Spreadsheets are the most popular and arguably the most powerful type of data tool in the industry because they offer the entire spectrum of capabilities in a single tool. Using Excel as an example:
- Storage - data contained within the file: the more data the larger the file
- Structure - data structured into rows, columns and individual cells
- Access - data can be accessed by opening the file
- Manipulate - Excel provides numerous mathematical and formatting functions
- Sharing - Visualizations can communicate insights, and the file itself can be shared