We live in a world ruled by data, particularly big data. All industries and organizations not only endure but also thrive based on their ability to harness the power of data. Microsoft Excel and Tableau are two of the leading data analysis tools in today’s age.   

Although there are differences between the two, there are many similarities as well. Excel has been around for a longer period of time compared to Tableau. But Tableau has undoubtedly made a profound impact in the data analysis tools industry. It is one of the most powerful business intelligence tools available today. 

Data scientists, analysts, and entrepreneurs love Tableau for its interactive and intuitive data visualization. It enables businesses to access actionable business insights. Although Excel is not known for its data visualization capabilities like SSIS flat file, it is an excellent tool for multi-layered calculations, data creation, and multiple other data operations.  

Thus, the debate between Excel vs Tableau is hot among data scientists. Which one best suits your needs and why?   

This article briefly explains and draws a comparison between Excel and Tableau.   

What is Excel?  

Excel is a spreadsheet software application created by Microsoft. It comes under the Microsoft Office software suite and can run on Windows, iOS, and Android devices. Large and small-sized companies use it for calculations, data creation and organization, budgeting, financial analysis, and formulas.   

Using Excel, your team can calculate the revenue earned, payroll expense, tax dues, and time-based reports. But even as a spreadsheet, Excel is a handy tool for individuals and organizations alike. That is evidenced by the fact that it has existed for over three decades and continues to have a strong presence.  

Leading companies like Total, Samsung, Carrefour S.A, etc., use Excel at the organizational level. Here are some of its prominent features: 

• Data filtering, sorting, and classification with the feature to carry out advanced filtering. 
• Pivot tables. 
• Charts and graphs. 
• Conditional formatting. 
• Built-in formulas and formula auditing. 
• Automatic editing of results. 
• Password protection. 
• Absolute references. 

What is Tableau? 

Tableau gets its popularity for rendering intuitive data visualizations that represent data to enable users to make the right business decisions. Your data scientists can use Tableau to plot graphs and create charts that help the decision-making process.  

Tableau has been around since 2003, but it was acquired by the leading American software company Salesforce in 2019. Leading companies like Nike, Skype, Citigroup, Coca-Cola, The New York Times, etc., use Tableau for data analysis and visualization.  

Tableau Server, Tableau Desktop, Tableau Reader, Tableau Online, and Tableau CRM are some of its leading products. Here is a list of prominent Tableau features:  

• Advanced data visualization. 
• Team collaboration. 
• Data connectors. 
• External service integration. 
• Mobile view. 
• Robust data security. 
• Predictive analytics. 
• Drag and drop functionality. 
• Maps. 
• Interactive dashboard. 

Excel vs Tableau – Key Differences 

Here’s a table that encapsulates the key differences between Excel and Tableau. 

Criteria	Excel	Tableau
Purpose	Data calculations, organization, and formatting	Data visualization and insights representation
Type of Tool	Data visualization	Spreadsheet
Data Size	Best for vast volumes of data	Optimal for small and medium-sized datasets
Performance	Works fast with large datasets	Performance reduces with large datasets
Data sources	Easily connects with different sources in real-time	Requires plug-ins for non-excel data sources
Users	Data scientists and analysts	Developers, data analysts, Database administrators
Data exploration	Uses interactive dashboards for data exploration	Relatively limited data exploration capabilities via spreadsheets
Data display	Graphical and pictorial representation through interactive dashboards	Tabular view with cells and graphs and charts for insights
Ease of use	Data analysis skills required	Users need to know customized functions
Data ingestion	Live connection with data sources	Requires time to obtain data from other sources
Data visualization	Wide range of in-built custom charts	Simple Excels charts
Security	Offers many data security controls	Relatively fewer data security controls
Integration	Integrable with over 250 applications	Integrable with over 60 applications
Data blending	Convenient due to easy data importation from sources	Requires formulas before computing
Calculations and Formulas	Very easy to make powerful customized formulas	Requires macros creation and elementary programming skills

Wrap-Up  

Let’s discuss which tool would suit your needs best.  

Both Excel vs Tableau are excellent data analysis and for enterprise data integration. But your decision to choose either of them should be based on your organizational needs and requirements.   

Excel will serve your organizational needs adequately if yours is a small or medium-sized enterprise. Many businesses use the Microsoft Office suite – thus, Excel would be an excellent choice for your team. However, if your company regularly deals with vast amounts of data, Tableau would be a better option. Moreover, you can easily continue using both tools and integrate Tableau with Excel to extract data from the latter.   

In the end, the decision rests with you!