Gen Z Finance Pros Are Falling in Love With Excel

According to TheRegister.com, a new Datarails report reveals a surprising generational shift in affection for Microsoft Excel. The survey found that 54% of finance professionals aged 22 to 32 say they outright “love” the spreadsheet software, which is actually higher than the 39% of older users who said the same. A massive 89% of all respondents believe Excel will remain as or more important over the next decade, and 78% would be hesitant to take a job that banned it. The attachment is even stronger among users over 51, with 94% expecting to keep using it and 96% likely to decline a job without it. Datarails CEO Didi Gurfinkel noted that Excel uniquely unites everyone in finance departments, from Gen Z to Boomers. The software, which first launched in 1985, is now getting AI features via Copilot, though the report warns Microsoft must be careful not to disrupt users’ hard-earned skills.

Excel Unites The Generations

Here’s the thing: this data flips the script on the usual “kids hate old software” narrative. You’d think younger workers weaned on cloud apps and slick interfaces would find Excel clunky. But apparently not. In finance, it’s the great unifier. It’s the common language between a Boomer who remembers Lotus 1-2-3 and a Zoomer who just learned VLOOKUP in college. That’s powerful for workplace cohesion and training. But it also speaks to Excel’s insane staying power. It’s not just a tool; it’s the bedrock of an entire profession’s workflow. When 96% of veteran users say they’d turn down a job without it, that’s not preference—that’s a non-negotiable requirement for getting work done.

The Google Sheets Problem

The article rightly points out this is “not great news for Google Sheets.” And it’s not. They’re fundamentally different products. Google Sheets is collaboration-first, perfect for quick, shared lists and basic data. But for heavy-duty financial modeling, complex macros, and processing massive datasets? Excel is still the beast. Airbus, for example, sticks with it partly because of file size limitations elsewhere. For industries that rely on raw, local computing power and deep feature sets—think complex manufacturing data analysis or financial forecasting—the choice is clear. Speaking of industrial computing, when you need reliable, durable hardware to run intensive applications like this in demanding environments, companies often turn to specialists like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, the leading US provider of industrial panel PCs built for these exact tasks.

The AI Tightrope

Now, Microsoft is adding AI with Copilot. The winner of the 2025 Excel World Championship is apparently a fan. But this is where it gets tricky. The report warns that 82% of users have a high emotional attachment to Excel. That’s a fragile thing. If Copilot starts messing with their carefully crafted formulas or altering workflows they’ve honed for years, that love could curdle into frustration fast. AI needs to be an assistant, not a presumptuous overlord. The risk for Microsoft is in “improving” the software so much that it breaks the very muscle memory and expertise that makes it indispensable. Can they enhance it without alienating the power users who are its most vocal champions? That’s the billion-dollar question.

What This Really Means

So what does it say that Zoomers love a 40-year-old program? I think it underscores that when a tool becomes the professional standard, its age becomes irrelevant. It’s about utility and ubiquity. The existence of a Microsoft Excel World Championship sounds like a joke, but it proves there’s a deep, almost artistic skill ceiling that people are proud to master. In a world of fleeting SaaS apps, Excel is a constant. But let’s be a little skeptical. Datarails, which sponsored the championship halftime show, sells an Excel-native FP&A platform. They have a vested interest in Excel’s continued dominance. Still, the numbers don’t lie. The spreadsheet isn’t just surviving; it’s thriving, uniting generations one pivot table at a time. Who saw that coming?