MS Excel vs Power BI: Which One is Better?

Table of Contents:

• Power BI vs Excel Comparison
  • Data Set Management
  • Data Modeling Proficiency
  • Data Visualization
• Should I Learn Excel Before Power BI?
• Is Power BI Replacing Excel?
• Conclusion
• Bonus Points

When comparing MS Excel vs Power BI, you must consider multiple factors like ease of use, flexibility, data handling, integration, real-time updates, and more. Depending on these factors, you can decide which tool will help you meet your personal and professional goals.

In this article, we will compare the two Microsoft tools and explore which tool is right for your needs. 

Power BI vs MS Excel 

• Data Set Management

When it comes to Data Set Management, Power BI definitely has more advanced features that help data set management better. Power BI is better at handling complex data sets and its in-memory processing engine is better suited for large amounts of data. This is why large organizations tend to prefer Power BI for Data Set Management as it can analyse and sort larger quantities of data more efficiently. 

If you want to learn Power BI’s workings in more detail, our Basics of Microsoft Power BI course is perfect for you. You can even get a certification from CIQ, UK after just 4-6 hours of learning.

• Data Modeling Proficiency

If you are looking for an application that can handle Basic Data Modeling like Pivot Tables, Formulas and Charts, MS Excel is a solid option. You can familiarise yourself with Excel formulas with our Essentials of MS Excel - Formulas and Functions course, for free.

On the other hand, if you want an application that can handle more complex relationships between data sets and tables, then using Power BI might be the better choice. If you want to know more about the benefits of Power BI and get a better understanding of the application you can explore this Executive Diploma in Power BI. 

• Data Visualization

One of the big advantages of Power BI is its impressive Data Visualization features. Power BI offers more advanced features for designing the dashboard. You can even customize your dashboard by importing visualizations from the marketplace. 

In comparison to Power BI, Excel offers limited visualization capabilities. You can still learn the existing Data Visualisation tools in Excel, including the in-built charts and build visually appealing dashboards. Explore this functionality with the Essentials of Data Visualization using MS Excel course and get a certificate from AUPD.

Should I Learn Excel Before Power BI?

Cannot pick? Choose both!  Excel is great for data beginners, while Power BI can be used for bigger projects and more complex data needs.

You can learn the fundamentals of MS Excel with this Diploma in Microsoft Excel course and then learn Power BI for more advanced projects.

Is Power BI Replacing Excel?

Power BI is not exactly replacing Microsoft Excel. Both these applications have their unique places in the system and usually work well together. Some projects are better handled in Excel with the simplicity they provide while others require the advanced technologies and visualizations of Power BI. Learning both Power BI and Excel will give you a better advantage over your peers and help you manage various types of data sets.

Conclusion

Depending on the project and data set’s requirements, you can pick between Excel and Power BI. Both tools have their unique advantages so it is best to have a basic understanding of both. Explore UniAthena’s free courses to understand these applications better.

Bonus Points

• Between Microsoft Excel vs Power BI, Excel is the more beginner-friendly tool. So it is advised to learn Excel before delving into Power BI.
• In addition to Power BI and Excel, you must also have a basic understanding of Data Analytics and Business Analytics for most data projects.