Should I Learn Excel Or SQL?

In almost every single job now you need some sort of knowledge in Excel or SQL for data reporting, storage, and analysis. Most businesses use them in some form or another, and without the knowledge, you are more likely to not get the job. Whether to learn Excel or SQL is the question most people have the issue answering for themselves when looking to get a job because learning both isn’t always plausible.

Depending on how much data storage and analysis your job requires is the biggest deciding factor in whether you should learn Excel or SQL. However, most often, the easiest thing to do is learn Excel and begin learning the background for SQL. SQL is quickly becoming preferred over Excel, but Excel is used most currently.

To learn SQL you need some knowledge of code and how to write commands for queries, however, with Excel, you can learn most things you need just by trial and error. This allows more people to learn and have access to Excel’s abilities whereas SQL is harder to gain access to for the majority of businesses and people.

When To Use Excel

Basically, Excel is an extremely basic data analysis tool that can work for many different things. Mostly it is used for basic things such as:

• Data entry and storage of small amounts
• Administrative responsibilities
• Collections of differing data
• Rough predictions
• Data analysis on a basic level

In most jobs and the amount of data they require for analysis or storage, Excel will be the perfect fit, especially for those who need simplistic programs. Most administrative positions can get by with using only Excel unless you work in certain industries with large data sets.

Excel is quite easy to learn, and mostly easier to use than SQL and has fantastic positives such as:

• Being able to store a string of data in one cell
• Being able to visualize data manipulation instead of writing commands
• Use charts, graphs, and tables with your data

Now, there are times when excel has its downfalls and the biggest instance of that is when you need to store and analyze large amounts of data. The more data you put into Excel, the slower the program can start to run. After too much data, Excel will freeze or crash, risking the loss of your data or formatting.

SQL has far fewer instances of freezing and crashing with large data sets but does require a bit more knowledge of how to manipulate everything.

When To Use SQL

Excel is more of a basic program and it is easier to learn, however, SQL can handle more data and allows more analysis options for your data. You would want to use SQL in situations such as:

• When needing to share and manage data in the same place
• When needing to communicate with specific databases
• When needing to query or manipulate large data sets

SQL is becoming widely popular with businesses and companies who need larger places to store and manage their data. SQL is better at keeping your data more flexible and capable of being manipulated than Excel. Oftentimes Excel causes data to be messed up when you try to move it or export it to a different program.

SQL makes it almost seamless when moving and sending data to another person or program. You don’t have to worry about your cells, rows, or column being shifted or your data being lost due to different formatting.

While SQL requires you to put every piece of information into a different cell such as Month, Day, and year, which can seem more time-consuming, it lowers the risk of your data being lost or miscalculated.

Now, SQL does have a few downfalls when it comes to those learning to use the program. To learn SQL you also need to know a decent amount of code to ensure the correct communication from one program to another. SQL is also much harder to learn and gain access to than Excel for the average person.

Without some background knowledge of how SQL works, likely, you won’t be able to effectively use SQL unless you enroll or find some videos and courses that explain the basics of the program rather than just how to use it. Before you even start learning how to run queries and manipulate data you need to know how to write commands and code functions.

Learning Excel And SQL

No matter how little you know about either Excel or SQL, learning the programs doesn’t have to be hard or expensive. You can find so many free, or cheap videos and courses that show you how to use and manipulate the program.

Learning either program doesn’t require a background in computers or IT if you start off with most of the courses you can find online. The most basic of courses start off with helping you install the programs and set up the functions for you to input your data. The more advanced courses can help you enter queries, functions and analyze data for future predictions.

Learning these programs doesn’t have to be difficult, demanding, or damaging to your budget. No matter how little you know, you can find courses and videos to help you prepare for your net job or just continued education for your current job.

Final Thoughts

It’s usually incredibly obvious as to which program you need to know the best for your current or upcoming job. If the job needs a specific knowledge of something, usually that information is shared with the job posting or in the interview process.

However, if you aren’t sure which program you would need, it's easiest to learn Excel first and then begin learning the basics of SQL. If you don’t need SQL you can always quit learning, however, if you need it you can give an insight into how much you do know.