One look at the range of free templates available for Microsoft Excel, Google Docs and OpenOffice Calc shows that spreadsheets are useful to home and business users of all skill levels. An underlying benefit, no matter how you use them, is the relative ease with which you can turn raw data into useful information.
Calculation and Error-Handling Capabilities
The built-in calculators, formulas and functions in spreadsheets save time and improve mathematical accuracy. You can also use formulas and functions to manipulate text strings. For example, you can separate first and last names from a full name or find and replace words or characters in a string with another word or set of characters. Formulas can link and instantly update cells in the spreadsheet should the value of a cell change. If you do make a mistake, built-in error-handling capabilities flag and provide information about the incorrect cell value.