Spreadsheet Day - Celebrate the grid that changed everything
October 17 marks a quiet revolution. On this day in 1979, VisiCalc shipped—the first electronic spreadsheet—and suddenly, anyone with a computer could model ideas, track budgets, and make decisions faster than ever before. That simple grid of rows and columns became the backbone of modern business, education, and creativity. How Did Spreadsheet Day Begin? Spreadsheet Day was created in 2010 by Excel MVP Debra Dalgleish, known worldwide for her work at Contextures. Her goal was simple: celebrate the spreadsheet’s impact and the vibrant community around it. She chose October 17 to honor VisiCalc’s release—the moment spreadsheets went digital and changed everything. A Quick Look Back Before spreadsheets, recalculating a budget meant erasing and rewriting by hand. VisiCalc changed that overnight, and Excel carried the torch—bringing charts, formulas, and collaboration to millions. Over four decades, spreadsheets have evolved from static tables to dynamic engines for analysis and storytelling. They’ve powered breakthroughs in science, finance, and even art. Beyond the features, spreadsheets represent something bigger: empowerment. They give anyone the ability to turn raw data into insight. That’s why Spreadsheet Day isn’t just about software—it’s about the people who use it to solve problems every day. Debra’s vision sparked a tradition that now spans the globe. Educators, analysts, and enthusiasts join in each year to share tips, stories, and appreciation for a tool that empowers millions—a reminder that community matters as much as technology. Meet the Spreadsheet Champions Celebrate Spreadsheet Day with a sneak peek at Spreadsheet Champions, a documentary that goes beyond formulas to tell a human story. This film follows six students from around the world as they compete in Microsoft’s Excel challenge. Each brings unique hopes and struggles—whether it’s De La Paix in Cameroon aiming to make his family proud, Carmina in Guatemala finding refuge in math, or Mason in the U.S. balancing his love for spreadsheets with quirky hobbies. Alongside Alkmini from Greece, Nam from Vietnam, and Braydon from Australia, these young competitors reveal how mastering a spreadsheet can unlock confidence, opportunity, and even friendship. It’s a celebration of resilience, creativity, and the influence of spreadsheets in shaping lives today. Watch the trailer below: Why We Celebrate Spreadsheet Day isn’t about nostalgia—it’s about recognizing the creativity and problem‑solving that spreadsheets unlock. Every chart that clarifies a decision, every formula that saves a late night, every model that helps a team plan better—that’s the legacy we’re celebrating. Today, spreadsheets are everywhere: in classrooms, boardrooms, and even living rooms. They’ve helped launch companies, plan weddings, analyze sports stats, and map out personal goals. Spreadsheet Day is our chance to pause and appreciate the tool that makes all of that possible. Share Your Story We want to hear from you! What’s your favorite spreadsheet memory? What tip or trick changed the game for you? Post your story on social with #SpreadsheetDay, or drop it in the comments below. We’ll be reading and sharing some of our favorites. Your experience might inspire someone else to try something new. Happy Spreadsheet Day! Join the conversation with #SpreadsheetDay, and let’s keep building the future—one cell at a time.New in Excel for the web: The full Power Query experience
We’ve reached yet another milestone in Excel for the web: The full Power Query user experience is now generally available, including the import wizard and Power Query Editor. After we released the ability to refresh Power Query data from authenticated data sources, we were able to unlock the ability to complete the full user journey of importing data and editing it using Power Query. Getting started Learn all about Power Query in Excel for the web here > See this support article for more information on Power Query data sources in Excel versions. Note: Viewing and refreshing queries is available to all Microsoft 365 Subscribers. The full Power Query experience is available to all Microsoft 365 Subscribers with Business or Enterprise plans. Importing data You can import data into Excel using Power Query from a wide variety of data sources, for example: Excel Workbook, Text/CSV, XML, JSON, SQL Server Database, SharePoint Online List, OData, Blank Table, and Blank Query. Select Data > Get Data: In the Choose data source dialog box, select one of the available data sources: Connect to the data source. After you select the source, the authentication kind will be auto-populated, according to the relevant source (you can still change it, if you like). Press Next, and choose the table you wish to import: Press Transform data to open the table in the Power Query editor, where you can perform many powerful transformations. Note: You can open the editor whenever you need it, by using Data > Get Data > Launch Power Query Editor. When you are done, load the table – press Close & Load to load to the Excel grid: Or Close & Load to - to either load to the Excel grid, or create a connection-only query: See the query was created in the Queries & Connections pane: If you loaded to a table, you can see it on the Excel grid: You can refresh the created query from the Queries & Connections pane, or by using Data > Refresh/Refresh All. You can also perform operations, such as editing the query (with the Power Query Editor), renaming it, and more: What’s next? Future plans include adding data sources and advanced features. Feedback We hope you like this new addition to Excel and we’d love to hear what you think about it! Let us know by using the Feedback button in the top right corner in Excel - add #PowerQuery in your feedback so that we can find it easily. Want to know more about Excel for the web? See What's new in Excel for the web and subscribe to our Excel Blog to get the latest updates. Stay connected with us and other Excel fans around the world – join our Excel Community and follow us on Twitter. Jonathan Kahati, Gal Horowitz ~ Excel Team
