How Excel is Used in Real-World Data Analysis

A practical walkthrough from beginner to building a dashboard I have always known Excel as a spreadsheet application that I have mostly used to complete class assignments and do simple calculations. I have recently learnt that Excel is more than that. Excel is not just a spreadsheet application. It is a powerful tool for cleaning data, analyzing it, and presenting insights in a way that supports decision-making. As part of this learning journey, I worked on a real project: building a Jumia Product Performance Dashboard. Throughout this article, I will use examples from this project to explain how Excel is used in real-world data analysis, from loading raw data to building an interactive dashboard. Getting Started with Excel The first step was installing and opening Excel on desktop. Once launched, the interface introduces several important components: Workbook: The entire Excel file Worksheet (Sheet): Individual tabs within a workbook Rows and Columns: Where data is stored Cells: The i