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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Excel is still deeply embedded in finance work, but a survey finding that 82% of respondents feel emotionally attached to it does not prove that its popularity is surging. The figure comes from a 2025 Datarails survey of 212 finance professionals in the US and UK, as reported by CFO.com and ITPro. It is evidence of strong attachment in that sample—not a measure of all Excel users, market share or growth over time.
What does the 82% figure actually mean?
Datarails asked finance professionals about their relationship with Excel. In the results reported by CFO.com and ITPro, 82% said they had either high or moderate emotional attachment to the software. CFO.com describes the survey as including 212 finance professionals in the US and UK, conducted in October 2025.
That is a measure of respondents’ reported feelings. It is not the share of finance teams that use Excel, the share of spreadsheet software sales, or proof that Excel has become more popular. The accessible reporting does not provide recruitment details, response rate, weighting, the complete questionnaire or a comparable earlier survey. Without those, the result should be read as a snapshot of this sample, not a representative estimate of the profession or a trend line.
Is Excel still popular with finance professionals?
The survey offers several signals of staying power, each measuring something different. ITPro reported that 40% of surveyed finance professionals preferred Excel to other business software, while 57% of surveyed accountants named it their go-to or favorite platform. Separately, 84% expected Excel to remain equally or more important over the next decade. That last figure records respondents’ expectations; it does not establish what future use will be.
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| Survey finding | What it describes |
|---|---|
| 82% reported high or moderate emotional attachment | Respondents’ feelings toward Excel |
| 40% preferred Excel to other business software | Preference within the survey sample |
| 57% of surveyed accountants named Excel their go-to or favorite platform | Accountants’ reported platform choice |
| 84% expected Excel to be equally or more important over the following decade | Respondents’ outlook, not observed future use |
These figures are not interchangeable, and none measures current global user numbers or market share. The survey’s findings support a narrower conclusion: Excel remains important to many finance respondents, who also expect it to keep a role.
Why do finance teams remain attached despite its frustrations?
Familiarity and flexibility help explain Excel’s staying power, though the survey does not establish why individual respondents feel attached. A spreadsheet can combine calculations, structured tables and ad hoc analysis in a format many finance professionals already know. That makes it useful for tasks that do not fit neatly into one fixed workflow.
Microsoft’s 40th-anniversary account highlights uses beyond finance, including personal tracking, spreadsheet art, games and esports. It reports that the Excel World Championship became a Las Vegas world championship in 2023 and received ESPN coverage. Microsoft community manager Cuong Pham said users find “fascinating ways people use Excel — far beyond the typical finance or accounting scenarios,” including turning it into a synthesizer or building simulation games. Those examples illustrate the software’s range; they are not independent usage statistics.
The survey also shows attachment is not the same as satisfaction. In the Datarails results reported by ITPro, 28% named data consolidation as their biggest frustration, 23% cited data entry and updates, and 22% cited version control. Finance teams can value a flexible, familiar tool while finding the work of combining data, maintaining it and keeping versions aligned cumbersome.
Does the survey show younger finance professionals are moving away?
It does not establish a broad generational shift. CFO.com’s headline reports that 54% of Gen Z finance employees said they “love” Excel, but the accessible reporting does not supply enough methodological detail to treat that as a reliable comparison across generations. The age bands also differ between reports: ITPro describes some findings for ages 22–32, while CFO.com reports ages 22–35. Avoid drawing a precise age-based conclusion from those figures.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How is AI changing Excel for finance?
Microsoft’s June 25, 2026 product announcement describes Copilot in Excel features aimed at finance workflows. These include reusable skills for tasks such as discounted cash flow modeling, month-end close and variance analysis; connectors to financial data providers; and features intended to show which changes were requested and completed.
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The announcement names LSEG, Moody’s, CB Insights, Daloopa, FactSet, Morningstar, PitchBook and S&P Global among the providers. Microsoft notes that third-party connectors may require separate licensing; it described FactSet as being in preview, with general availability expected in July. Access and terms can change, so check Microsoft’s and the provider’s current documentation before relying on availability.
This direction keeps finance work inside Excel while adding connected data, automation and reviewability. It is a product roadmap, not independent proof that Copilot improves accuracy or productivity, and it does not settle whether Excel is the right place for every finance workflow. Teams evaluating tools should compare their needs for spreadsheet flexibility, collaboration and version control, data consolidation, traceability, finance-system integration and licensing cost.
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