AI in spreadsheets — and when plain Excel is still right
The failure mode is a monthly report whose number changed for reasons nobody can reconstruct.
AI Tools Hub Editorial · published · updated
Two kinds of spreadsheet
| One-off | Recurring | |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Answer a question | Produce the standing numbers |
| What you need | Speed | Reproducibility |
| AI benefit | Large | Small, sometimes negative |
| Right tool | AI spreadsheet or BI | Excel and SQL |
Where the new tools sit
Rows ships connectors so fetching and aggregating happen in one sheet. Equals assumes a database and SQL while keeping a spreadsheet surface. Neither replaces Excel; both solve the part where getting the data is the work.
When Excel is enough
- The data is already in a local file
- The process is settled and identical each time
- It is written in formulas anyone can audit
- A shared corporate format is mandated
Reading an AI aggregation critically
"Show me month over month" returns a number without showing which rows it used. Blanks, duplicates and period boundaries all change the answer. For anything operational, read the generated SQL or formula and confirm it matches intent; a number you cannot inspect is a reference value.
Sharing breaks it
Check what happens when someone without the tool receives the output. If it degrades to a CSV, they cannot refresh it, which rules it out for a recurring report.
FAQ
How is this different from BI?
BI is for visualising and refreshing on a schedule. These are for trying things by hand. Daily dashboard: BI. Answering a question: spreadsheet.