In 2026, data has become the main asset of business, and the ability to work with it is a mandatory skill for specialists of any profile. Excel and Google Sheets are the two most popular tools for data analysis and visualization, but which one should you choose? The answer depends on your tasks, and we will break it down in detail. You will learn how to automate reports, build dashboards, and use pivot tables, as well as how training in the Excel and Google Sheets course will help you master both tools and become a sought-after specialist.
The Evolution of Excel and Google Sheets: What Has Changed by 2026
More than 40 years have passed since the advent of spreadsheets, but it is the recent years that have been pivotal. Excel, released in 1985, was long a monopoly in the office environment. However, the emergence of Google Sheets in 2006 changed the game: cloud technology, collaboration, and free access attracted millions of users. By 2026, both tools have been enriched with automation and artificial intelligence features. According to Statista, Excel accounts for about 60% of the corporate spreadsheet market, but Google Sheets is steadily growing, especially among small businesses and startups.
Modern realities are such that companies increasingly use both tools: Excel for complex calculations and local tasks, Google Sheets for collaboration and integration with other Google services. The ability to switch between them and understand the strengths of each is a key skill for analysts, financiers, or marketers.
Feature Comparison: Formulas, Pivot Tables, and Visualization
Formulas and Functions
Excel has historically been renowned for its rich set of functions: more than 400 built-in formulas, including powerful ones like VLOOKUP and INDEX+MATCH. Google Sheets is not far behind: it supports most Excel functions, as well as its own, such as QUERY — a powerful tool reminiscent of SQL. According to Google Cloud, the QUERY function allows you to perform complex data queries without programming. For a beginner, this may seem complicated, but it is precisely such skills that employers value.
Pivot Tables
Pivot tables are an indispensable tool for analyzing large data sets. In Excel, they appeared back in the 1990s and have been improved since then. In Google Sheets, pivot tables are somewhat inferior in functionality, but by 2026 this gap has narrowed: now Google Sheets supports calculated fields, grouping, and slicers almost at the level of Excel. However, when working with truly large data (hundreds of thousands of rows), Excel is still faster and more stable.
Dashboards and Visualization
Dashboards are the face of your analytics. Excel offers a wide range of charts and conditional formatting, as well as the ability to create interactive panels using slicers and timelines. Google Sheets integrates with Google Data Studio (Looker Studio), allowing you to build powerful visualizations and share them in real time. According to Gartner, demand for business intelligence tools is growing by 20% annually, and mastering dashboards is a competitive advantage.
Report Automation: How to Save Hours of Work
Automation is the main trend of 2026. Specialists who can automate routine tasks save up to 20 hours per month (according to McKinsey). Excel offers VBA macros — a programming language that allows you to record actions and create complex scripts. In Google Sheets, automation is implemented through Google Apps Script, based on JavaScript. Both tools allow you to:
- automatically update data from external sources;
- send reports by email on a schedule;
- create buttons to run macros;
- integrate with other services (for example, Google Analytics or CRM).
In Excel, Power Query is also used for automation — a tool for importing and cleaning data. According to Microsoft, Power Query allows you to connect to hundreds of data sources and perform transformations without code.
Choosing the Right Tool for Your Tasks: Practical Recommendations
When to Choose Excel
- You work with large data sets (more than 100,000 rows).
- You need complex financial models or statistical calculations.
- You work offline or in a company where Excel is the standard.
- You need advanced formatting and customization options.
When to Choose Google Sheets
- You need real-time collaboration.
- You work in the Google ecosystem (Gmail, Drive, Docs).
- You need integration with Google Analytics, AdWords, or BigQuery.
- You manage projects with a remote team.
As practice shows, the best specialists master both tools. For example, a financial analyst might use Excel for complex modeling and Google Sheets for providing real-time reports to management.
Career Prospects: Skills, Salaries, Demand
According to hh.ru, the number of vacancies requiring Excel knowledge in 2026 increased by 15% compared to the previous year. Google Sheets is mentioned in 20% of analyst and marketer vacancies. Proficiency in advanced functions (pivot tables, dashboards, automation) increases salary offers by 20-30%. For example, a data analyst without automation skills can expect 80,000 rubles, while with them — 100,000-120,000 rubles (data from GeekBrains).
Top 5 Skills Valued in 2026
- Mastery of pivot tables and functions for working with data arrays.
- Ability to build dashboards and visualize data.
- Automation skills using macros or scripts.
- Understanding the basics of working with big data (BigQuery, SQL).
- Ability to present data in a clear way for management.
These skills are universal and applicable in any field: from finance to marketing and logistics.
How Training on asibiont.com Works
The Excel and Google Sheets course on the asibiont.com platform is designed for those who want to systematize knowledge and gain practical skills. Training is conducted in a text format using artificial intelligence, which generates personalized lessons. This means the program adapts to your knowledge level and goals: from a beginner opening spreadsheets for the first time to an advanced user aiming to master VBA macros and automation.
You will study the material at your own pace, at any time, since access to lessons is open 24/7. The neural network explains complex topics in simple language, answers your questions, and gives practical tasks to reinforce the material. This approach allows you to achieve results faster, as you don't waste time on what you already know and focus on your weak points.
What You Will Learn in the Course
After completing the training, you will be able to:
- confidently work with formulas and functions in both tools;
- build pivot tables for data analysis;
- create clear dashboards that help you make decisions;
- automate repetitive reports using macros and scripts;
- choose the optimal tool depending on the task.
These skills will be useful in your daily work, help you speed up processes, and increase your value as a specialist.
Who This Course Is For
The course will be useful for:
- office workers who want to improve their efficiency with spreadsheets;
- project managers and operations managers who need reporting automation;
- marketers and analysts working with sales and traffic data;
- financial professionals who use Excel for modeling and accounting;
- anyone planning to switch to an analytical profession.
It doesn't matter how old you are or what experience you have — the course is designed so that everyone can learn comfortably.
Conclusion
In 2026, the ability to work with data is not a luxury but a necessity. Excel and Google Sheets are tools that will remain in demand for many years to come, and mastering them opens doors to new career opportunities. Start training in the Excel and Google Sheets course today. Thanks to AI technologies, you will master the material faster and more effectively than with self-study. Invest in your skills — and they will pay off handsomely!
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