Let’s face it: the reality most Excel users experience today is centered around manual work. Whether it’s inputting formulas, using Power Query, dynamic arrays, XLOOKUP, or even learning advanced functions like LAMBDA, almost all the content out there—be it from trainers, social media influencers, or webinars—focuses on showing how to manually execute tasks in Excel. This manual work is presented step-by-step, leading to various outcomes in spreadsheets. This is not to say that these techniques are unimportant—quite the contrary. The functionality Excel offers is vast, and users genuinely want to learn these things. That’s why so much content is devoted to demonstrating them.
The reason for this is simple: Excel, like any field, operates on a pyramid structure. At the base, you find the largest number of users—novices, beginners, and those entering the Excel ecosystem with the expectation that they’ll be doing manual tasks. Naturally, trainers and influencers target the largest demographic, which makes sense from a logical and business perspective. If you’re aiming to reach the widest audience, you’d focus on the bottom of that pyramid. Therefore, it’s not surprising that nearly 100% of Excel content on social media, YouTube, and training courses revolves around manual tasks in spreadsheets.
Yet, there’s another aspect we must consider. Even the content promising to “automate” tasks—whether it’s through recording macros or using Power Query’s ability to store steps—still automates the manual. It simplifies tasks, yes, but overall, the work remains manual. And this is the reality we need to address. The common retort to this point would be, “Isn’t this what Excel is for?” Indeed, Excel is a powerful tool filled with formulas, features, and increasing capabilities. But here’s the crux: this perception of Excel’s role is too narrow.
So, what’s the alternative? The bigger picture, which is often overlooked, lies in the realm of business processes. Business leaders don’t view their operations as disconnected tasks but as cohesive, ongoing processes. These processes aim to drive profits, productivity, and risk management. For them, efficiency isn’t about one person manually crunching numbers in Excel; it’s about creating systems that work seamlessly and continuously without requiring manual input every time.
Imagine an Uber driver who has to assemble a car from scratch each time they pick you up. Ridiculous, right? The real Uber process is designed so that everything—from the app to the driver’s arrival—is focused on one goal: getting you to your destination efficiently, without delays. Now, think of Excel spreadsheets the same way. If you have to create a new spreadsheet every time you need data, you’re essentially assembling that “car” over and over again. It’s inefficient and unnecessary, yet this is exactly what many Excel users are taught to do.
Here’s where business leaders’ vision diverges from ground-level workers. The people at the bottom of the pyramid are often focused on their own tasks, working within a narrow box. They lack a clear understanding of business processes at large. Yet, this is the audience most Excel content targets. The result? While spreadsheets are essential and widely used, the way they are being taught and utilized is often completely disconnected from the objectives of business leaders.
Business leaders don’t want fragmented, ad hoc spreadsheets—they need processes that run smoothly, continuously, and with as little manual intervention as possible. But because the teaching is focused on manual work, the business processes in many organizations are disconnected, leading to inefficiencies and a phenomenon many refer to as “Excel hell.”
Now, a whole industry has emerged to fill this gap—a multi-billion-dollar industry claiming that Excel is inherently flawed and incapable of supporting serious business processes. They argue that Excel is only for beginners and that businesses need more complex systems to meet their goals. But this overlooks a critical point: Excel can be part of robust business processes, but only if it’s used correctly.
The problem is that the people who have the skills to bridge this gap often aren’t in a position to do so. In many companies, hiring decisions for tech-savvy professionals fall to the IT department, and their agenda tends to focus on large, expensive system implementations. These implementations look good on a resume, but they often miss the mark when it comes to solving day-to-day business problems efficiently.
On the business side, managers may lack the authority to hire the kind of talent that could address these gaps. In my own experience, the most successful relationships I’ve had were ones where I entered an organization as a temporary worker—someone brought in for my Excel and accounting skills. From there, I was able to build relationships, demonstrate value, and ultimately deliver solutions that aligned with the broader business objectives.
This is where we reach the seeming paradox: the reality of how Excel is taught and used today seems impossible to change. But change is possible. I know because I’ve done it—four times, across different organizations, where my methodologies not only streamlined processes but also led to pay rates tripling due to the immense value delivered.
So, while it may seem like “Mission Impossible,” change can happen. This is the essence of my series, Excel Mission Impossible, where I demonstrate how to bridge the gap between the manual work Excel users are taught and the automated, process-driven systems business leaders need.
In the next part, I’ll dive deeper into how this transformation can be achieved—because while the current state may feel like an insurmountable challenge, the solution is out there. I’ve proven it, and so can you. Stay tuned.
This is a podcast by Hiran de Silva, narrated by Charlie.
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