity to automate calculations in tables.
The most usual version is that a student from Administration School in of the Harvard University was worried about a Professor that spent most of his classes making calculations on the blackboard. The students Daniel Bricklin and Robert Frankston developed a software that systematically perform calculations.
It was developed a software called VisiCalc, the first electronic spreadsheet software.
Electronic spreadsheet and PC market
Until the end 1970’s, computers were enormous and expensive. Few people had possibility to have a computer at home. The VisiCalc changed this market and pushed the selling of personal computers, the PCs.
As the electronic spreadsheets were a stunning tool, many people looked for computers where spreadsheet ran. Therefore, the computer industry focused to assembly computers with specific configurations to run VisiCalc.
That was a large change in the personal computer market, because powerful computers were now made for ordinary people.
Electronic spreadsheets and graphs
During 1980’s, Lotus Corporation launched Lotus 1-2-3. The great innovation in Lotus 1-2-3 was the possibility plot graphs in good quality from spreadsheets data. Besides, it was also possible to use some formulas and functions.
(If you are 30+ years old, you probably heard about it).
Due to these innovation, the VisiCalc lost its market to Lotus 1-2-3, that dominated electronic spreadsheet market for a decade.
There were other options, such as, Super Calc, Multiplan and QuattroPro.
The Multiplan was the first Microsoft software for electronic spreadsheets, launched in 1982 with versions for CP/M, MS-DOS and Apple II.
When Excel was first lauched?
In early 1980’s, the Multiplan dominated the the market in CP/M system. Lotus 1-2-3 ran better at MS-DOS system. Therefore, it was needed a software to “do what 1-2-3 does and make it better”.
In this scenario, it was developed the first version of the Microsoft Excel for Mac (in 1985) and for Windows (in 1987).
The first Excel’s versions provided the users with: pre-programmed functions and formulas; create high-definition printable graphics and macros to customize tasks by the user.
Then, small companies developed packages called “Add-ins”, that allows the general users complete repetitive tasks. Now, an ordinary could perform complex tasks at its own personal computer.
Microsoft Excel Evolution for personal use
Lotus 1-2-3 dominated the market but it didn’t take Windows seriously. Later in 1980’s, Excel became the main software for electronic spreadsheets. Lotus did not update and Microsoft surpass it in the software market for personal computers.
Up to 1985, all Microsoft’s applications were MS-DOS based. Hence, Microsoft developed two tool essential tools until now: the mouse and the Windows.
Only in the beginning of 1990’s, Windows was released and dominated personal computer market. In that moment, Microsoft Excel ran on MS-DOS without a mouse. The famous black screen with green characters.
Microsoft kept Excel development, and a new version was launched (nearly) every 2 year:
What are the Excel’s versions?
- – Excel 365 in the package Microsoft 365 (launch in 2020): Microsoft offers the classic Office Package (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) with other tools like OneDrive, OneNote, Outlook and Teams.
- – Excel 2019 (2019): offline version of Office Package, that is an alternative the Office 365 (online).
- – Excel 365 within Office 365 (in 2017): online version for domestic users that offers applications and files available in the cloud.
- – Excel 16.0 (2016): offline version of Office Package.
- – Excel 15.0 (2013): Office 365 and OneDrive are linked in professional versions;
- – Excel 14.0 (2010): 64-bits support.
- – Excel 12.0 (2007): Modifications in toolbar in a modern visual and included new filetypes .xlsx (without macros) and .xlsm (with macros);
- – Excel 11.0 (2003): included in Office 2003;
- – Excel 10.0 (2002): included in Office XP;
- – Excel 9.0 (2000): included in Office 2000;
- – Excel 8.0 (1997): included in Office 97;
- – Excel 7.0 (1995): Launched inside Office 95, it had OLE functionality that allows to copy-and-paste in different applications. Office 95 had Word 7.0, and Microsoft decided to launch Excel 7.0 together to emphasize the OLE integration between softwares. That’s the reason there is no Excel 6.0;
- – Excel 5.0 (1993): included Visual Basic for Application (VBA) where macros are coded (until today). On the other hand, the viruses were also possible in Excel.
- – Excel 4.0 (1992):
- – Excel 3.0 (1990):
- – Excel 2.0 (1988): first version.
Excel doesn’t have versions 1.0, 6.0 nor 13.0. Excel 2.0 was the first Excel version to be aligned with the second Excel version for Apple version. The version 7.0 was released with Word 7.0.
There are still other Excel versions for other operating systems that are not mentioned.
Simultaneously, new Windows versions were released.
Excel and the use of trademark
When the Microsoft Excel was first released, another company of electronic spreadsheets had the rights over Excel trademark. Then, Microsoft had to use “Microsoft Excel” trademark. Years later, Microsoft bought the company that owned ‘Excel’ trademark.
Besides, Microsoft insisted to use the abbreviation ‘XL’. Therefore, the Excel files are .xls and .xlsx types (form version 12.0).
Macros in Microsoft Excel
Macros are small applications inside files in Microsoft Excel that enables to automate repetitive tasks. Macros are developed in Visual Basic for Application, the VBA. To do that, the user has to develop or to acquire a piece of code that is embedded in electronic spreadsheet file.
Excel 5.0 was the first version with macro support. VBA for Excel allowed the Excel user to customize programs such as forms and automatic reports.
However, together with the macros, the viruses were enabled to incorporate Excel files. This threat was a big issue, because antivirus detected that any spreadsheet with macros was a harm for computer. To solve it, Microsoft allowed to open electronic spreadsheets without activate the macros.
Since the early versions, it is possible to create macros coding or recording macro. Therefore, macros are easily created and customized by users.
Customized Spreadsheet in Excel
One great advance in Excel was the possibility to customize electronic spreadsheets. For example, Excel enables the user to format type of text and the size of cells among many other options.
Besides, macros can integrate with other applications such as calculation app and databases. Those features allow many small companies (and personal users) to create softwares that integrate and interact with Microsoft Excel.
Eventually, most of ERP’s have inputs and/or output as Excel file. In other words, the databases for business management are customized spreadsheets that often use functions and formular from Excel.
Alternative to Excel
Although Excel is the most known software of electronic spreadsheets, there are others. Some options to Excel are free.
- LibreOffice is a free software that provide a package of tools for business. It is open source software, that allow any user to fix bugs and to develop solutions.
- Google Sheets is an online app from Google that performs some tasks in a Excel-like environment. It can be used in PC or smartphone.
- Excel Online is the cloud version of Excel in that creates and edit electronic spreadsheets.
Within LibreOffice package, the Libre Calc is the alternative to Excel.
Moreover, Libre Office has:
- – Write (text editor)
- – Calc (electronic spreadsheets)
- – Impress (presentation);
- – Draw (drawings and fluxograms);
- – Base (database);
- – Math (mathematic equations).
Currently, LibreOffice has a Portuguese version.
Essentially Excel is the main electronic spreadsheet application, but not the only one.
Excel in labour market
As state above, Excel can exchange information with many other softwares. Then, users need to know how to use Excel and electronic spreadsheets. For any spreadsheet application.
Hence, to stand in labour market or in any other business, it is essential to dominate Excel. Even in our personal lives, with our expenses. A expenditure spreadsheet in Excel helps to organize ourselves.
I hope you like this post. Now that you know about Excel spreadsheets, share this post with your friends. It is important to every one learn how to use Excel easily.
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