Modern Data Analytics in Excel

Chapter 12. Python with Excel

Up to this point, this book has primarily focused on tools designed specifically for the Microsoft ecosystem, such as Power Pivot and Power Query. However, it concludes here with a discussion of an important programming language that has risen in popularity and become compatible with virtually every computer application imaginable, Excel included. Welcome to an introductory exploration of how Python can enhance your Excel experience.

This chapter is intentionally placed at the end of the book because I am aware of the apprehension it may cause among typical Excel users. Nevertheless, if you have reached this stage and are interested in advancing Excel’s capabilities in the realm of modern analytics, I strongly recommend giving Python a try.

And it’s not just my opinion that you should consider: Microsoft itself has endorsed the synergy between Python and Excel by developing an official native Python application within Excel, significantly broadening the scope of what you, as an analyst, can accomplish by leveraging these two powerful tools together.

However, this represents just one of the newer, specialized applications of Python with Excel, and it doesn’t fully capture the breadth of what Python can offer Excel users. In this chapter, we’ll explore the broader conceptual relationship between the two, accompanied by some examples. If you find this chapter intriguing, I encourage you to delve deeper into the native integration of Python into Excel. ...