Tableau | Excel |
Tableau is well-recognized as a data visualization tool. It formats data in a graphical form which helps to easily spot patterns and correlations between data points. | Whereas, Excel is known best to be spreadsheet tool where data is displayed in tabular format in electronic worksheets. |
Tableau is mainly used for data representation. Check out the difference between tableau vs microstrategy. | Contrarily, Excel is used to store data manipulations. |
Tableau has a variety of sources to connect to external sources. Also, it has the capability of a cloud. | On the other hand, Excel too can connect to different external sources through plugins. |
Tableau is more speedy and accessible in doing live connections with the external sources. | Whereas, there are some requirements that must be fulfilled to access or develop while using Excel. |
Tableau is not as suitable as it should be while doing multi-layered calculations. You might also be interested in Tableau developer vs Tableau Server Administrator. | On the other hand, Excel is the best ever tool for performing multi-layered calculations. The example that fits best here is the preparation of a budget which is only possible through Excel. |
Tableau allows the business analysts to be independent by letting them load data into the program and start exploring it right away. | However, Excel doesn’t offer such an option when it comes to data exploration. |
Is Tableau easier than Excel? Even if you have to represent short-term or minimal data for a business case, tableau needs setup and configuration or any server deployments. This makes it a little less convenient. | But on the other side, when representing any on-off reports, excel is considered a much reliable and straightforward tool as compared to tableau because it takes less configuring and setup time. You might also be interested in Online Excel Courses. |
For big data problems like performing analytics to get insights even from an unusual set of data, you should choose tableau. | Whereas, if you want to get a descriptive analysis and mathematical transformations from the data, Excel has to be your choice. |
Tableau has multiple versions of desktop, cloud-based, server, and prep. | Perversely, Excel is a Microsoft licensed software that comes with office tools only. |
Tableau is specifically used for the purpose of data visualization. So the majority of the people who use tableau have to be the data analysts. | But unlike tableau, Excel is used in various fields and in many sectors. Even basic calculations and manipulation can be done using Excel. |