New update: Python in Excel

A couple of weeks ago, Microsoft announced a new feature: Python in Excel! Perfect! Because I’m learning Python.

I don’t know a whole lot about this new feature because I don’t have access to it. I could do one of those beta testers type thing, but I really don’t know much about Python, so I would not be a very good tester of the new feature. I decided to not be waylaid by this new feature and just focus on learning Python itself.

However, what I have gleaned from the YouTube videos is that the main point of adding Python to Excel is to access the Python libraries handling data analytics. I’ve been told that Python handle data visualization a lot better than Excel and could bring in its capabilities. There is a hint of a suggestion that some of the engine will operate in Microsoft’s cloud so the heavy data work that Microsoft can’t do will function better up in the cloud. Excel does have a size limit, so running the Python libraries in the cloud will aid in working with Big Data.

The examples that I’ve been seeing in the YouTube videos have been stuff that Excel could already do so at the moment, the feature is not very impressive. But I may be watching videos from those who are not very familiar with Python.

Now, I am learning Python.

Why?

Well, in case VBA ever goes away, I want to have a backup capability to automate my tasks. Those automations have been a real game changer for me and has pulled me to the front.

Also, I had heard that in data science, Python is used a lot so I figured it would be useful when I go back over some data science stuff. I could try to build out some modeling through Python and see how it works. It might give me solutions that I can’t get from Excel (well, that was before Python in Excel).

Lastly, at some point I want to touch on machine learning, so I understand AI and how to use it to my advantage. This point is a stretch. I may never reach this, but it could be a goal to aim for and I might get further than I expect. I don’t plan on being an expert on AI because it would take many years of learning and I probably don’t have that kind of time. But I do want to have an understanding of it and maybe put a portion of its concept to use, some way or other.

The first step in this journey is learning Python. I’m taking Harvard’s CS50 Python course and it is hard. It is time-consuming. My research indicated to me that the average student spends around 10 – 20 hours on each problem set, so yep, I’m spending a lot of time on this. This is why I have slowed down on a lot of other stuff, especially posting in here. I’m busy trying to code.

I’ve got the rest of this year to wrap up this course before the course goes away. Cross my fingers that I get through it.

I’m hoping that learning Python will serve me well if Python in Excel comes to my subscription. I have heard though that the feature will be a paid feature, so I might not get it. In that case, I will just use VBA or Python to do whatever I need to do.