In a partnership with language repository provider Anaconda, Microsoft has launched a pioneering initiative that integrates Python, common programming language among data experts, directly into Excel. The development, which eliminates the need for additional setup, promises to drastically streamline data analytics and machine learning.
Microsoft's announcement is critical due to the fact a significant portion of enterprise data worldwide is still stored in Excel. Those working with this data often find it challenging to utilize Python within the Excel environment without relying on add-ons or further configuration.
The new integration allows data practitioners to input Python directly into a cell, with the calculations being processed in the Microsoft Cloud. Results, including graphical plots and visualizations, are then returned to the worksheet. This workflow streamlines the entire data analytic process while still utilizing the familiar Excel interface.
Though a first from Microsoft, previous endeavors have been made to simplify using Python within Excel. In 2014, a company known as Zoomer Analytics created a system named Xlwings, essentially a Python library that could link Excel and Python.
Three years later, the creators of Anaconda, Continuum Analytics, came up with Anaconda Fusion: a system designed to bridge enterprise-grade Anaconda with Microsoft Excel versions of 2016 and onwards. This made it possible for data scientists to make their work accessible to Excel users via Python code and data encapsulated in Jupyter notebooks.
In the wake of this historical announcement by Microsoft, Excel users can now directly enter Python code into cells using the new “PY” function. They can then undertake tasks like data cleaning, predictive analytics, and machine learning, courtesy of tools such as formulas, PivotTables, and Excel Charts among others.
Microsoft points out that users can also import external data into Python in Excel workflows using Excel’s built-in connectors and Power Query.
Python in Excel recently made public on the Beta Channel for Windows, provides users access to Python libraries like scikit-learn and statsmodels. This integration could revolutionize machine learning, predictive analytics, and forecasting techniques including regression analysis and time series modeling.
To access Python in Excel, users will need to subscribe to the Microsoft 365 Insider Program. While previewing, the feature will be included with a Microsoft 365 subscription. However, once the preview phase concludes, some functionalities will be limited without a paid license.
Similar to Microsoft's step to simplify and enhance the potential of data analytics, AppMaster, a renowned no-code platform also aims to provide diverse solutions for back-end, mobile and web operations. The platform, known for its 10x faster and 3x more cost-effective development capabilities, even offers an option for users to review and revise their application with no technical debt. Efforts from Microsoft and AppMaster reflect the future of data analytics, making it more accessible and efficient for businesses of all sizes.
