Those who work with numbers swear by the capabilities of Microsoft Excel. After all, it has stood the test of time to be one of the most reliable spreadsheet apps out there. While numerous alternatives now rival Microsoft's Office suite, they all have their own quirks that may deter users from switching to them. Google Docs relies on the internet, LibreOffice is free but lacks a few features, and WPS Office has a clunky UI that everyone may not like. If that doesn't convince you to stick to Microsoft's number-crunching expert, let me tell you about five underappreciated features that make Excel the king of spreadsheets!

No, I'm not talking about pivot tables or creating live dashboards. Those are features available in competing apps and software too. Instead, I'll be focusing on some smaller aspects that often go unnoticed, but add a lot of value to those who use Excel regularly. It may not seem like a big deal to you - until you realize that a particular feature may not be available on other apps. You may not use it every day, but when you need to -- Excel comes to your rescue!

5 Get & transform data with a single click

Extract data from anywhere

The biggest USP of Excel is its ability to work with large sets of data. If you don't already have this data in one place, Excel gives you the ability to import it with the Get & Transform Data tool. The tool lets you extract data from webpages, SQL databases, APIs, documents, or CSV files. But, it doesn't end there. Once you import the data, it may not necessarily be in the required format. Oftentimes, imported data needs to be cleaned up. This includes merging a few columns, deleting certain rows, or filtering out data that isn't required. Excel lets you do all of this without messing up the data in the source.

Some legacy users of Excel may also know this tool as Power Query. While Microsoft has changed its name, the core functionality of removing duplicates, standardizing formats of values, and pointing out errors in your data analysis remains intact - making the tool an extremely underrated asset that Excel possesses. If you work with large sets of data, you will truly appreciate the feature due to the sheer time it saves you regularly.

4 Automate with VBA

Run apps inside Excel

If you're a fan of automating workflows on your Windows PC, you will absolutely love what Visual Basic for Applications or VBA can help you achieve inside Excel. There are tasks in Excel that you may perform multiple times a day, or repeat a few actions regularly during your usage. This may include extracting data from a certain type of file or creating a table with a specific data set. You can automate all of this using VBA. The best part is that you can even allow Excel to interact with other Office apps to gather data using a VBA macro.

Additional uses of VBA macros include creating a form where users can input data, splitting a large spreadsheet into multiple workbooks based on certain parameters, and creating custom flows that can perform a task with a single button press. In fact, pro users can even create mini apps inside of Excel using these macros. Talk about taking productivity to the next level!

3 Universally compatible file format

Import spreadsheets into third-party services

Excel users who have been using the platform for over a decade would be aware of the .xls file extension from back in the day. Over the years, newer versions of Excel started using the .xlsx format instead. Regardless of which format your workbook follows, there's no denying that both of these file extensions are one of the most universally accepted file formats on popular platforms. Irrespective of the industry you work in, popular programs like ERP, Tally, Tableau, etc. accept .xls and .xlsx formats by default.

Interoperability is an extremely important factor when working with corporations, since you and your clients may not be using the same software to perform a certain task. In such situations, a universally compatible file format is vital. This way, both the sender and receiver see the file in the intended manner, without any errors.

2 Optimize resources with add-ins like Solver

Maximize profits while minimizing expenses

When running a business, optimization of resources is key. This includes extracting the maximum profit with available resources, reducing expenditure without compromising on core aspects, and making the best use of the time in hand to generate as many sales as possible. If you're new to the world of business, Excel makes things easier for you by helping you optimize your business based on the input parameters.

There are several areas where the Solver tool in Excel can come in handy. You can use it to distribute work among several people to ensure the productivity is the highest. It can also be used in supply chain management where you want to ensure you consume the least amount of resources to transport goods from A to B. Finance professionals may want to use Solver to determine how their funds should be allocated to produce maximum returns. There's immense value in using add-ins on Excel like this one. Once you get the hang of it, it can become the business partner you never asked for.

1 Access decades of data without breaking files

No issues with backward compatibility

Most large businesses that have been around for decades will have years of data that may need to be referenced from time to time. Using Microsoft Excel means that all the stored data from years ago is backward compatible with current versions of Excel. The best part is that this is also applicable to those spreadsheets that have macros via VBA. If someone created a specific automation for an Excel workbook 20 years ago, you can still use it when you open the Excel file today.

This not only saves time but also allows companies to function without worrying about migrating their files to alternate platforms. One can reference a decade-old file and even import tables, graphs, and other data to a new spreadsheet to compare growth trends -- all thanks to Excel's backward compatibility.

The best there is

While there may be several clones of Excel that promise to offer the same functionality as the number processor from Microsoft, these small perks make it the undisputed champion in the world of spreadsheets. Not to forget, all the data stays completely on your computer (unless you choose to sync to OneDrive), and you don't have to rely on an internet connection to get work done.