• Microsoft Office password-protected files are now fully compatible with Google Workspace
• Previously, users had to download the files and open them in other software
• Google's push for interoperability and removing vendor lock-in is evident

An important new update to Google Workspace means you can now edit password-protected Microsoft Office software files directly within Docs, Sheets and Slides – or in other words, within your company's primary ecosystem, without having to navigate to alternative software.

This is big news for Google Workspace users as it offers one more reason why they may no longer need to subscribe to two different licenses.

When opening protected files, Google now lets users input the password and enter view-only or edit modes.

Google Workspace boosts Microsoft Office interoperability

The move is part of a much bigger trend that we've been observing in recent months and years, and it's hugely favorable for consumers and customers. With multi-platform stacks now the norm in a hybrid working world, companies like Google and Microsoft have been improving interoperability and compatibility to prevent vendor lock-in.

Google has already made similar moves across other areas of Workspace, such as interoperability between Google Meet and Microsoft Teams/Zoom.

Better still, this update is coming to all Google Workspace customers, not just paying businesses, so individuals will also be able to use Google (if that's their preferred system) to access more Office documents.

"Prior to this, users would have to download and rely on third party applications to remove passwords or edit password protected Microsoft files," Google wrote in its update blog post.

The feature has already starting rolling out, but some domains may not get it until the end of January 2026.

This isn't the only feature Google has been working on to tackle vendor lock-in. Over the past year the company has made it easier for businesses to migrate their data from Dropbox and SharePoint.

• Report finds Microsoft Excel maintains its dominance across generations, bridging the gap between young and old
• Younger finance professionals report higher emotional attachment to Excel
• Its speed and functionality make it preferable over cloud-first spreadsheet tools

Microsoft Excel continues to hold a firm place in finance and accounting departments, despite being first released in 1985.

Originally competing with VisiCalc and Lotus 1-2-3, Microsoft’s spreadsheet software has outlasted its early rivals and established itself as a central tool for professionals.

Even younger finance workers who joined the workforce long after Excel’s debut report strong loyalty, suggesting that the software has successfully bridged generational divides - with only 5% of finance professionals expressed purely negative feelings toward Excel.

Excel remains indispensable

Research from to Datarails (via The Register) found over half (54%) of finance professionals aged 22 to 32 report "loving" Excel, a higher proportion than among older generations, where 39% express similar enthusiasm.

89% of all users expect the software to remain as important or more important in the next decade, and most would hesitate to accept roles that prohibit Excel use.

The popularity of Excel stems from its combination of speed, functionality, and local performance advantages over cloud-first alternatives like Google Sheets.

While Sheets pushes collaboration, Excel is favored for large datasets and complex modeling tasks, which are often critical for financial planning.

Airbus, for instance, cites file size limitations as a reason it continues to rely heavily on Excel for its finance team.

Pivot tables, conditional formatting, and other advanced features remain core elements that professionals across generations rely on to perform essential calculations efficiently.

These figures indicate that familiarity with Microsoft’s spreadsheet software translates into both professional reliance and personal preference.

Microsoft continues to add AI functionality to Excel, including Copilot features embedded directly into cells.

The enhancements aim to streamline repetitive tasks and offer predictive insights for complex data.

However, experts caution that such integration must respect the workflow skills users have developed over the years.

Events like the recent Microsoft Excel World Championship illustrate the software’s widespread adoption and the affection users feel for it.

It shows that Excel is more than just a productivity tool; it is a central component of many professionals’ productivity habits.

Excel’s integration with other office software and compatibility with spreadsheet software standards help ensure continued relevance.

Emerging productivity tools can only challenge its supremacy if they deliver equally powerful features with improved collaboration and efficiency.

• Microsoft reveals many new AI agents at Ignite 2025
• Agent Mode also gets expansions across Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Outlook users also get extra AI services and tools

Microsoft is launching a host of new AI Agents for Word, Excel and PowerPoint powered by Copilot as the company looks to boost agent adoption among its workforce.

Announced at Microsoft Ignite 2025, the new agents will be able to create content for the specific program via prompts entered into Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat.

Microsoft says the process is as easy as typing a prompt, with the agent then asking follow-up questions to tailor the output to the user's needs, before transferring over to the desired program.

Agents everywhere in Microosft 365

So what can the new capabilities do? In Excel, the agent would be able to turn data into charts, summaries and insights using built-in formulas and logic, making project plans much more immersive and informative.

In Word, the agent can bring together and organize a variety complex information into clear, well-written documents, and in PowerPoint, it can builds presentations with storytelling and visual structure — keeping your audience engaged and attentive.

Early access is available through the Frontier program for Microsoft 365 Copilot licensed customers and will be coming soon to Frontier for Microsoft 365 Personal, Family and Premium subscribers.

Elsewhere, Microsoft also revealed new Copilot updates for Outlook, helping its email users solve common issues around scheduling conflicts and email summaries.

The email service will now allow users to schedule meetings directly from chat, with Copilot finding available times, books rooms, draft agendas and send invites. Copilot will also be able to help resolve scheduling conflicts for 1:1s and personal events, with users able to set preferences for which meetings are flexible, so Copilot can automatically reschedule when double-booked, notifying users of changes.

Mobile Outlook users will be able to use their voice to ask Copilot to carry out a number of tasks, including summarizing unread emails, drafting replies, deleting, archiving, pinning and flagging.

The company also revealed its Agent Mode capability, recently introduced in Excel and Word to allow Copilot to create, edit and format content directly within the app, has now been expanded with new features, as well as being extended to PowerPoint.

The latter will mean that Agent Mode can now update existing PowerPoint decks using your company's branded template, and users can also create new slides, rewrite and format text, insert and style tables, add images and rearrange content.

In Excel, Agent Mode can now easily bring external data into workbooks with an integrated web search capability, as well as being able to choose between Anthropic and OpenAI reasoning models - and in Word, Agent Mode can now use Work IQ to automatically select relevant sources like files, emails and meetings, ensuring documents reflect the latest and contextually accurate information.

• Microsoft Excel celebrates 40 years as the spreadsheet that reshaped business and personal computing
• New AI-powered tools and creative communities extend Excel’s uses far beyond accounting
• Google Sheets presents the most serious challenge to Excel’s dominance

Microsoft Excel recently celebrated its 40th anniversary (although with old software it can often be hard to pin down an actual launch date), cementing its place as one of the most recognizable pieces of software in the world.

From finance departments to classrooms, Excel has become a universal spreadsheet tool for organizing, analyzing and presenting data. Everyone in an office environment has likely encountered it, if they haven’t fully mastered it.

The idea of the modern spreadsheet began in 1979 with VisiCalc, created by Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston for the Apple II. That became one of the first killer apps, convincing companies to purchase computers just to run it.

Excel excels

VisiCalc’s early success faded after Lotus 1-2-3 introduced features such as macros, which allowed users to automate repetitive tasks. Lotus soon dominated the market, only to be overtaken by Microsoft.

Excel first appeared on the Apple Macintosh in 1985. It sported a graphical interface from the start, unlike its text-based competitors.

Microsoft then ported Excel to Windows, where it quickly gained ground against Lotus and Borland’s Quattro Pro.

By the early 1990s, Excel had established itself as the clear market leader, a position it has clung on to ever since.

Over the years, Excel has gained features that extend far beyond simple number crunching.

The introduction of Visual Basic for Applications in the 1990s gave users the ability to write custom functions and automate complex workflows.

Later updates included pivot tables, 3D charts, and eventually the ribbon interface, which changed how users navigated commands.

While business remains its core, Excel’s reach has stretched into unexpected areas.

“There are so many fascinating ways people use Excel - far beyond the typical finance or accounting scenarios,” said Cuong Pham, who manages a global community of fans. Users have built art, games and even music inside its grid of rows and columns.

Excel has also inspired competitions. Latvian consultant Andrew Grigolyunovich founded the Excel World Championship, which became an arena event in Las Vegas.

Today, Excel has Copilot and AI features like Agent Mode, where users can generate full spreadsheets through simple prompts, and we can expect Microsoft to add more such functionality going forward.

Excel’s dominance is no longer what it once was however. Google Sheets, for example, has become the spreadsheet of choice in many classrooms and small businesses with its cloud integration and real-time collaboration.

Its lighter, browser-based approach appeals to a generation less tied to desktop software, and of course it’s free.

Microsoft has responded with Excel on the web, which mirrors much of the traditional program while adding online access, but Sheets remains the default option for many who start their work in a browser.

As Excel turns 40, it faces the challenge of adapting to a future where data work increasingly happens in shared online environments.

How well Microsoft integrates AI and advanced collaboration features into its software stalwart could decide whether it continues to lead or share the stage with Google Sheets.

You might also like

• These are the best online collaboration tools around

Agentic AI is the tech world’s latest obsession.

Now that we’ve gotten the hang of generative AI, we’re witnessing a rapid evolution of AI tools that can operate autonomously and take actions on behalf of users. As this tech grows in popularity at the consumer level, many business leaders are still hesitant to implement it. A recent survey by Prosper Insights & Analytics revealed that while 43.3% of respondents are leveraging AI to generate summaries or help them with research, less than a quarter (23.2%) are using it to execute work tasks.

What’s holding businesses back from using agentic AI to its full potential? As with any new tech innovation, there are a fair amount of misconceptions to sort through. For businesses to stay competitive and avoid leaving money on the table they must be able to confront these myths – and fears – head on.

Myth #1: Agentic AI is a rogue, uncontrollable technology destined to overthrow humanity.

In other words, the Skynet fear. And don’t get me wrong, AI is absolutely able to execute many tasks as well as (or sometimes better than) their human users. But let me be perfectly clear: it’s very difficult to build robots that can entirely replace human labor or ingenuity. In fact, agentic solutions work best when they’re used for the routine, rather than the creative or intrinsically human.

As an example, my wife and I have a household GPT called “Littknows.” It has all of our medical and insurance cards, our owner documents, our vendor information, and so on. When we first started using it, we asked it to field questions like “When does our car insurance policy renew?” or “What will my co-pay be at the dentist today?”

But more recently, we’ve started using it to take things off our plate. Littknows helps us make doctors’ appointments and book travel - it’s like having a household manager who can pick up our slack and keep us organized. This is a prime example of agentic AI helping us do more, better, and faster.

Myth #2: Agentic AI will replace knowledge workers, triggering a mass unemployment crisis

The fear that AI will replace human workers is perhaps the biggest detractor from widespread adoption, but this isn’t the first time innovation has led to concerns like these.

Think back to the invention of Microsoft Excel. When the pen-and-paper processes of the past were suddenly streamlined, bookkeepers were scared. They thought it was only a matter of time before they were eliminated completely by a faster, more efficient solution.

And, truthfully, the amount of bookkeepers did decline.

But then we saw an explosion of new roles. For example, having access to easily manipulatable data birthed Financial Planning and Analysis - an entirely new career path. People who started their careers in bookkeeping were able to upskill and find opportunities to be compensated three times as much. This technology made them more effective at their jobs, allowed them to improve their skill sets, and advance their careers in ways that weren’t available to them before.

We’re going to see a similar trajectory with agentic AI. The reduction of entry-level, admin-heavy jobs like sales and business development reps will usher in new, higher-impact roles better suited for humans and our unique abilities.

Myth #3: Agentic AI is a luxury for tech giants with a lot of cash

Adopting agentic AI doesn’t necessarily mean net new investments in prohibitively expensive tools. Many SaaS providers are working to incorporate agentic solutions into their existing products, which means the tech your company already invests in may soon offer powerful and intelligent capabilities.

Furthermore, agentic AI is becoming more accessible by the day. But say your business really doesn’t have the extra budget to put toward agentic tools. It could be the case that you’re looking for dollars in the wrong place.

Consider Klarna as an example. When employees leave Klarna due to natural attrition, the company doesn’t immediately backfill their roles. Instead, teams assess if they can automate a part - if not all - of the job. If so, the role is eliminated and a portion of the headcount savings are redistributed to increase the pace at which employee salaries grow.

As a smaller company, you can’t be expected to outhire your larger competitors. But you can and should be finding leverage with AI tools to make your smaller team that much more efficient. It’s not a matter of spending more, it’s a matter of being more efficient with the resources you already have. Just look at companies like ElevenLabs – which went from zero to $100M ARR in two years with just 50 people, all because they prioritized AI capabilities. The right investment is a game changer for driving growth.

Myth #4: Agentic AI is inherently unethical and biased, posing serious risks to fairness and accountability

Ethical utilization should be a priority whenever you’re implementing new technology. The reality: garbage in equals garbage out. If the data used to train an AI model is biased then you can expect to see those same biases reflected in the model’s outputs.

Now, this doesn't automatically spell trouble for businesses adopting agentic solutions. Unlike generative AI which can potentially produce biased text or images as a result of biased training data, agentic systems don’t have a creative output. They aren’t generating net new content, only making decisions and taking actions based on existing data. This doesn’t completely eliminate the risk of bias – it’s still critical to do your due diligence when selecting AI tools to ensure you know exactly how data will be applied – but it does greatly shrink the realm of possibility.

Myth #5: Agentic AI is just a passing fad with no measurable ROI

There’s an economic principle called Jevons Paradox that suggests when technological advancements make a resource more efficient to use, it leads to increased consumption of that resource. The paradox was originally proposed in the wake of efficiency improvements in steam engines: when coal-burning steam engines witnessed a massive technology unlock, they rapidly became 10x more efficient.

We can apply this same paradox to conversations around AI productivity. As more and more businesses unlock the power of AI-driven efficiencies, demand for AI-powered tools will increase in direct response to their wide availability and usefulness. Agentic solutions for salespeople, for example, provide immense and indisputable ROI when it comes to improving pipeline velocity and sales effectiveness. As these tools prove their competitive advantage, more sales teams will reach for them until we eventually reach a point where they’re an integral part of every sales team’s revenue stack.

Choosing the right agentic solution for your business in 2025

While agentic AI is quickly becoming a must-have rather than a nice-to-have, it’s critical to note that not all solutions are created equal. If your company is ready to embrace this latest AI innovation , here are a few tips for selecting the right agent:

Know your goals: What are you trying to achieve with this new tech? Evaluate different providers and how their capabilities map to your objectives.

Look at your tech stack: Odds are, the tools you already invest in are adding agentic features into their existing product. Dig into whether these improvements are on their roadmap. If not, make sure the solution you do invest in integrates with your current stack.

Stay on top of it: Watch product demos, talk with your teams, and test out different agentic products to see how they stack up against one another. With so many businesses investing in building AI-powered tech, it's inevitable that new solutions emerge and existing ones greatly improve. If you evaluated a solution last quarter and it wasn’t up to par, consider taking another look and seeing what’s new.

The agentic AI revolution is already upon us. No matter your industry, goals, or the size of your business, now is the time to embrace agentic solutions, or risk getting left behind.

We list the best AI chatbot for business.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• Health New Zealand’s finances are being tracked with Excel
• The body operates 6,000 apps and 100 digital networks
• No immediate plans to modernize its systems

A recently published report has revealed Health New Zealand (HNZ) has been relying on a single Microsoft Excel spreadsheet as its primary financial management tool.

Established in 2022, HNZ was designed to replace 20 district health boards in the name of cost efficiency and service consistency, but until now, the body has been relying on basic spreadsheet software that has been deemed unsuitable for purpose.

A Deloitte report found HNZ lost control of “critical levers that drive financial outcomes,” which it blamed primarily on “the inability to identify and respond to the disconnect between expenditure and revenue” among other factors.

New Zealand’s healthcare was run off an Excel spreadsheet

HNZ reported a $1.013bn deficit against a breakeven budget in 2022/23, and by 2023/24, Doilette says financial challenges were “increasingly evident.”

Overall, the report specified five major issues with the Excel-based system: hard-coded financial data made updates and source tracing difficult; errors such as incorrectly released accruals were not picked up until later; changes to prior periods would not flow into consolidated data; limited tracking allows for easy data manipulation; and input and changes are prone to simple human errors, such as typos or missing zeroes.

“The use of an Excel spreadsheet file to track and report financial performance for a $28bn expenditure organisation raises significant concerns," Deloitte summarized.

Separately, Health Minister Simeon Brown recently revealed in a speech that HNZ operates an estimated 6,000 applications and 100 digital networks – he described the healthcare system’s digital infrastructure as “fragmented.”

Despite the damming report, the Health Minister has not revealed any immediate plans to replace Excel. A potential Health Infrastructure Entity is being considered for managing physical and digital assets, but no timeline has been set. TechRadar Pro has contacted Health New Zealand for a comment.

You might also like

• Microsoft unveils Dragon Copilot voice-activated AI assistant for doctors
• Fancy an upgrade? Give your workers the best business laptops
• Check out the best electronic health record software

Unlike the other Copilot Pro tools, Copilot for Excel is labelled prominently as “beta”. But even in this qualified state, it has the promise of being a game-changer for anyone who needs to work with data but doesn’t want to become an expert in writing formulas, working out the best way to pivot data or spotting trends in large data sets.

Copilot for Excel exists in the toolbar, but sometimes it’s greyed out. That’s because it only works on . xlsx or .xlsm files saved in OneDrive or SharePoint. When the button is green, hitting it allows you to write natural language instructions to create formulas, analyze data or highlight cells according to whatever criteria you want. If you’ve ever struggled with creating a complex formula (or even a simple one), you’re going to love it.

The first thing to note is that Copilot only works within tables; if your data is unstructured, it won’t let you do anything with it. This probably isn’t a big deal for most people (every serious Excel user I have known has lived or died by tables), but it’s a limitation that may affect some users of large and disparate data sets.

If your data is in a table, though, Copilot is miraculous. You can ask simple queries, such as how much you spent between two dates, or what categories you spend the most on. It’s also great at creating graphs: just type, “make a pie chart showing expenditure based on month”. And you can manipulate existing data, say by asking it to use conditional formatting to highlight specific ranges of numbers, something that’s easy to get wrong for people who aren’t Excel experts.

You can also use Copilot to look for outliers in the data and highlight them, which helps if you’re trying to clean up a dataset or are finding results just aren’t what you think they should be. If you’re using a big dataset, that’s a wonderful time saver. It’s nothing that you can’t do with Excel’s existing tools – but for users who don’t live in Excel, it would involve quite a bit of searching online to know where to start.

Where the real power kicks in is when you ask it to make formulas for you. I created a simple table of expenditure for a small business, tracking spending across a range of categories. But I also wanted to have a column indicating the running total of my expenditure. This isn’t an easy formula to make if you don’t know much about Excel because it involves a SUMIF function that’s based on the row’s date, comparing it to others in the table.

I asked Copilot to “add formula columns to summarize total expenditure so far in this date sequence”, and within seconds it had created a formula and added it to the end of the table.

This kind of formula creation is going to save users of Excel hours, and if you regularly work with data but wouldn’t call yourself an expert, it’s probably worth the money on its own. Even on occasions where I wanted to do something that I knew how to do, I found myself using Copilot instead because it created better results than the various hacks, shortcuts and cheats that I have learned over the years.

We also ranked the best customer relationship management software for small businesses.

• Microsoft CEO says AI is yet to have its Excel moment
• The real benefits should be measured in its GDP contribution
• AI will allow knowledge workers to focus on knowledge work

Satya Nadella has said that AI should be measured on its benefit to GDP, rather than “self-claiming some AGI milestone,” the Microsoft CEO said on Dwarkesh Patel’s podcast earlier this month.

“That's just nonsensical benchmark hacking,” he continued, stating AI was yet to find the application that would make the years of hype a reality.

“When we say: 'Oh, this is like the industrial revolution,' let's have that industrial revolution type of growth. That means to me, 10 percent, seven percent for the developed world. Inflation adjusted, growing at five percent, that's the real marker,” Nadella said.

Boosting GDP, enhancing “knowledge work”

Nadella used Microsoft Excel as a comparison for how AI is yet to find its proper place in the modern workplace, with physical documents and faxes delivering being an arduous task that would present a forecast “maybe just in time for the next quarter.”

“Then somebody said: 'Hey, I'm just going to take an Excel spreadsheet, put it in an email, send it around, people will go edit it, and I'll have a forecast.' The entire forecasting business process changed because the work artifact and the workflow changed. That is what needs to happen with AI being introduced into knowledge work,” Nadella said.

But the Microsoft CEO doesn’t think AI will replace knowledge work, but rather free up more time for knowledge workers to focus on higher-value tasks, asking “who said my life's goal is to triage my email?”

Many workers already live in fear of being replaced as companies see AI as a tool to reduce costs and increase profits. Luckily for us, the main obstacles to prevent AGI - or AI models with cognitive capabilities that exceed the human brain - from replacing human workers are legal issues.

“Today, you cannot deploy these intelligences unless and until there's someone indemnifying it as a human,” Nadella said.

Via TheRegister

You might also like

• These are the best AI tools and best AI writers
• Take a look at our guide to the best online collaboration tools
• UK creative industries launch ‘Make it Fair’ campaign against AI content theft

• Google Sheets is getting some speedy upgrades
• Faster loading and pasting times between spreadsheets now available
• Updates are rolling out now, so be ready

Creating your dream spreadsheets with ease could be about to get a whole lot easier thanks to some important upgrades for Google Sheets.

The spreadsheet software has revealed updates which it says decrease loading times and boost overall performance, particularly when it comes to calculations.

The news could be the next big shot in the arm for Google Workspace's tool as it looks to topple the likes of Microsoft Excel and become the most reliable workplace office software.

Google Sheets speed upgrade

The updates include improvements such as a 50% faster speed when pasting data from one spreadsheet to another, as well as spreadsheets loading existing data up to 30% faster.

Filter conditions can also now be set up to 50% faster than previously, giving users a much quicker way to access the information they need.

"These changes help various users work faster and more efficiently in a variety of scenarios," a Google Workspace update blog post announcing the news declared.

It outlined examples such as a data analyst being able to can paste small or large quantities of data from an existing spreadsheet to a new one much quicker, a campaign manager being able to add filtering conditions to better understand the performance of a campaign at a certain time faster, and a small business owner being able to quickly see their data load.

The news comes after the company announced it had doubled the calculation speed in Google Sheets in June 2024, boosting actions such as formulas, pivot tables, conditional formatting, and more, regardless of file size.

The updates are available now, and require no additional admin controls or changes. They will be available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts.

You might also like

• Gemini can now use Python code to create charts about your Google Sheets data
• These are the best productivity tools around
• We've also wrapped up the best online collaboration tools on offer

• More Copilot-powered features coming to top Microsoft 365 tools
• Microsoft Excel gets new template-building tool
• PowerPoint can now build richer slides, and Outlook gets smarter calendar integration

Microsoft has unveiled a host of Copilot-powered upgrades to some of the most popular office software tools in use today.

The likes of Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint are all set for another AI-enabled update after the company revealed the news at its Microsoft Ignite 2024 event.

Microsoft says the changes will lead to greater efficiency and productivity across the board, freeing up more time and space for workers at all levels to focus on the tasks that really matter.

Copilot upgrades

Included in the new updates is a new Microsoft Excel tool which aims to make creating specialized spreadsheets more straightforward for workers at all levels.

The new "start experience" will let users tell Copilot exactly what kind of spreadsheet they are creating, whether it be a project budget, inventory tracker, sales report, or anything else, and the tool will suggest a template file.

This template can then be refined further with headers, formulae and even visuals, giving the user a kickstart on creating the perfect spreadsheet.

This feature will be generally available by the end of the year with Microsoft 365 Copilot in Excel.

Elsewhere, Copilot will soon be able to better integrate with a user's Outlook platform in order to analyze their calendar to pick and schedule the best time for events such as 1:1 meetings, or even just some focus time.

The tool, available by the end of November 2024, can even help draft an agenda for a meeting by prompting it with details about the goals of the event, for example, “The goal of this meeting is to review the next project and introduce a team member”, and create an agenda to help the meeting stay on track.

Microsoft Places will also get closer integration with both Outlook and Teams, bringing AI-powered location tools that will help workers get the most out of being in the office.

There are also a range of new PowerPoint tools enabled by Copilot that Microsoft says will help users create better presentations in a matter of minutes.

This includes Copilot's Narrative Builder feature, which will use information from a pre-established template and referenced file from the user to create a full-scale first draft presentation, including branded design, speaker notes and built-in transitions and animations.

Copilot can also now handle translation of PowerPoint presentations, with 40 languages initially available, all whilst keeping the slide design as intended, helping get your message across to colleagues around the world.

Narrative Builder is coming to Copilot in PowerPoint in January 2025, with translation coming to Copilot in PowerPoint on the web beginning in December and for desktop and Mac in January 2025.

You may also like

• These are the best online collaboration tools around today
• We've also rounded up the best productivity tools on offer
• Some Microsoft 365 and Copilot subscriptions are getting a major price hike

Microsoft Excel is, without a doubt, one of the most powerful and influential pieces of software ever released, across a huge range of industries and professions. But how do you scan in a document and input that data?

While we would love the ability to upload a PDF directly into Excel and have the software break down critical data to input, that sadly is not the case right now – although with Microsoft's AI Copilots, maybe it will happen in the future.

Today we'll go through a couple of methods to scan a document into Excel and get to work on the data contained within it, including using Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft OneDrive, and Microsoft Lens.

Tools and requirements

• A scanner
• Microsoft Excel
• Adobe Scan or Microsoft Lens
• A PDF or other document

Steps for how to scan a document in Excel

• Scan your physical document OR open the document
• Use an OCR app like Adobe Scan or Lens to get the data
• Convert the document into an Excel file
• Open the document in Excel

Step by step guide

FAQs for scanning documents in Excel

Final thoughts

Being able to work with different file types and with scanned documents is really handy for many different reasons when using Excel on Windows or Mac. In this guide, we've suggested some quick and simple ways to handle the most common types of files, and we hope they have helped improve your workflow and save time.

Microsoft Excel is one of the most powerful tools for organizing data, performing calculations, and creating charts, but when it comes to printing, it can sometimes be tricky.

Excel offers a variety of options that let you customize the print layout according to your needs and it is possible to print a single sheet, multiple sheets, or an entire workbook.

This guide will walk you through the steps on how to print from Excel using different methods and ensure your data is presented clearly and professionally on paper.

How to print from Microsoft Excel

Tools & requirements

• A computer with Excel installed
• One of the best home printers (Wi-Fi-enabled or connected via USB)
• The spreadsheet you want to print
• Internet connection (optional for cloud printing)
• PDF reader or Google Drive (optional for saving files as PDFs)

1. Print a Single Sheet or Part of a Sheet

One of the most common printing tasks in Excel is printing a single sheet or a specific part of a sheet. You may have a large table, a set of calculations, or charts that you want to print on one or more pages.

Steps to print a single sheet:

1. Open Excel and navigate to the sheet you want to print.
2. Go to the File tab in the upper left corner.
3. Select Print from the menu.
4. Under Settings, ensure Print Active Sheets is selected.
5. You can preview your printout on the right side of the screen.
6. Adjust any print settings such as page orientation (portrait or landscape), paper size, and margins as needed.
7. Ensure to check the margins in the print settings. It is very common for the margins to lose alignment when printing from Excel.
8. Click Print to print your sheet.

Steps to print part of a sheet:

1. Highlight the area of the sheet you want to print.
2. Go to the Page Layout tab, and click Print Area in the Page Setup group.
3. Choose Set Print Area from the dropdown menu.
4. Go to File > Print and verify that only the selected area appears in the print preview.
5. Adjust settings if necessary, and click Print.

This method ensures that only the relevant parts of your spreadsheet are printed, saving paper and making your document easier to read. Please note that after opening the Excel page, Ctrl P can take you directly to the print settings.

2. Print Multiple Sheets or the Entire Workbook

If your Excel file contains several sheets and you want to print more than one, or even the entire workbook, Excel makes it simple to do so.

Steps to print multiple sheets:

1. Hold the Ctrl key and click on each sheet tab that you want to print.
2. Go to File > Print.
3. Under Settings, select Print Active Sheets.
4. Verify the print preview and click Print.

Steps to print the entire workbook:

1. Go to File > Print.
2. Under Settings, choose Print Entire Workbook.
3. Review the preview to ensure that all sheets are formatted correctly.
4. Adjust print settings if needed, such as page orientation and scaling (e.g., fitting all columns on one page).
5. Click Print.

Printing multiple sheets or an entire workbook is convenient when working with larger data sets or reports that span multiple tabs.

3. Save Your Excel Sheet as a PDF and Print

In some cases, you may prefer to save your Excel sheet as a PDF before printing. This is especially useful if you want to ensure consistent formatting across different devices or share the document with others for printing.

Steps to save as PDF:

1. Open the Excel sheet or workbook you want to save as a PDF.
2. Go to File > Save As.
3. Choose a location on your computer, and in the Save as Type dropdown, select PDF.
4. Click Options to choose whether to save the active sheet, selected sheets, or the entire workbook.
5. Click Save.

Steps to print PDF:

1. Open the saved PDF in your preferred PDF viewer.
2. Press Ctrl + P or go to File > Print.
3. Adjust print settings as needed, such as page orientation or scaling, and click Print.

Saving your Excel file as a PDF allows for a more polished look, ensuring that formatting issues don’t arise when printing from different devices or printers.

4. Customize Print Settings for Better Output

Excel offers several print settings that allow you to control how your document appears on paper. These settings can help you fit large data sets onto fewer pages, ensure your headers are printed, and format your document for optimal readability.

Key Print Settings to Adjust:

• Page Orientation: Choose between portrait (vertical) and landscape (horizontal) layouts depending on the content.
• Scaling: Under Settings in the print menu, you can select options like “Fit Sheet on One Page” or “Fit All Columns on One Page” to ensure that your data fits neatly within the printable area.
• Margins: Set custom margins if you need more or less white space around your content. This option is available under the Page Layout tab.
• Headers and Footers: To add a header or footer (e.g., page numbers, dates), go to the Insert tab, select Header & Footer, and customize the text that appears at the top or bottom of each printed page.
• Gridlines and Headings: Under the Page Layout tab, you can choose to print gridlines and row/column headings, which may be useful for navigating complex spreadsheets.

Customizing your print settings ensures that your document is easy to read, properly formatted, and professional-looking.

Tips for Printing from Microsoft Excel

• Always use the print preview to check how your document will look before printing. This can save you from wasting paper on misaligned or poorly formatted pages.
• Use the Set Print Area option to focus only on the data you need, avoiding unnecessary blank pages or extra rows and columns.
• Go to View > Page Break Preview to manually adjust where page breaks occur, ensuring that your content flows naturally across pages.
• If your data spans multiple pages, try adjusting the scaling settings to fit more content on each page without making it too small to read.

Microsoft has announced plans to integrate Python into excel as part of its latest Copilot AI push.

The move, part of the company’s broader expansion of its Microsoft 365 Copilot suite, is designed to boost productivity to giving workers access to advanced tools that can be controlled through natural language input.

Python integration will allow workers to perform complex tasks, like data analysis, forecasting, risk assessment and machine learning, without the need to write code.

Excel gets AI-powered Python

Microsoft hopes that by enabling users to carry out these more advanced tasks from within its spreadsheet software, Excel can become a better tool for modern data science.

A demo video shared in the announcement confirmed workers can overwrite the Python code to tweak as necessary.

Jared Spataro, Corporate VP of AI at Work for Microsoft, commented: “It’s like adding a skilled data analyst to the team.”

The tool, Copilot in Excel with Python, is currently in public preview.

The welcome addition forms part of a much broader strategy that Microsoft is currently rolling out, which it calls ‘Wave 2’. Redmond says this is in response to the positive feedback of its AI-powered tools in Teams.

Wave 2 will include further enhancements across the entire suit, including dynamic storytelling in PowerPoint and inbox management aids in Outlook.

The Python-powered Excel enhancements are part of a partnership with data science, ML and AI company Anaconda.

Anaconda’s Chief AI & Innovation Officer, Peter Wang, commented: “We are thrilled to announce the general availability of Python in Excel, a major breakthrough that will transform the workflow of millions of Excel users around the world.”

Microsoft Excel Head of Product Catherine Pidgeon added: “With the general availability of Python in Excel, we are ushering in a new era of data analysis.”

More from TechRadar Pro

• Your Microsoft Excel spreadsheets could soon have a lot more AI power
• We’ve rounded up a list of the best Python online courses
• Here are the best AI tools available now

Microsoft researchers have unveiled a large language model with the ability to enhance the interaction with and understanding of spreadsheets has been introduced, marking a significant leap forward for AI’s ability to handle Excel files.

Outlined in a paper, entitled ‘SpeadsheetLLM: Encoding Spreadsheets for Large Language Models,’ the team looks to explore the complexities and challenges of applying AI to structured, logical and formulaic datasets.

SpreadsheetLLM promises the ability to combine these datasets with the already proven capabilities of large language models.

SpreadsheetLLM could make AI more efficient in your Excel sheet

According to the researchers, “SpreadsheetLLM is an approach for encoding spreadsheet contents into a format that can be used with large language models (LLMs) and allows these models to reason over spreadsheet contents.”

The research notes the widespread use of spreadsheets in various business operations, from simple data entry to complex financial modelling. However, despite the importance of these numerical files, existing LLMs have struggled to structure the data and formulas. By encoding the data in a package that LLMs can comprehend, Microsoft’s researchers hope to unlock the processing power of current generative AI tools that use existing LLMs within the Excel environment.

By unlocking the full potential of spreadsheet data, businesses using generative AI tools could improve their data-based decision-making and improve the efficiency of other administrative tasks.

Although SpreadsheetLLM is currently little more than a research project, the work to improve compatibility between Excel files and existing AI tools does at least signify the continually evolving power of AI.

Moreover, while the company has not yet committed to building such a tool on a wider scale, Microsoft’s multibillion-dollar investment in ChatGPT maker OpenAI and its subsequent rollout of generative AI functionalities across its office apps implies that the tech giant is committed to making AI more accessible.

More from TechRadar Pro

• Get a helping hand from the best AI writers
• We’ve rounded up a list of the best productivity tools around today
• Not keen on Copilot just yet? ChatGPT's precursor now runs in Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Excel is getting a welcome makeover for web users as part of a raft of updates from the company.

The spreadsheet software is getting a new "modernized" look as part of a major upgrade that Microsoft says will help "revolutionize your workflows".

The "Simple. Easy. Delightful" visual overhaul makes Microsoft Excel sheets, columns and rows slightly larger, but also less rigid and structured than before, bringing the software in to line with the more rounded look of the rest of its Microsoft 365 platform.

All change for Excel on web

In a blog post announcing the update, Microsoft also showed that the Excel menu bars have been raised and simplified, with fewer options now on offer for users to make a much clearer view.

The colors used in data fields also appear to be more vibrant - although the opposite appears to be true with the window itself, which has toned down the iconic green theme in favor of a more neutral light gray.

Elsewhere, a number of new tweaks and tools also look to make Microsoft Excel on web easier and smarter for users. This includes a new quick resize option for rows and columns simply by hovering over the border to bring up resizing handles, which Microsoft says will provide better data visibility and presentation.

There is also a new simplified interface for adding rows and columns to your spreadsheet, with users now seeing small circles when hovering over a header which can quickly add or remove extra fields, and a simplified method to rearrange the parts of your spreadsheet with an easier drag and drop feature that can move entire rows and columns with ease.

Also added in is a streamlined unhide feature that will now display amended rows and columns with a single click, and the option to freeze viewing panes to make sure the information you need to focus on stays in your field of vision, no matter how far you scroll, and a quick highlighting option that lets users signify important fields with just a few clicks.

The new features are rolling out to all Microsoft Excel for web users now.

More from TechRadar Pro

• The Microsoft Excel World Championship is back, and it's bigger and better than ever
• Write your best work ever with the help of the best AI writers
• Boost your work with the best laptop for programming

Software developer Ishan Anand has successfully integrated OpenAI’s precursor to ChatGPT – GPT-2 – into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet.

Anand’s creation, dubbed ‘Spreadsheets-are-all-you-need’, offers users a hands-on exploration of how large language models (LLMs) operate without the need for coding expertise.

Part-novelty, part-education tool, Anand’s brainchild lets users input words into designated cells and receive results in adjacent cells.

GPT-2 is available in Excel, sort of

The software developer's decision to embed GPT-2 into an Excel spreadsheet was based on his curiosity and passion for simplifying artificial intelligence. 

Anand revealed that the project had actually started out on Google Sheets, but the full 124M model was too big, hence the decision to switch to Excel. It’s a bit ironic because Microsoft has now started rolling out more updated GPT capabilities across its Microsoft 365 suite of apps, including Excel, by means of the generative AI Copilot tool. Google also has its own AI assistant, Gemini (previously Duet AI for Workspace).

The feat didn’t come without its challenges, though, with Anand having to deal with the intricacies of tokenization and the process of having to convert words into numerical values.

Despite the added value and potential that can be unlocked by developers, more up-to-date projects will not be possible. GPT-2 is freely available from OpenAI as an open-source model, but GPT-3, which first appeared in the public preview of ChatGPT, is closed-source.

Anand’s work uses GPT-2 Small, which uses 124 million parameters. The full release has 1.5 billion parameters, which itself is significantly smaller than its GPT-3 successor.

Enthusiasts keen to delve into the inner workings can access Anand’s creation on GitHub via the project’s website, however some performance issues have been acknowledged, including potential Mac issues.

More from TechRadar Pro

• Check out the best AI tools and best AI writers
• Cut some costs and try out the best free office software
• Microsoft launches Copilot for finance teams - including some nifty new Excel tools data nerds will love

Microsoft Excel is well known for its versatility (it can even run first person classic shooter Doom) - but who knew the spreadsheet software could also be used to build a functioning CPU?

It might sound ridiculous, but that's precisely what a YouTuber named Inkbox has done, as demonstrated in a detailed 16-minute video. Inkbox achieved this feat without using any Visual Basic scripts or plugins, purely utilizing Excel's capabilities.

The result is a 16-bit CPU that operates within Excel at a clock rate of 3Hz, complete with 128KB of RAM, a 16-color 128x128 pixel display, and a custom assembly language. What's more, the CPU files are available on Github for anyone to try.

Excel-ASM16 assembly language

One of the most impressive aspects of this project is Inkbox's creation of a fully functioning assembly language for the Excel CPU. Named Excel-ASM16, it includes 23 different instructions and supports variables, labels, and even binary file support. These functionalities may be basic for an assembly language, but they are quite significant given the constraints of a 16-bit CPU running within Excel.

In the source video, Inkbox provides a comprehensive explanation of the functions of Excel used in the project and how they were manipulated to create a functioning 16-bit CPU. Despite the CPU's speed being no more than 3Hz, the time-lapse demonstration allows viewers to see the inner workings of the CPU.

Though the 16-bit CPU built within Excel has its limitations, it demonstrates an impressive level of technical skill and creativity on Inkbox's part. The freely shared Excel-ASM16 and its CPU, with some sample programs on Github, provide an opportunity for any like-minded Excel users to explore this unique creation for themselves.

Watch the video below:

Via Tom's Hardware

More from TechRadar Pro

• Microsoft Excel is getting a significant ChatGPT boost
• Your Microsoft Excel spreadsheets could soon be more off-putting than ever
• Python is coming to Microsoft Excel to help solve all your queries

Hackers have been observed targeting users running outdated Office programs, with the goal of delivering an infostealing malware called Agent Tesla.

This is according to cybersecurity researchers Zscaler ThreatLabs, who recently detailed a phishing campaign that distributes an Excel document. If the victim is using an older version of Excel, the document can abuse a memory corruption vulnerability in the Equation Editor, tracked as CVE-2017-11882. 

That allows it to execute code with user privileges but without further user interaction or consent. 

"Once a user downloads a malicious attachment and opens it, if their version of Microsoft Excel is vulnerable, the Excel file initiates communication with a malicious destination and proceeds to download additional files without requiring any further user interaction," said security researcher Kaivalya Khursale.

The infection is a multi-step process, with the first step being an obfuscated Visual Basic Script. It downloads a malicious JPG file carrying a Base64-encoded DLL file. That file is later injected into the Windows Assembly Registration Tool (RegAsm.exe), which launches the final payload - Agent Tesla.

Advanced keylogger

In its writeup, TheHackerNews describes Agent Tesla as an "advanced keylogger and remote access trojan (RAT)" capable of harvesting sensitive information. After gathering the required intel, Agent Tesla can communicate with its remote C2 server and extract the data quietly. 

"Threat actors constantly adapt infection methods, making it imperative for organizations to stay updated on evolving cyber threats to safeguard their digital landscape," Khursale said.

Both the infostealing malware and the Excel vulnerability seem to be extremely popular these days. A report from Cofense, released in late October, states that the most prevalent malware associated with phishing in Q3 was the Agent Tesla keylogger. Furthermore, the same source claims the most common delivery method to infect your computer with these forms of malware is the CVE-2017-11882 exploit.

More from TechRadar Pro

• Beware, your login details are being targeted more than ever - here's what to look out for
• Here's a list of the best firewalls today
• These are the best endpoint protection services right now

Your humble Microsoft Excel spreadsheets could soon be helping take part in the workplace AI tools revolution.

Microsoft unveiled a number of new ChatGPT-powered integrations this week, one of which brings full Microsoft Excel spreadsheet software integration into Bing Chat.

As spotted by Windows Latest, the move will allow users to create a table using data fed into, or requested by, a Bing Chat AI window. The platform will then create a table which can be opened and edited within the same window using the Excel web app, meaning you never have to leave your initial chat.

Excel in ChatGPT

In its test, Windows Latest found that the creation happens in real-time, and was able to bring together a wide variety of data sources to create the table, which does not need to be separately exported and opened in Excel, instead opening in a new browser tab.

This may not continue to be the case moving forward, as the tool appears to still be in testing at the present time, and may expand into working more with the native Office 365 app.

Elsewhere, there also appears to be closer integration between ChatGPT and other Microsoft 365 tools, including Microsoft Word and Powerpoint, coming soon. Windows Latest spotted a menu offering the chance to connect these apps, and also Google Workspace services such as Docs, Sheets and Slides, to the service, meaning ChatGPT could "access their information" and "add them as context to your conversations".

This is similar to the current system employed by Windows Copilot, which analyses and examines your Microsoft 365 files for information and context it thinks will be useful in conversations or projects going forward.

There's no concrete details on the wider availability of these features just yet, but we'll keep an eye out for greater integration as and when it launches.

The company recently announced the general availability of Microsoft 365 Copilot, however users will need to pay at least $9,000 per month on top of their existing Microsoft 365 enterprise subscription to get access.

More from TechRadar Pro

• The Microsoft Excel World Championship is back, and it's bigger and better than ever
• Write your best work ever with the help of the best AI writers
• Boost your work with the best laptop for programming

Microsoft has improved the Automatic Data Conversion settings in its Excel spreadsheet software, fixing an issue which had been causing scientists major headaches for several years.

In an announcement, Excel Product Manager Chirag Fifadra said: “We wanted to address customers’ frustration with Excel automatically converting data to specific formats.”

For a long time, scientists were forced to rename several genes for the purpose of preventing Excel from misreading them as other formats, such as dates.

Excel will now stop misreading some of your cells

Now, there is a new setting within the spreadsheet software that prevents the automatic conversion of data, which has so far proven itself (very) unuseful for some users.

Scientists working with gene codes, for example, can go to File > Options > Data > Automatic Data Conversion to disable certain types of automatic conversions. Fifadra gave the following four examples as areas where users can enable or disable automatic conversions:

• Remove leading zeros from numerical text and convert to a number.
• Truncate numerical data to 15 digits of precision and convert to a number that may be displayed in scientific notation, if needed.
• Convert numerical data surrounding the letter “E” to a number displayed in scientific notation.
• Convert a continuous string of letters and numbers to a date.

Fifadra noted that, in some cases, numbers may be stored as text in order to preserve leading zeros, for example, which creates an error message. “This is expected,” says the announcement, which provides instructions on how to ignore the error message.

The changes have now been rolled out to Excel users on both Windows (Version 2309, Build 16808.10000) and macOS (Version 16.77, Build 23091003).

More from TechRadar Pro

• Google Sheets reveals another step towards dropping Excel for good
• Check out our roundup of the best productivity tools for all types of workers
• Catering for a hybrid workforce? It may be time to upgrade to the best online collaboration tools

The UK government’s online privacy safeguard has issued a warning over the use of spreadsheet software such as Microsoft Excel following several high-profile security incidents.

Spreadsheets are a major cause for concern in the safety of personal information, according to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

The warning comes in the wake of a surge in data breaches caused by Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, with incidents including the leaking of personal information pertaining to witnesses, suspects and victims in a number of crimes. 

Excel warning

“The recent personal data breaches are a reminder that data protection is, first and foremost, about people.” said John Edwards, the Information Commissioner, “We have seen both the immediate and ongoing impact that the release of such sensitive personal information has had on the individuals and families involved, and that is why I have taken this action.”

“It is imperative that robust measures are in place to protect personal information. The advice we have issued sets out the bare minimum that public authorities should be doing to protect personal data when responding to information access requests, and to reassure the people they serve, and their staff, that their information is in safe hands.”

Alongside its statement, the ICO has issued a number of recommendations to organizations:

• Immediately stop uploading original source spreadsheets to online platforms used to respond to FOI requests
• Continually provide training to staff who are involved with disclosing information
• Avoid using spreadsheets with hundreds or thousands of rows and instead invest in data management systems which support data integrity

FOI requests are an obligation for public bodies, but personal information is exempt from release and should be redacted before the request is actioned. However, there have been numerous cases where employees have not received enough training to fully redact spreadsheets before release.

Breaches such as these show that data is not just at risk from hackers, but also from general incompetence and highlights the importance of cyber literacy within organizations.

More Microsoft Excel news

• The Microsoft Excel World Championship is back, and it's bigger and better than ever
• Your Microsoft Excel spreadsheets could soon be more off-putting than ever
• Boost your work with the best laptop for programming

Making more from your Microsoft Excel data could soon be a lot easier thanks to a new Python integration.

The spreadsheet software is getting even more ability to analyze and visualize data with the new Python in Excel feature.

The popular programming language will now be available directly from the Excel ribbon, allowing users to carry out, "advanced data analysis" in a much more straightforward way. 

Python in Excel

"Since its inception, Microsoft Excel has changed how people organize, analyze, and visualize their data, providing a basis for decision-making for the millions of people who use it each day," Microsoft wrote in a blog post announcing the news. "Today we’re announcing a significant evolution in the analytical capabilities available within Excel by releasing a Public Preview of Python in Excel."

Users won't need to install any extra software or add-ons, with the new addition forming part of Excel's Power Query feature, and running within the Microsoft Cloud.

The new PY function allows Python data to be exposed within the grid of an Excel spreadsheet, with users able to type Python directly into a cell. Excel users will be able to create formulas, PivotTables, and charts all based on Python data, with the ability to bring in charting libraries like Matplotlib and Seaborn for visualizations like heatmaps, violin plots, and swarm plots.

An integration with top enterprise Python repository Anaconda also means that popular Python libraries including pandas, statsmodels, and Matplotlib will be available in Excel.

Python in Excel is available now as a public preview for Microsoft 365 Insiders in the Beta Channel. Windows users are the only ones able to access it for now, but Microsoft says it hopes to extend to other platforms “at a later date.” It will however be included in a Microsoft 365 subscription whilst the preview runs, although some functionality will be "restricted" if you don't have a paid license after the preview ends.

“I’m excited that this excellent, tight integration of Python and Excel is now seeing the light of day,” says Guido van Rossum, Python’s creator and now a Microsoft distinguished engineer. “I expect that both communities will find interesting new uses in this collaboration, amplifying each partner’s abilities. When I joined Microsoft three years ago, I would not have dreamed this would be possible.”

More Microsoft Excel news

• The Microsoft Excel World Championship is back, and it's bigger and better than ever
• Your Microsoft Excel spreadsheets could soon be more off-putting than ever
• Boost your work with the best laptop for programming

The world's cell-based superstars are set to go head-to-head as the battle for spreadsheet supremacy kicks off at the Microsoft Excel World Championships.

Following a stellar debut last year, ESPN has once again picked up the spreadsheet tournament to show as part of its annual "The Ocho" event, with coverage starting at 7am ET/9am PT today, with highlights later shown on YouTube.

Sponsored (unsurprisingly) by Microsoft, and part of the Financial Modeling World Cup (FMWC), last year's broadcast of the "All-Star Battle" proved a surprise hit, with more than 800,000 people apparently viewing the entire two-and-a-half hour competition on YouTube, with ESPN broadcasting a 30-minute edit.

This year, the stakes have been raised, with traditional Excel-based puzzle solving and trickery ramped up with an added threat of elimination.

Participants will be given a "case" to solve, which will demand knowledge and expertise of a wide range of Excel skills to finish. As the FMWC website notes, "the game tasks will be testing your Excel and logical thinking skills. No previous knowledge in finance, engineering, data analytics or any other industry is necessary."

This could be anything from election modelling to random number generators and even working out how to best navigate an Excel-based videogame level - all accompanied by live commentary by Excel experts.

Competitors will of course need to know their way around a formula and have excellent coding skills, as well as an encylcopaedic knowledge of Excel shortcuts and tricks - but as the FMWC website notes, "anything is allowed, and the strategy is up to you."  All the questions/cases "will be solvable by a general MS Excel user," the FMWC rules state, and users of older versions of Excel (2010 and up) should be able to complete them.

The competitors have 30 minutes to answer a series of questions worth up to 1,000 points, and the person with the most points wins. However as mentioned, this year adds an extra motivation to work fast, as the player with the fewest points will be eliminated every five minutes.

Amazingly, the event is now only a part of a wider season of Excel competitions, one event of many leading up to the Microsoft Excel World Championship Finals in Las Vegas in December, where a total prize fund of over $15,000 is up for grabs.

More from TechRadar Pro

Keeping those vital business spreadsheet files secure when working across different devices is set to get a lot easier thanks to a new Google Workspace update.

The company has revealed it will now allow users to import and convert sensitive Microsoft Excel files into client-side encrypted Google Sheets, ensuring users on both platforms can easily browse the file.

The move should also mean that users across teams and workspaces feel more comfortable sharing important files, adding an extra layer of security for those crucial documents.

Google Sheets Excel security

In a Google Workspace update blog post announcing the news, the company noted that the conversion will give the new Google Sheets file client-side encryption.

"Your encrypted Excel file won’t be changed, even as you change the encrypted Sheets file," it added.

Users will only be able to import encrypted .xslx Excel file types, as additional Excel and tabular file types are not supported, and will be ignored if the user tries to upload them. Files up to 20MB are permitted, with support for up to five million cells.

The tool is in open beta for now, and is available to Google Workspace Enterprise Plus, Education Standard and Education Plus customers.

In its battle to take on great rival Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets has seen a number of recent updates to help users get more from their data in recent months.

This includes so-called "smart chip" technology, which lets users quickly access information or data from other Google Workspace files, bringing the likes of Slides, Docs and Gmail even closer together.

Google Sheets users are currently able to quickly extract information from smart chips to give their work extra detail or analysis, pulling in information from people, file and event chips, as well as being able to pull out metadata associated with specific smart chips into its own cell, all whilst maintaining a connection with the chip it was extracted from. 

• Looking for something different? Here's our list of the best Microsoft Office alternatives

Making your workplace Microsoft Excel spreadsheets a bit more attractive could soon be a lot easier thanks to a new update.

The spreadsheet software has revealed it is working on an update that will let users insert images into their document whilst using a mobile device for the first time.

The change should mean that owners and editors can amend their spreadsheets in the Excel and Microsoft 365 apps whilst on the move, making it easier to tweak that big presentation or end-of-year report whilst travelling.

Microsoft Excel mobile images

Given the apparent simplicity of the update, its entry on the official Microsft 365 roadmap, is pretty threadbare when it comes to specific details, simply noting that the change will allow users to, "Insert Images from Your Mobile Device".

Currently listed as in development, the new feature is scheduled for August 2023, meaning users shouldn't have too much longer to wait. Upon launch, it will be available for users on both Android and iOS devices.

The news follows Microsoft's initial addition of being able to insert images directly into a cell (as opposed to just floating on top of the sheet) back in November 2022.

Microsoft says the new "IMAGE" function makes Excel sheets more personalized and customizable, thanks to a range of extra customization options. Users will be able to move and resize cells, sort and filter, and even work with images within an Excel table. 

The company also recently announced users can now insert a local picture, either from their clipboard, or by converting a floating picture, from their device directly into the cell.

Elsewhere, Microsoft also recently launched "@mentions" in Excel to make collaborating on your spreadsheets smoother than ever. 

@mentions allow users to tag their colleagues or co-workers, both within an organization and outside. These tags can be requests for edits, adding more information, or just clarification on a certain point, but can also be used to create, assign and track tasks within your workbook.

• Keep track of your money with the best personal finance software

Your Microsoft Excel spreadsheets could seen pack in even more images and pictures thanks to a new update.

The spreadsheet software has announced it will soon allow users to insert a local picture from their device directly into the cell.

Users will also be able to paste local images from their clipboard or convert a floating picture to put into the cell much easier than before.

Microsoft Excel local images

In its entry on the official Microsft 365 roadmap, the new feature is scheduled for July 2023, meaning users shouldn't have too much longer to wiat. Upon launch, it will be available for users on both Windows desktop and web.

The news follows Microsoft's initial addition of being able to insert images directly into a cell (as opposed to just floating on top of the sheet) back in November 2022.

Microsoft says the new "IMAGE" function makes Excel sheets more personalized and customizable, thanks to a range of extra customization options.

Users will be able to move and resize cells, sort and filter, and even work with images within an Excel table. 

Elsewhere, Microsoft also recently launched "@mentions" in Excel to make collaborating on your spreadsheets smoother than ever. 

@mentions allow users to tag their colleagues or co-workers, both within an organization and outside. These tags can be requests for edits, adding more information, or just clarification on a certain point, but can also be used to create, assign and track tasks within your workbook.

• Keep track of your money with the best personal finance software

Sharing out the work in a Microsoft Excel project across your team should soon be getting a lot easier due to a new update.

The spreadsheet software is rolling out a new feature to all users that it says will make collaborating smoother than ever through the use of "@mentions".

In the entry on the official Microsoft 365 roadmap, the company notes that @mentions can also be used to "create, assign and track tasks within your workbook."

Microsoft Excel @mentions

Collaborating on a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet can often be awkward, especially when teams across different time zones or locations all feed into a central or main file that changes often and requires constant attention.

A common sight for users of Microsoft's great office software rival Google Workspace, @mentions allow users to tag their colleagues or co-workers, both within an organization and outside. These tags can be requests for edits, adding more information, or just clarification on a certain point.

The entry says that although the feature had a general availability date of October 2022, it is only "rolling out" now, meaning all users should finally be able to access it - although only desktop Excel users will get the feature for now.

The update is the latest from Microsoft Excel as it looks to help encourage greater online collaboration across teams in the age of hybrid working.

The company also recently included the ability to add hyperlinks into comments added to spreadsheets, rather than having to copy and paste from plaintext as had previously been the case.

Another recent update allows users to insert images directly into a cell, making them part of a worksheet for the first time, as opposed to just floating on top of the sheet.

Microsoft says this new function should make your Excel sheets more personalized and customizable, giving your work a whole new dimension.

• Keep track of your money with the best personal finance software

Crafting the ultimate Microsoft Excel spreadsheet could soon be more of a team effort than ever before, thanks to a new update.

The spreadsheet software will now offer users the chance to collaborate more smoothly whilst on a Microsoft Teams call with its new Excel Live feature.

This allows anyone on a video conferencing call to work together on an Excel worksheet during a meeting, including direct edits and additions, all updated and visible in real time.

Excel Live in Microsoft Teams

Microsoft says that the new addition will enable users to collaborate easier than ever before, allowing for frictionless co-working whilst on a Microsoft Teams call.

Users will be able to simply select the file they want to share to start editing directly in a meeting. Owners can then grant editing permissions to meeting participants, or simply enable all meeting participants to edit the document from the meeting window.

In its entry on the official Microsoft 365 roadmap, Excel Live is still described as being "in development" - however, it has a scheduled general availability date of March 2023, meaning users shouldn't have to wait too long to get their hands on it.

Upon release, Excel Live will be available for users on PC and Mac, as well as mobile users with Android or iOS devices.

Microsoft has been hard at work providing a number of updates for Excel and Teams in recent months as it looks to ensure its platforms are useful and intuitive for customers across the world.

Microsoft Excel recently rolled out a new "@mentions" expansion that will allow users to tag their co-workers, both within an organization and outside. These tags can be requests for edits, adding more information, or just clarification on a certain point.

The company also recently included the ability to add hyperlinks into comments added to spreadsheets, rather than having to copy and paste from plaintext as had previously been the case.

• Check out our rundown of the best online collaboration tools available

A new paperhas suggested Microsoft Excel could be the next product in its toolbox to get an AI assist, but it won’t be ChatGPT.

The paper, co-authored by eight of the company's researchers, stresses the significance of spreadsheet software, which is used by “billions of users”, with Microsoft Excel is among the most popular if not the most popular.

A new piece of AI, dubbed FLAME, is expected to be substantially more efficient and cost-effective compared with other solutions that are already available, and it’s also designed with Excel-specific tasks in mind giving it more of an edge over multipurpose AI.

FLAME AI in Excel

The paper describes FLAME as a “T5-based model trained on Excel formulas”; but because it’s a small language model, it’s set to be cheaper to train, making it more affordable for end users.

The researchers compare FLAME to Codex-Davinci, Codex-Cushman, and CodeT5, which use 175B, 12B, and 220M parameters respectively to train their language models, but claim it can outperform these larger models “in 6 out of 10 settings”. FLAME uses just 60M parameters.

The primary intention is to get FLAME to help Excel users with formulas, offering up autocomplete suggestions and even to repair malformed formulas.

There’s no word on when (or even if) this piece of kit will become generally available in Microsoft Excel, however given the company’s recent announcement confirming a considerable investment in OpenAI, it’s likely that artificial intelligence will weave its way into a whole lot more Microsoft products soon.

The company has already introduced some ChatGPT capabilities to Viva Sales, amid rumors that it’s set to embed the GPT-3.5 large language model into a number of its other products.

• These are the best online collaboration tools

The days are numbered for hackers using Excel’s XLL features to deliver malware to Microsoft customers, the company has announced.

XLL files are similar to DLL files and provide the program with a number of advanced features, including custom functions and toolbars. 

Crooks have been using XLL files in phishing attacks, successfully delivering malware, infostealers, and possibly even ransomware in some occasions.

A surge in popularity

Now, Microsoft’s first step is to prevent such files downloaded from the internet from running:

"In order to combat the increasing number of malware attacks in recent months, we are implementing measures that will block XLL add-ins coming from the internet," the company said in an entry on its Microsoft 365 roadmap. 

For starters, the change will first come to multi-tenant users globally in March 2023, for Microsoft 365 desktop users with Current, Monthly Enterprise, and Semi-Annual Enterprise channels.

While weaponized XLL files have probably been around for a lot longer, they began grabbing people’s attention in early 2022, around the time Microsoft decided to prevent Office files downloaded from the internet from running any macros. As threat actors could no longer use macros to deliver malware to target endpoints, they were increasingly turning towards XLL files. 

In early 2022, HP’s cybersecurity arm Wolf Security analyzed data from “the many millions of endpoints” running its software in 2021 and discovered a 588% increase in the use of Excel add-ins to distribute malware.

The researchers are saying this technique is particularly dangerous because the victims only need one click to compromise their endpoints.

Adverts for an .xll dropper and malware builder have also started popping up on underground markets, making it easy for low-level attackers to launch campaigns with devastating consequences.

As usual, the best way to protect against such attacks is to be extra careful when running any files coming via email, or websites whose authenticity cannot be confirmed. 

• These are the best malware removal software today

Via: BleepingComputer

One of the most annoying Microsoft Excel quirks could finally be over thanks to a new update from the company.

The spreadsheet software has announced it is working on a new feature that will hopefully solve a major headache for Excel users performing repetitive tasks.

The new Office Scripts feature will let users record actions made in a spreadsheet, which can then be automated and repeated, potentially saving them hours of fiddling and frustration.

Excel formula suggestions

In its update entry on the official Microsoft 365 roadmap, the company notes that the update will allow Windows and Mac users alike to benefit from the efficiency and productivity boost.

The tool was previously only available to users of Excel for the web, with the company now looking to bring this initial success to more users around the world. It didn't offer too much detail on whether any changes or upgrades would be made to the initial build, but hopefully we'll see a demo soon.

The feature is still listed as being "in development" for the time being, with a scheduled general availability date of March 2023, so users won't have too much longer to wait.

The news is the latest upgrade for Microsoft Excel as the company looks to make sure its software remains useful and productive for users everywhere.

This includes a recent upgrade that introduced formula suggestions, which consider contextual data to suggest a handful of supported formulas, including SUM, AVERAGE, COUNT, COUNTA, MIN, and MAX. Microsoft hopes this will not just save its users time, but allow them to “learn more about Excel formulas as [they] use them.”

Elsewhere, a separate Excel update will allow the software to insert images directly into a cell, making them part of a worksheet for the first time, as opposed to just floating on top of the sheet. Microsoft says this new function should make your Excel sheets more personalized and customizable, giving your work a whole new dimension.

• Don’t want to pay for Excel? Check out the best free office software

Microsoft Excel has announced a handful of changes that are set to make formulas easier to use and even more powerful. 

The spreadsheet software updates are centered around web users, which covers all Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) users, even those without access to the full desktop clients, with a few updates padding out the list of Windows and macOS client features, too.

The first change for web users is the introduction of formula suggestions, which takes into account contextual data to suggest a handful of supported formulas, including SUM, AVERAGE, COUNT, COUNTA, MIN, and MAX.

Excel formula suggestions

For now, it will only be available to accounts set up in English. Microsoft hopes this will not just save its users time, but allow them to “learn more about Excel formulas as [they] use them.”

The second major change is what the company calls formula by example, and resembles a type of autofill. After a user completes a series of similar entries, the web version of Excel can now suggest content for remaining cells based on their previous actions.

Further improvements to the way Excel can now handle data include a tool that can detect broken cloud workbook links so that the data in your spreadsheet remains up-to-date and functioning, and a new search bar in the queries pane for quicker navigation.

Finally, Excel web now supports images inside cells, whereas they previously floated on top of the sheet: a change that was first spotted on the company’s roadmap in early November 2022. Pulling an image from a source location brings metadata like alternative text, too. This is now available on Windows and macOS versions of the Excel desktop client, too.

According to the blog post, the features are rolling out which means that some users may not be able to use the updates just yet, and some features are just reserved for Windows Insiders.

• Don’t want to pay for Excel? Check out the best free office software

Your Microsoft Excel spreadsheets could soon be more dynamic than ever due to a potentially huge breakthrough by the company.

A new Excel update will allow the spreadsheet software to insert images directly into a cell, making them part of a worksheet for the first time, as opposed to just floating on top of the sheet.

Microsoft says this new function should make your Excel sheets more personalized and customizable, giving your work a whole new dimension.

Microsoft Excel images

In its entry on the official Microsoft 365 roadmap, the company notes that as well as inserting images into cells directly, the new "IMAGE" function will also give users a range of extra customization options.

Users will be able to move and resize cells, sort and filter, and even work with images within an Excel table. 

Exactly how this will all work in practice is unclear, as the feature is still listed as being "in development" for now. However, it does have an expected general availability date of December 2022, meaning we should hear more about how it operates soon.

When launched, Microsoft says the feature will be available for all users across desktop, web, Mac and Android.

The news is the latest update to Microsoft Excel aimed at making the software more appealing and user-friendly as it looks to help encourage greater online collaboration across teams in the age of hybrid working. 

Recently, the company has said it will be rolling out "@mentions" in Excel to make collaborating on your spreadsheets smoother than ever. 

@mentions allow users to tag their colleagues or co-workers, both within an organization and outside. These tags can be requests for edits, adding more information, or just clarification on a certain point, but can also be used to create, assign and track tasks within your workbook.

The company also recently included the ability to add hyperlinks into comments added to spreadsheets, rather than having to copy and paste from plaintext as had previously been the case.

• Keep track of your money with the best personal finance software

The desktop version of Microsoft Excel will soon support a handy task automation feature previously only available to users of the web application, it has been revealed.

As per a new entry to the Microsoft 365 roadmap, an update for the spreadsheet software will soon allow desktop users to program and run scripts that automate repetitive manual tasks.

“With this update, you can now create, edit, and run Office Scripts in Excel for Windows using the Code Editor and All Scripts taskpane,” explained Microsoft.

Microsoft Excel automation

Although the formula-phobic among us have only just about mastered the basics of Microsoft Excel, advanced users have long looked for ways to optimize their workflows, particularly when it comes to repetitive data entry tasks.

The objective of the upcoming update, which will roll out at some point in October, is to give users willing to put in the initial groundwork a platform for automating time-consuming manual tasks and improving their productivity.

The work of a single user can also help employees across an organization automate workflows; once programmed, scripts can be shared freely across Microsoft 365 accounts.

“Office Scripts in Excel let you automate your day-to-day tasks. Inside Excel, you can record your actions with the Action Recorder. This creates a TypeScript language script that can be run again any time,” explains a Microsoft  support document.

“You can also create and edit scripts with the Code Editor. Your scripts can then be shared across your organization so your coworkers can also automate their workflows.”

The arrival of Office Scripts for the Excel desktop client represents the latest in a series of recent additions designed to help users bolster their productivity.

For example, Microsoft recently revealed it will soon be possible to launch into Excel documents from within Microsoft Teams calls. Instead of tabbing out to work on a shared spreadsheet, collaborations will be able to make edits in real-time over video conference.

Separately, the company announced a new resizeable version of the Excel formula bar, making it much easier to work with longer formulas, as well as a feature designed to help with formula troubleshooting.

• Also check out our list of the best office software available

Creating the monster Microsoft Excel workbook of your dreams could soon be a lot easier thanks to a new update.

The spreadsheet software can often be cumbersome to use, especially when teams of people are all feeding into a central or main file that changes often and requires constant attention.

Now, Microsoft Excel has revealed it is rolling out a new feature that will make collaborating on your spreadsheets smoother than ever through the use of "@mentions".

Microsoft Excel @mentions

A common sight for users of Microsoft's great office software rival Google Workspace, @mentions allow users to tag their colleagues or co-workers, both within an organization and outside. These tags can be requests for edits, adding more information, or just clarification on a certain point.

In the entry on the official Microsoft 365 roadmap, the company notes that @mentions can also be used to "create, assign and track tasks within your workbook."

The entry says that the feature has a general availability date of October 2022, but it has already been added to the "rolling out" cycle, meaning some users may already be able to access it.

Only desktop Excel users will get the feature for now, with the new addition available to users across the world.

The update is the latest from Microsoft Excel as it looks to help encourage greater online collaboration across teams in the age of hybrid working.

The company also recently included the ability to add hyperlinks into comments added to spreadsheets, rather than having to copy and paste from plaintext as had previously been the case.

Microsoft Teams users will also soon be able to launch into Excel documents from their meeting screen courtesy of a new feature called Excel Live. Instead of tabbing out to work on a shared spreadsheet, collaborators will be able to make edits in real-time without ever leaving the Microsoft Teams client.

• Keep track of your money with the best personal finance software

The world’s first Microsoft Excel-based NFT art collection has gone on sale as part of an effort to raise funds for the victims of the war in Ukraine.

Commissioned by Datarails, a financial planning platform that integrates closely with Excel, the five pieces of pixel art include portraits of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other scenes from the conflict.

Although Excel art is nothing new in itself, and others have turned spreadsheet doodles into NFTs before, the Datarails sale marks the first time an XLS file (the typical Microsoft Excel file format) has been tokenized and placed on a blockchain.

NFTs, but different

NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, are a type of collectible that demonstrates ownership of a particular digital asset, whether that be an image, video or piece of music. Although the asset itself can be freely replicated and shared, the associated NFT is unique and can be traded on the secondary market.

However, NFTs have been the target of plenty of criticism since exploding into the public consciousness last year. Some people purchased NFTs at extortionate prices on the implied promise of capital returns, only for their valuation to plummet, while others have had their tokens stolen by scammers and hackers.

The NFT revolution was also supposed to give up-and-coming artists a new way to monetize their work. But they have also often been used by celebrities and other high-profile individuals as a means of turning a quick buck.

Nonetheless, Datarails believes its NFT sale is the ideal vehicle for generating funds for a good cause. In this scenario, the NFTs are not investment vehicles, but more like a perk attached to a traditional donation.

“Excel is the canvas used by anyone in finance to create ideas, innovation and financial models. In this  experiment we took this concept a step further,” said Didi Gurfinkel, co-founder and CEO at DataRails.

“Excel has literally been used as a palette to produce a one-of-a-kind experience for CryptoArt and spreadsheet enthusiasts to own. We hope this project will help show the broad canvas of Excel while raising funds for the plight of those in Ukraine.”

Each NFT will be sold at a price of 1 ETH, which currently equates to roughly $1,900. In total, the sale should therefore generate close to $10,000, all of which will be donated to Heart to Heart International, a non-profit dedicated to improving access to healthcare worldwide.

Asked why DataRails chose specifically for Heart to Heart International to receive the proceeds of the NFT sale, over the many other charities working to support the victims of the war in Ukraine, Gurfinkel had the following to say:

“Heart to Heart International is a fantastic charity whose mission we believe in. It improves healthcare access around the world by ensuring quality care is provided equitably in medically under-resourced communities and in disaster areas including the situation in Ukraine.”

To view or purchase the Microsoft Excel NFTs, visit the DataRails website here.

• Practice your own spreadsheet art with the best office software on the market

Over the weekend, ESPN broadcast a replay of a recent esports event that saw the world’s most advanced Microsoft Excel users go head-to-head in a knockout tournament.

Organized by the people behind the Financial Modeling World Cup, the Excel “All-Star Battle” took place back in May. It began with eight competitors, who went up against one another in a series of spreadsheet-based challenges until eventually a champion was crowned.

The action might have been difficult to follow for us mere mortals, if not for the live commentary, interviews and post-tournament analysis, all of which were delivered with an enthusiasm to rival any other sports coverage. The internet loved it.

The next big esport?

ESPN has a long-standing reputation for embracing non-traditional sporting events, including esports. The network launched its coverage back in 2015, before becoming the first to broadcast an esports event in a prime time slot three years later.

It hasn’t all been plain-sailing – ESPN had to call time on its daily esports coverage for cost-cutting reasons at the height of the pandemic - but the continued willingness to embrace events like the Excel Esports All-Star Battle shows the broadcaster plans to stay the course.

It might come as a surprise to some that there is an appetite for a spreadsheet-based esports tournament, but the rise of streaming culture has proven there’s a market for pretty much anything.

The comments section of the live YouTube broadcast of the All-Star Battle was full of people debating optimal strategy, cheering on the competitors and generally expressing their delight at the contest.

“If you’d told me 20 years ago that we would all be watching Excel competitions, I’d have thought you were crazy,” said Bill Jelen, one of the commentators, as the event was coming to a close.

“But it’s actually fascinating to watch these people come up with different ways to solve problems - and solve them really quickly. And these same formulas and logic could be used to solve everyday business problems.”

Microsoft Excel events might not rise to the top of the Twitch rankings any time soon, but you might just find they capture your imagination in a way you didn’t expect. The next event in the calendar: the FMWC Open in early October. 

• Ready yourself for competition with the best productivity software and best office software around

Microsoft is readying an update for collaboration platform Teams that will bring spreadsheets directly into video meetings.

As explained in the latest company blog post, Microsoft Teams users will soon be able to launch into Excel documents from the meeting screen, courtesy of a new feature called Excel Live.

Instead of tabbing out to work on a shared spreadsheet, collaborators will be able to make edits in real-time without ever leaving the Microsoft Teams client.

Excel Live in Microsoft Teams

The new Microsoft Excel integration is part of an ongoing expansion of the Teams content sharing facility, kicked off with the arrival of PowerPoint Live last year.

The idea is to limit the extent to which users are asked to navigate between multiple applications in order to work with colleagues and partners amid the widespread shift to hybrid working.

“In this era of hybrid work, real-time interaction between remote workers can mean the difference between getting the work done today or adding another meeting to your calendar,” wrote Microsoft.

“Until now, sharing spreadsheets within a Teams meeting has been a fairly one-sided experience. You share a file, and everyone else watches while you make the updates. But what if your group could use that meeting time to get the work done together? Building on what we’ve learned and the evolving needs of today’s workplace, we’ve created an enhanced collaboration solution for working on Microsoft Excel workbooks.”

Set to enter public preview in August, the new Excel Live feature will be available via the Share menu and will not require the Excel client to be installed locally on-device.

The sharing functionality will also be complemented by the arrival of collaborative annotation feature for Teams, which was first teased back in May. Available immediately, the tool allows meeting participants to make notations on shared content, giving hosts a way to involve participants in meetings and presentations more directly.

And lastly, Microsoft has unveiled a new feature that allows for short video clips to be recorded and shared over Teams, mirroring a similar utility introduced to Slack last year. The goal is to better support asynchronous working patterns, to help eliminate unnecessary meetings from the calendar.

• Boost your remote working setup with the best business webcams around

Microsoft Excel is one of the most powerful programs in the Microsoft Office suite, able to assist you with accounting, presentations, reporting, marketing, and more. It’s also one of the most complex office products to learn. From basic formulas to organizing data, working with pivot tables, lookup functions, and Power Query, it can be overwhelming figuring out where to start.

We compiled a list of the five essential skills Excel users need to master to wow management, create reports, analyze data, and deliver insightful presentations. Of these five tips, the first two are for absolute beginners. If you’re a seasoned Excel veteran looking to brush up on your skills, skip to Step 3. Otherwise, read on for an introduction to one of the most capable programs in your Office toolkit.

1. Brush up on the basics

If you’re a complete Excel newbie, the program can be intimidating, but learning Excel doesn’t have to be hard. When you open a new Excel file, you’ll see a large, seemingly infinite grid marked with letters on one side and numbers on the other. Using this system of letters and numbers, you can identify any cell in the grid. For example, the cell in the top-left corner is A1, and the cell to its right is B1, and so on.

You can fill this table with whatever data you want by typing it into a cell. At its most basic, you can use Excel to conveniently store any information and organize it in a table. 

In addition to storing and organizing data, you can quickly sort it in alphabetical order using the Sort button from the Data tab, or filter by specific entries using the Filter button. If you need help learning the basics, use Excel's Help menu, which you can access from the Help tab located at the top-right.

2. Master presentation

Presenting data is another vital Excel function. Let's say you have a list of customers, with some living in New York, others in London, and others in Sydney. With just a few clicks in Excel, you can organize this data set into an attractive chart, with pie slices or bars of differing sizes to represent the proportion of customers living in each city.

You can create a graphical representation of almost any kind of data in Excel, which has 20 built-in graph types, including bar charts, pie charts, and line graphs. To learn how to use them, start with Excel's built-in help, then explore some online courses.

Udemy's Microsoft Excel – Data Visualization, Excel Charts & Graphs course provides a deep dive into data visualization. You will learn exactly when and how to use Excel's 20 different chart types using hands-on exercises, and build 10 projects that will take you from absolute beginner to data visualization superstar.

3. Use pivot tables

In the world of Excel, creating a proper pivot table is a rite of passage, separating casual from advanced users in the eyes of recruiters, managers, and industry professionals.

A pivot table is another form of data visualization used to summarize vast sets of information in a concise and visually appealing way. Unlike a chart, a pivot table exists within the Excel grid, so you can also reference cells in the table for further calculations. 

You can learn to make basic pivot tables using Excel’s Help section, and numerous free online resources exist to help you learn advanced functions. If you prefer the structured environment and accountability of a course, Udemy offers an affordable tutorial that goes in-depth on Pivot Tables, Power Pivot Tables, Power Query & Power BI.

4. Learn formulas and functions

One of Excel's most powerful features is the ability to run calculations directly from the chart. To do this, type the = character into any cell, then type in the formula you want to use. For example, the formula =SUM(A1:A6) will output the total sum of all values in cells A1, A2, A3, and so on to A6.

Excel has hundreds of formulas. They help you do everything, from mathematical operations to finding specific information, to advanced sorting, and even projecting data from one Excel sheet to another.

Every user should know how to use basic formulas like the SUM function above, but if you want to delve deeper and create truly insightful reports, we recommend an advanced Excel course. 

Udemy's Microsoft Excel – Advanced Excel Formulas & Functions course will show you how to use Excel's most advanced, time-saving formulas, while presenting complex information in novel ways.

5. Expand your experience with Power Query

You may have noticed that the course we recommended in step three mentions Power Query. This add-in used to be separate from the default Excel Suite, but as of Excel 2016, you can access it directly by clicking Get Data in the Data tab.

Power Query enables you to pull data from different sources, transform that data to suit your needs, combine it with other data sets, and load it into one large Excel model. You can, for instance, create a complete financial report that pulls data from one file with revenues, another with expenses, and another with accounts receivables.

Think of Power Query as the most powerful and complex tool at your disposal, and use it when needed to create large, interconnected data models in Excel.

Summary

Once you’ve mastered the nuances of Power Query, learned about Excel's most useful formulas, and gained intuitive command of pivot tables and data visualization, you can truly call yourself an Excel guru.

To help you along on your journey, see our list of the best Excel online courses. But why limit yourself to Excel? Read our list of the best spreadsheet software to see other tools on the market for data management and visualization.

An upcoming update to Microsoft Excel may be about to solve a common frustration for users everywhere.

A new entry in the Microsoft 365 roadmap has revealed that users will soon be able to insert data directly from an image or picture within the spreadsheet software.

Microsoft notes that users will be able to add table data from an image from the Data tab, a welcome update for many, saving users from the tedious process of entering data manually as had previously been the case.

Excel data images

The update is still listed as "in development" at the time of writing, however Microsoft has issued a general availability date of June 2022, meaning a release may not be far off.

When released, the feature is set to be available to all web users of Microsoft Excel across the globe.

Excel does have a Data From Picture feature already - available for Mac, iPhone and Android - which scans an image for any relevant data that can then be edited and pasted into your spreadsheet.

The news is the latest in a series of recent Microsoft Excel updates that seem basic, but will be extremely welcome news for users everywhere.

This includes the ability to allow users to drop hyperlinks into comments added to spreadsheets, instead of the previous format of only being added to comments in plaintext and pasted manually into a web browser.

Microsoft also recently revealed it will be bringing support for smoother scrolling to the Excel Desktop app, hopefully resulting in a much better user experience, and bringing an end to accidentally snapping to random unwanted cells, or losing track of all your vital data in the middle of an important work task.

Finally, the company introduced a new JavaScript API back in November 2021 that will allow developers to create their own custom data types in Excel. These new custom data types can contain images, entities, arrays and formatted number values all backed by their own custom data sources. These new Excel data types can also be used as both inputs and outputs.

• Keep track of your money with the best personal finance software

Keeping track of your household budgets using Microsoft Excel could soon be a bit trickier following an important cut to the platform.

Microsoft has announced the Money in Excel offering will be dropped from its spreadsheet software from June 30 2023 as it apparently looks to trim the range of services it provides users.

However, the move may deprive many users, both in consumer and business contexts, of a clear and easy way to manage their finances in a familiar software that forms part of their existing Microsoft 365 subscription.

Money in Excel

First announced in 2020, Money in Excel looked to provide users with a more dynamic money management tool as part of their Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscription.

The offering let users automatically pull in financial data from bank accounts, credit cards and investments for tackling budgeting and delivering better management of their finances.

Using a specially-designed template, Money in Excel also offered a number of tools designed to offer more efficient money management, allowing users to keep tabs on spending habits by flagging bank fees, overdraft charges and other outgoings as they change.

It also offered high levels of customization to suit the needs of different users, with transactions from added bank accounts automatically imported and dynamically updated to build up an evolving picture of a user's personal finances.

An email seen by XDA Developers sent to some Microsoft 365 subscribers by the company did not go into detail around why the service was closing, but did note that it "will occasionally remove underused features and benefits."

Microsoft later clarified in a support blog post that although it recognized the closure would affect users, it wanted to focus in different areas in the future.

"We’ve learned a lot from Money in Excel and appreciate the many needs people have for their families and their money," the company wrote. "We believe there are other areas where we can have a greater impact and will be focusing on those going forward."

It added that users should download a copy of their data before June 30, 2023, with their personalized workbooks and information being kept safe and secure.

• Keep track of your money with the best personal finance software

Via ZDNet

Spreadsheet software company Rows has launched a new desktop application in beta, in an effort to undermine the dominance of Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets.

The company released the beta in stealth back in December, but has now gone public with native applications for both Windows and macOS, TechRadar Pro can reveal.

Until now, Rows has been available exclusively as a web app, which had placed a limit on performance. However, the company says the new desktop build will support complex and large-scale sheets as efficiently as the market leaders, as well as providing a foundation for functionalities only available with Rows.

Spreadsheets, but different

The central ethos behind the Rows project is that the spreadsheet software market is ripe for disruption. The duopoly of Microsoft and Google has led to a dearth of innovation,  the company believes, leaving the door wide open for an ambitious challenger.

“Let’s face it. Spreadsheets suck,” said Humberto Ayres Pereira, Rows co-founder and CEO. “The business world still runs on them but they’re slowing us down. Rows is bringing the beloved spreadsheet into the modern working world.”

The company has not been shy about its ambitions to topple the incumbents. As part of a recent marketing campaign, Rows rented billboard space close to the Microsoft headquarters and erected a sign that read: “Dear Microsoft, your spreadsheet has been at it for 36 years. It’s time to retire.” And Google was given the same treatment.

To understand what distinguishes Rows from every other spreadsheet software, we spoke to Renan Araújo, who is heading up the development of the desktop app. Although Rows features all the familiar spreadsheet functionality - cells, rows, columns, functions, tables etc. - the service differs from Excel and Sheets in a few crucial ways, he told us.

Most significantly, Rows has focused closely on the ability to integrate third-party APIs into spreadsheets, with little to no coding expertise required. In practice, this means someone could easily draw data from services as diverse as Twitter, Stripe and Google Analytics into their sheets, in a way that would require a mastery of Excel.

Rows spreadsheets can also be configured to update themselves at regular intervals. In an example shown to us by Araújo, a spreadsheet was set to update every 60 seconds with new pricing information from the Amazon marketplace, effectively allowing for real-time price comparison.

Another unique feature is the ability to turn Rows spreadsheets into simple web apps that can then be let loose on the public. For example, someone could turn a Rows sheet into a landing page that collects information from customers, without having to meddle with HTML and JavaScript or pay for a third-party service.

“Building spreadsheets is a kind of programming - it’s a visual programming language,” said Araújo. “But bringing this kind of flexibility to spreadsheets takes things to a whole other level.”

Elephant in the room

The main problem facing Rows is the extent to which Microsoft and Google services are embedded in the professional world, creating a platform effect that can be difficult to overcome.

Excel and Sheets are both just small parts of much wider software and services bundles that encompass email, productivity tools, calendaring, collaboration software, cloud storage, VPN and more.

In the case of Microsoft, the company is able to establish synergies between products that extend all the way out to the Windows operating system on which most business computers run.

As a result, companies like Rows must convince potential buyers that their service is not only on-par with existing apps, but also offers sufficient additional value to justify the extra line of expenditure on the balance sheet.

With fewer than 4,000 weekly users, Rows is currently a flea nipping at the heels of the giants. But the user base has expanded rapidly since the turn of the year, and the firm is confident in its growth prospects, despite the significant headwinds.

Asked why the company believes its spreadsheet software will succeed where others have failed, we were told that changing market conditions have combined with product innovation to create a window of opportunity for Rows.

“The evidence we see is that our two biggest innovations (built-in integrations and sharing as a website) are strong enough drivers to lead large teams to adopt a new spreadsheet,” said Henrique Cruz, Head of Growth at Rows.

“In the past 15 years have seen three very large changes in work setup (mobile-first, APIs and explosion of SaaS, and async first), and we are the first company building a pure spreadsheet for this new world.”

To close the gap on the likes of Microsoft and Google, Rows will rely largely on virality. In other words, the company intends to let its product speak for itself.

Like other SaaS offerings, Rows is available for free to those that want to dip a toe in the water. And although the desktop beta is missing a handful of features (e.g. charts), the company says it aims to achieve parity with the web service by the end of the year.

• Also check out our list of the best accounting software

Microsoft is currently working on several new updates for its spreadsheet software that will make it easier to work with formulas in Excel.

For those unfamiliar, formulas allow you to use the built-in functions in Excel to perform calculations and solve problems more easily.

If you're just getting started using formulas in Microsoft's spreadsheet software, you can also download the company's Formula workbook that walks you through Excel's most common formulas in a guided tour. The workbook even contains real-world examples with helpful visuals so you'll be able to Sum, Count, Average and Vlookup like an Excel pro.

Multiline formula bar and argument assistance

In the first update to the Microsoft 365 Roadmap, the company revealed that it plans to add a multiline formula bar to Excel which should be generally available in March.

Once this feature rolls out, users will be able to resize the formula bar which will make it much easier to navigate when working with longer formulas.

In a separate update, Microsoft announced that it will be adding a new card called Argument Assistance to Excel in March as well. This card will appear when a user is writing a formula and will remain on screen during the arguments insert/edit phase. 

The Argument Assistance card will also help users be more efficient while writing formulas and will help reduce the risk for errors. It even includes descriptions of the formula and the different arguments being used as well as an example.

If you haven't used formulas in Excel yet as part of your workflow, there's never been a better time to start using Microsoft's spreadsheet software to its full potential.

• We've also highlighted the best office software, best spreadsheet software and the best productivity tools

If you're looking for how to insert a tick symbol (otherwise known as a check mark or checkmark) into Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel, you've come to the right place.

The methods we outline below are relevant for Word Microsoft 365, Word for Microsoft 365 for Mac, Word 2021, Word 2021 for Mac, Word 2019, Word 2019 for Mac, Word 2016, Word 2016 for Mac, Word 2013, Word 2010, Microsoft Word 2007, Microsoft Word 2008 and Microsoft Word 2004, as well as relevant versions of Microsoft Excel.

The final method, using the Windows 10 emoji menu, can be used in any Windows 10 and Windows 11 app.

Method 1 – Copy and Paste -  ✓  ✔  ☑  ✅  ✕  ✖  ✗  ✘

To copy and paste a tick or cross, highlight one of the ticks or crosses below, then copy and paste it to your destination

Highlight your preferred symbol below:

 ✓  ✔  ☑  ✅  ✕  ✖  ✗  ✘ 

To Copy – once the symbol is highlighted press Ctrl + C

then

To Paste – select where you want the symbol and press Ctrl + V

Method 2 – Font Shortcuts

The most common method is to use either the "Wingdings 2" font or the "Webdings" font. This can easily be found from the drop-down menu and you will be able to choose from a few different styles of tick marks. Alternatively, use the following shortcuts after having selected Wingdings 2 or Webdings as your font of choice:

Method 3 – Symbol command

You can also use the symbol command. Note that you will need to have Excel installed to do this. 

After accessing the "Insert" menu, find the "Symbol" tab. 

From this section, choose the "Font" option and select "Wingdings". The tick mark will be found at the bottom of the list.

This can also be accessed from the "Start" menu under the "Character Map" section (within System Tools). Choose the font option and once again, select Wingdings. When you hover the mouse over the correct symbol, it will appear larger and you will have the ability to select different versions of the check mark. Finally, copy and paste the icon to the relevant location within the text.

Method 4 – Tick symbol character code

Another quick way is to use the character code of the tick symbol. Remember that you will need the numerical keypad as rather than the keyboard. There are a series of codes that will enable you to insert four different tick marks.

1. Change font to "Wingdings"

2. Using the numerical keypad (not the horizontal line of numbers), hold down Alt and enter any one of the following combination of numbers:

Ticks

ALT + 0252

ALT + 0254

Crosses

ALT + 0251

ALT + 0253

Remember, you will have to change the font to Wingdings before the character code is entered. Thereafter, you can switch the font back to the desired appearance.

These are the most efficient ways to insert a tick mark into a standard Word document. Note that these methods will vary depending upon the version of Microsoft Word that you have installed.

Method 5 – Use the Windows emoji menu

This one's for Windows 10 and Windows 11 users.

Place the cursor where you want to insert your symbol then hit the Windows key and . (period/full stop) to bring up the emoji/symbol menu. Now start typing "tick" or "check" (or "cross"), and you'll see the available graphics in the menu. Click on the one you want to insert it into your document.

• Check out our guide to the best alternatives to Microsoft 365

Although Microsoft Excel has long been the go-to program for distributing malware among professionals, a new campaign discovered by experts at HP Wolf Security has taken it a step further.

Based on an analysis of data from “the many millions of endpoints running HP Wolf Security”, the last 12 months has seen a 588% increase in the use of Excel add-ins (.xll) to distribute malware. 

The researchers are saying this technique is particularly dangerous because the victims only need one click to compromise their endpoints.

Clear availability

Adverts for an .xll dropper and malware builder have also started popping up on underground markets, the report further claims, which make it easy for low-level attackers to launch campaigns with devastating consequences.

To distribute the malware, some attackers resorted to a particularly sneaky method - hijacking ongoing email threads. After compromising an email account, these won’t simply send out a new email to the contact list - they’ll just share a malicious Excel file in an already ongoing email thread, significantly improving the chances of success. 

Italians under attack

Furthermore, Excel files were also used in the recent distribution of the Ursnif banking Trojan among Italian-speaking users. 

In this campaign, the attackers took on the identity of the Italian courier service BRT. What’s more - new campaigns have been spotted, spreading Emotet through Excel, rather than JavaScript or Word. 

To make sure their premises stay secure, IT teams should refrain from relying exclusively on detection and antivirus solutions, warns Alex Holland, Senior Malware Analyst, HP Wolf Security threat research team, HP Inc.

“Attackers are continually innovating to find new techniques to evade detection, so it’s vital that enterprises plan and adjust their defenses based on the threat landscape and the business needs of their users. Threat actors have invested in techniques such as email thread hijacking, making it harder than ever for users to tell friend from foe.”

• You might also want to check out our list of the best firewalls right now

Excel 4.0 (XLM) macros are now disabled by default, Microsoft has confirmed. In a Tech Community blog post, the company revealed that the change has been made to better protect users against “related security threats” coming through spreadsheets.

Back in July 2021, the company released a new Excel Trust Center setting option, allowing administrators to restrict the usage of Excel 4.0 (XLM) macros. It has now made this option default for everyone.

Administrators can use existing Microsoft 365 applications policy control to configure this setting, the announcement reads. The Group Policy setting “Macro Notification Settings” for Excel can be found in the following path and registry key:

Group Policy Path: User configuration > Administrative templates > Microsoft Excel 2016 > Excel Options > Security > Trust Center.

Registry Key Path: Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Office\16.0\excel\security

Malicious actors often abuse macros

Furthermore, administrators can manage this policy setting with both cloud policies, and ADMX policies. They can also completely block all XLM macro usage, including in new user-created files, by enabling the Group Policy, “Prevent Excel from running XLM macros”, Microsoft added. 

Excel 4.0 (XLM) macros were the default format until 1993, and even though they’ve since been discontinued, they can still be run by the latest versions of the Office program. That makes them ideal for threat actors, who’ve been abusing them to push malware such as TrickBot, Zloader, Qbot, Dridex, ransomware, and many other malicious programs, BleepingComputer reminds. 

The publication also reminds that in October 2019, Microsoft added a new Group Policy, allowing administrators to block Excel users from opening untrusted Microsoft query files with IQY, OQY, DQY and RQY extensions. It claims that these files have been weaponized in “numerous malicious attacks”, to deliver remote access Trojans and malware, for years. 

XLM is disabled by default in version 16.0.14527.20000+, current Channel builds 2110 or greater, monthly Enterprise Channel builds 2110 or greater, semi-annual Enterprise Channel (Preview) builds 2201 or greater, and semi-annual Enterprise Channel builds 2201 or greater (coming this July).

• Here's our rundown of the best antivirus software available now

Via: BleepingComputer

Microsoft is preparing an update for spreadsheet software Excel that rectifies an obvious shortcoming dating back a number of years.

According to a new entry in the company’s product roadmap, Excel will soon allow users to drop hyperlinks into comments added to spreadsheets. Currently, links can only be added to comments in plaintext, so must be pasted manually into a web browser.

The feature is currently under development, but should roll out to all Microsoft 365 users by the end of next month.

Hyperlinks in Excel comments

Given the simplicity and obvious utility of the new Excel feature, we found it difficult to believe it didn’t already exist. But lo and behold, a brief investigation revealed the current version will not allow the user to click through a link embedded in a comment thread, which adds unnecessary friction to the experience.

A quick search online reveals this is a problem Excel users have faced for years. Until now, people have had to rely on a rough-and-ready workaround to sidestep the issue.

As various online tutorials demonstrate, it is possible to add a hyperlink to a note (which is distinct from a comment) and pin that note to the sheet so it doesn’t disappear when the user mouses away from the associated cell. Microsoft Excel will then launch that URL in the default browser when someone clicks through via the note.

However, this method is neither particularly straightforward (it demands all existing formatting and any additional characters are removed from the note) nor particularly pretty, so the ability to simply drop a hyperlink into a comment thread will be welcome.

The update can be considered part of the wider campaign to optimize Microsoft 365 apps for live collaboration, in a world in which many people expect to either remain remote or adopt a hybrid working model.

In December, for example, Microsoft rolled out a series of improvements for the Excel web client, which can now support a wider range of files. Microsoft Outlook, meanwhile, received a feature that lets users specify whether they will attend a meeting in-person or through video conferencing software.

The company has even launched an entirely new collaboration app, called Loop, which allows users to create portable components that move freely and stay in-sync across all Microsoft apps.

The new hyperlink facility for Excel is yet another piece of this same puzzle.

• Also check out our list of the best office software

At a time when business are using web accessibility software to make their websites accessible to all, Microsoft has released a new add-on that does the same thing for its office software.

As over 1bn people are currently living with a disability, the software giant's Office Engineering team has created a new accessibility add-on for Microsoft Office called Accessibility Reminder.

According to a new blog post, Accessibility Reminder helps drive awareness of the importance of making your organization's Office documents accessible with tips and tricks to fix accessibility issues. With the app's comment feature, disabled users can also remind their fellow collaborators that something in a document needs to be changed so that they can see or hear it.

The Accessibility Reminder app is currently available in Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint for both desktop and the web.

Accessibility Reminder app

Microsoft's new Accessibility Reminder app allows users to insert reminder comments in Word documents, Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint slides to spread awareness of any issues they have when trying to collaborate with others.

In addition to more general comments, users can also create custom comments to notify specific document authors and include personalized messages, organization-specific links, training and more.

To install Microsoft's Accessibility Reminder app, you first need to navigate to this website, sign in with your Microsoft 365 email address and fill out a short form. From here, you'll be taken to the Microsoft Garage project download site where you can specify which applications you want to install and use the app in.

While Microsoft released its Adaptive Controller back in 2018 to help disabled gamers play games on Xbox and PC, its new Accessibility Reminder app will likely be a big help for them when working from home and collaborating with their co-workers in documents, spreadsheets and presentations.

We've also highlighted the best web accessibility software and best text-to-speech software

Editing spreadsheets on the go or at work should soon be easier than ever thanks to a significant update to the web version of Microsoft Excel.

Microsoft has revealed a number of spreadsheet softwareupgrades that it says will help close the gap with its desktop-based sibling, including better support for larger files, as well as those with legacy features.

"We are excited to share that you can now open and edit more files on the web and complete your job anywhere, in the browser of your choice," Microsoft noted in an Excel blog post announcing the news.

Excel for Web upgrade

Going forward, Microsoft Excel for the Web will now allow users to open and edit large files from SharePoint up to 100MB in size. This will expand possible files to thousands of rows of data, and means users will not have to switch to the Desktop version of Excel to finish work.

Users can also now edit files containing what Microsoft calls Legacy Art objects and SmartArt objects - including the likes of Form Controls, ActiveX Controls, Camera Tools, and OLE objects. The company says this will allow users to access and interact with any such workbooks but not with the objects themselves. 

Elsewhere, users can now also access password-protected workbooks on Excel for the Web, meaning there's no need to switch back to a desktop in order to open & interact with secured files. Similarly, users can now also edit files which are protected for editing using a password to modify, meaning you'll be able to access and interact with different types of protected workbooks on the browser itself. 

That's not all, as Microsoft also noted that more features will also be added soon, including support for Microsoft 365 subscribers to edit large files up to 100 MB from OneDrive, and further support for editing workbooks with legacy shared features and data wizard connections.

The news comes shortly after Microsoft revealed it will be bringing support for smoother scrolling to the Excel Desktop app, hopefully resulting in a much better user experience.

• Here's our list of the best collaboration software out there

Websites with contact forms and comment sections, as well as discussion forums, are being used to distribute a known password-stealing malware through a compromised Microsoft Excel file.

According to a new report from Bleeping Computer, an unnamed cybercrime group has been spamming contact forms and discussion boards of various sites for the past two weeks, with fake offers such as advertising requests, gift guides for the holiday season, or website promotions. 

For some of the lures, the attackers stole the identities of popular brands, created fake websites and hosted a malicious Excel XLL file on them. 

Be extra careful with XLL files

The XLL files are similar to a DLL file, with the addition of an ‘xlAutoOpen’ function run by Excel. This function (an add-in, basically) allows Excel to read and write data, import it from other sources, create custom functions and perform different tasks. 

In this particular instance, the function downloads and installs RedLine malware. RedLine is an infostealer that harvests cookies, login credentials, and credit card information stored in web browsers. It can also grab FTP usernames and passwords, execute commands, download and activate additional malware, as well as grab screenshots of active Windows screens. 

If the victim installs RedLine, it will search for valuable intel on Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Brave, and Opera, and send all of the gathered information to its command&control servers, where the operators would most likely sort, and sell the data on the black market. 

XLL files are executables which, generally speaking, makes them a potentially dangerous file type. Users should be extra careful when receiving these files, and should make sure they are getting the files from a trusted source before proceeding and running them. 

XLL files are rarely sent as attachments, Bleeping Computer reminds, saying that they’re usually installed through another program, or via the Windows administrator. Thus, any such file that comes in the mail should be handled with extra care.

Aside from being vigilant with attachments and links in emails, users should also make sure to keep their endpoints secure with strong and refreshed passwords, as well as that their system runs safeguards, such as antivirus solutions and firewalls.

• These are the best ransomware protection solutions out there today