Excel in 2020. How we got here.
1979 – VisiCalc created by Bricklin and Frankstone.
1982 – Microsft Multipan released.
1983 – Hiran meets Multiplan.
1986 – Hiran meets Lotus Symphony.
1989 – Hiran meets Excel 2.0 on an IBM PS/2 Model 55.
1994 – Access joins the Office Pro 4.2 package.
1994 – Excel 5 released. Becomes progammable.
1999 – Microsoft promotes Excel 2000 connectivity with other Office applications and external sources. The idea is promoted as the Digital Nervous System.
1999 – Business users miss the awesome last step (but there’s massive demand for learning keyboard shortcuts).
2010 – The Excel user base fall in love with the Data Model in spreadsheets, when Power Pivot becomes a thing.
2012 – PowerQuery feature released. Relaunches the the idea of connectivity with other systems and data locations, though limited to one-way ‘read only’.
2019 – Excel still connects with other data in other locations, to read and update. Just as it did 20 years previously.
2019 – Still very few people know this.
2020 – launch of Reimagine Excel. Now everybody can learn to apply this awesome idea in their spreadsheets. Increase productivity company-wide. Add value. Get paid more.