How to Choose Spreadsheet Software

Spreadsheet software is now a popular tool for managing and sorting everything from business plans to music collections. Spreadsheet software lets you store information and then manipulate it to create everything from graphs to labels to reports. Whether you're a novice or an experienced user of spreadsheet software, finding and mastering the various functions can be challenge, so it's worth looking at the various options available.

Basic Spreadsheet Software Considerations
Before looking at spreadsheet software, find out how much memory is available on your computer to run the program and to store the spreadsheets you create. Write down the version of your OS, including any updates or patches, and the available RAM so that you know you're meeting the minimum requirements of the spreadsheet software. Some newer programs take up a considerable chunk of memory, especially if the software comes as part of a bundle, such as Microsoft Office.

Spreadsheets themselves aren't huge files, but you will need hard disk space to store the spreadsheet software and any associated files.

Once you've got memory numbers and your OS version in hand, think about compatibility. If you transfer spreadsheets between different computers, make sure that the spreadsheet software running on each machine is compatible. Most spreadsheet software can export in file formats that will work on PCs, Macs and Linux platforms. As a general rule, new spreadsheet software will be backwards-compatible with earlier versions of the same software; however, the older software won't recognize the new file format, and you may lose some settings and functions if you save your spreadsheets in an older format. Ideally, you want every computer that will share the files to use the same version of the spreadsheet software.

Now you can start to compare features. If you just want to create simple spreadsheets that contain a weekly budget or the inventory of your DVD collection, almost any spreadsheet program can handle the job. For larger projects involving tables, charts and formulas, choose a more robust program that can manipulate large quantities of data.

Sometimes you'll want to create spreadsheets that friends and relatives can look at, such as the roster for a peewee football league. The Internet is a good way to share documents like these, so make sure to select software that lets you import and modify shared spreadsheets.

Popular Spreadsheet Software
Microsoft Excel-Considered by many as the gold standard of spreadsheet software, Microsoft's Excel program contains features that let you create graphs suitable for a school project or a scientific lecture.

Features
Microsoft offers free online Excel tutorials that show how to use such features as "freezing," or locking a title so you can always keep it on the screen while you are manipulating the data in the cells. Excel also allows a side-by-side comparison of two different spreadsheets and conditional formatting to help you to quickly find data on a large spreadsheet.

Difficulty Level
Excel is a robust spreadsheet program, which means it may take some time to learn all the features. Microsoft's online help can answer just about any question you may have about the features, but mastering Excel takes some time and determination.

This spreadsheet software is recommended for large offices, universities, laboratories and anyone else with a need to manipulate and display large quantities of data. For the casual user, Excel might have too much horsepower or seem too confusing to use. Even if you're an Excel whiz, the latest version features a radically redesigned interface that will take some time to learn.

Lotus 1-2-3-Used by many professionals, Lotus 1-2-3 is user-friendly spreadsheet software that is compatible with many of the spreadsheet formats used by Excel.

Features
Lotus 1-2-3 makes use of SmartLabels, which let you insert predefined terms such as "average" and "subtotal" for quick calculations. You can also create your own customized SmartLabels.

This spreadsheet software also offers a data-validation add-on that lets you set limits on what values can be entered into the spreadsheet cells.

Difficulty Level
Lotus 1-2-3 is very self-explanatory and includes an online help feature that offers solutions to most problems and questions.

This spreadsheet software is recommended for smaller offices, students and home use. Lotus 1-2-3 is ideal for casual use, such as creating a Christmas card list or tracking eBay sales and purchases.

Corel Quattro Pro X3-Compatibility is the key feature of this spreadsheet software, which lets you use spreadsheets created in Excel.

Features
While copying cells from one location to another, the QuickPaste feature contained within this spreadsheet software lets you displace existing cells to the right or below where you want to paste. QuickFill also lets you quickly repeat the same labels and functions.

Difficulty Level
Quattro Pro X3 is fairly easy to learn and use, and Corel offers online tutorials that will guide you through common tasks.

This spreadsheet software is recommended for office or home use. High school and college students can make good use of this spreadsheet software, especially for term papers or senior projects.

Free Spreadsheet Software
There are several freeware and shareware spreadsheet programs available online, many of which are targeted to the needs of specific users, such as school administrators or those working out a household budget. Evaluate several programs before you choose one-almost all of them have a free trial period or limited-feature demo available. Google also offers a free spreadsheet program with basic functions as part of Google Docs.

If you go the freeware route, be aware that the files created by your spreadsheet software may not work with commercial-grade programs like Excel or Lotus 1-2-3. Look for spreadsheet software that supports .csv or .txt files for the best shot at compatibility.