It should be laborious to be actually, actually good at one boring factor.

For those who’re the best rest room brush maker on the planet, it is absolutely not simple to launch, say, a cleaning soap dispenser or a showerhead.

So I welled up with sympathy on listening to that Microsoft is determined so that you can take one in every of its dullest, most profitable merchandise, and truly take pleasure in utilizing it.

I acquired an e mail, you see, from the corporate, with a hearty New 12 months’s twist. The topic line was, “Strive one in every of these artistic methods to make use of Microsoft Excel this yr.” 

I confess I would by no means thought I would see a sentence that included the phrases “Excel” and “artistic,” except that sentence was, “For those who’re simply not artistic in any respect, you would possibly truly take pleasure in utilizing Excel.” 

But right here is Microsoft with six recommendations that will encourage you to larger heights or merely drift your thoughts to a wintery woe.

Additionally: The right way to create a drop-down record in Excel

Firstly, Microsoft would really like you to make use of Excel to trace your health.

Do not determined health individuals have already got fancy watches and apps to do exactly that? Do not they adore sharing their efficiency information with their health trainers, important pals, or simply each different health obsessive on the planet? 

The mere concept of Excel one way or the other dramatizing and even enlightening one’s health numbers appears quaint.

If that does not seize you both, how about utilizing Excel to play Sudoku? I at all times thought individuals used Sudoku to play Sudoku, and there is absolutely nothing playful about Excel. How would Excel improve the Sudoku expertise? I’ve no clue.

Additionally: The 5 greatest health trackers 

Microsoft’s third suggestion is equally sedentary: Observe your sports activities bracket.

Oh, I suppose.

I believe Microsoft is particularly referring to the NCAA Event, with out truly naming it for authorized causes. Once more, although, Excel for that? Aren’t there 100 prettier little apps that give your bracket a extra superb look? Or am I merely not giving Excel ample credit score?

Microsoft is undeterred. For those who do not need to use Excel on your sports activities bracket, how about utilizing it to plan your trip? I truly clicked on that hyperlink from the e-mail and located, oh, the Journey Planner with the phrase “worksheet” in parentheses.

I do not need planning my journeys to be work. I need them to be enjoyable. And the templates Microsoft provides right here look something apart from a day on the seaside.

Additionally: The 5 greatest journey planner apps

Was Microsoft getting determined right here? I concern it is attainable. Particularly as its subsequent concept was “Create Pixel Artwork.”

I do not know what this has to do with Excel as, once I clicked on the hyperlink, it took me to a TikTok of illustrations from circa 1978. One was of a waffle, I am instructed, as a result of waffles have rows and columns.

This wasn’t engaged on me. It simply wasn’t. It wasn’t engaged on everybody on the TikTok web page both, as there have been feedback, resembling “Cannot open Microsoft Edge assist” and “How do I get the TPM 2.0 Stick for Home windows 11?”

I used to be feeling spent. None of those artistic Excel actions felt interesting. None of them screamed at me to vary my lower than Excel-lent methods.

However there was yet one more suggestion to go. This is able to absolutely be essentially the most artistic of all. You’ve the depart the most effective for the top, absolutely.

Nicely, suggestion No. 6 was: “Set up Your Week. Keep on prime of your to do record and find time for what’s vital.”

Additionally: The 6 greatest to-do record apps

Ah. Oh.

I felt Microsoft had run out of concepts. I do know lots of people use Excel for group, so I struggled to see how this concept was in any approach artistic.

Please, it might be there are lots of individuals world wide who’re immensely adept at utilizing Excel for all kinds of thrilling issues. Why, Microsoft itself even holds an Excel championship for really thrilling individuals. Like actuaries, I believe.

I concern, although, that for very many individuals, Excel is only a boring, environment friendly, utilitarian factor, and it’ll at all times be so — till ChatGPT makes it redundant, I suppose.