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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Microsoft Excel

    Score9 out of 10
    N/AMicrosoft Excel is a spreadsheet application available as part of Microsoft 365 (Office 365), or standalone, in cloud-based and on-premise editions.

    $6.99

    per month

    Sigma

    Score8.4 out of 10
    N/ASigma Computing headquartered in San Francisco provides a suite of data services such as code free data modeling, data search and explorating, and related BI and data visualization services.N/A
    Pricing
    Microsoft ExcelSigma
    Editions & Modules
    Excel with Microsoft 365
    $6.99
    per month
    Excel for 1 PC or Mac
    $139.99
    perpetual license
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    Microsoft ExcelSigma
    Free Trial
    YesYes
    Free/Freemium Version
    YesNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeOptional
    Additional Details—Contact us for pricing.
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    Microsoft ExcelSigma
    Considered Both Products
    Microsoft
    No answer on this topic
    Sigma Computing
    Chose Sigma
    2 biggest reasons for Sigma were easy of use for power users, and cost of having a large amount of viewers of the data.
    Incentivized
    Chose Sigma
    Sigma offered a novel approach to data analysis with its Excel-like functionality.
    Incentivized
    Chose Sigma
    Data Studio was used in the past but Sigma Computing is far more powerful, customizable, and sharable across teams.
    Incentivized
    Chose Sigma
    Unfortunately, I do not think a comparison is appropriate here, given the time difference and offerings between the products.
    Incentivized
    Chose Sigma
    It doesn't have its own language (like lookML) this is positive. Web dashboards, you don't need to send attached spreadsheets by e-mail
    Incentivized
    Chose Sigma
    similar
    Incentivized
    Chose Sigma
    Sigma is like a unique combination of Excel and Tableau, in my experience. It combines both the heavy-duty data wrangling and data manipulation abilities of Tableau with the quickness and ease of use that Excel is known for having. I have relied on Excel a lot less now for ad …
    Incentivized
    Chose Sigma
    Not involved in the selection process.
    Incentivized
    Chose Sigma
    Sigma was chosen for three reasons. 1. Excel-like workflow. Many of our researchers have a background in excel, and the excel-like workflow Sigma offers enabled them to get up and running quickly. 2. Embeds. We can easily embed dashboards into our SAS platform 3. Price. Sigma …
    Incentivized
    Chose Sigma
    Sigma is easier to learn than Tableau. Has many features similar to excel. The custom SQL is obviously similar to Snowflake and SQL querying, but dynamic querying is not possible in sigma. In the Tableau, dynamic date parameters are possible to add in the custom SQL.
    Incentivized
    Chose Sigma
    Sigma provides a very user-friendly experience without a lot of complicated setups and/or overhead associated with getting access to the underlying data. Excel, Tableau, and Splunk all provide similar functionality. Sigma, however, packages the features and functionality of …
    Incentivized
    Chose Sigma
    We considered Looker when purchasing a BI tool, Looker seemed like it was less user friendly and support wouldn't be as responsive as Sigma.
    Incentivized
    Chose Sigma
    Sigma Computing is more user friendly. And easier to access for analysts.
    Incentivized
    Chose Sigma
    Sigma is very targeted in the ability to filter and drill down data for analysis and reporting.
    Incentivized
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    99%
    Would buy again
    78 Answers
    94%
    Would buy again
    118 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    100%
    Delivers good value for the price
    70 Answers
    97%
    Delivers good value for the price
    77 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    96%
    Happy with the feature set
    76 Answers
    92%
    Happy with the feature set
    116 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    96%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    46 Answers
    97%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    68 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    100%
    Implementation went as expected
    54 Answers
    97%
    Implementation went as expected
    77 Answers
    Features
    Microsoft ExcelSigma
    BI Standard Reporting
    Comparison of BI Standard Reporting features of Microsoft Excel and Sigma Computing
    Feature
    Microsoft Excel
    -
    Ratings
    Sigma Computing
    7.5
    163 Ratings
    8% below category average
    Pixel Perfect reports00 Ratings5.4104 Ratings
    Customizable dashboards00 Ratings9.3161 Ratings
    Report Formatting Templates00 Ratings7.7133 Ratings
    Ad-hoc Reporting
    Comparison of Ad-hoc Reporting features of Microsoft Excel and Sigma Computing
    Feature
    Microsoft Excel
    -
    Ratings
    Sigma Computing
    7.5
    166 Ratings
    6% below category average
    Drill-down analysis00 Ratings8.0155 Ratings
    Formatting capabilities00 Ratings7.0163 Ratings
    Integration with R or other statistical packages00 Ratings7.35 Ratings
    Report sharing and collaboration00 Ratings7.7162 Ratings
    Report Output and Scheduling
    Comparison of Report Output and Scheduling features of Microsoft Excel and Sigma Computing
    Feature
    Microsoft Excel
    -
    Ratings
    Sigma Computing
    7.5
    156 Ratings
    9% below category average
    Publish to Web00 Ratings7.3103 Ratings
    Publish to PDF00 Ratings7.7130 Ratings
    Report Versioning00 Ratings7.0120 Ratings
    Report Delivery Scheduling00 Ratings7.6132 Ratings
    Delivery to Remote Servers00 Ratings7.968 Ratings
    Data Discovery and Visualization
    Comparison of Data Discovery and Visualization features of Microsoft Excel and Sigma Computing
    Feature
    Microsoft Excel
    -
    Ratings
    Sigma Computing
    6.8
    149 Ratings
    16% below category average
    Pre-built visualization formats (heatmaps, scatter plots etc.)00 Ratings8.6147 Ratings
    Location Analytics / Geographic Visualization00 Ratings5.626 Ratings
    Predictive Analytics00 Ratings6.218 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    Microsoft ExcelSigma
    Small Businesses
    Stackby
    Score8.8 out of 10
    Cyfe
    Score4 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    Google Sheets
    Score8.9 out of 10
    Qlik Cloud Analytics (Qlik Sense)
    Score8.1 out of 10
    Enterprises
    Google Sheets
    Score8.9 out of 10
    Sisense
    Score6.9 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    Microsoft ExcelSigma
    Likelihood to Recommend
    9.0
    (78 ratings)
    8.2
    (170 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    9.9
    (7 ratings)
    10.0
    (6 ratings)
    Usability
    8.5
    (23 ratings)
    7.6
    (48 ratings)
    Availability
    10.0
    (2 ratings)
    8.2
    (2 ratings)
    Performance
    10.0
    (2 ratings)
    9.1
    (2 ratings)
    Support Rating
    10.0
    (2 ratings)
    10.0
    (47 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    8.0
    (1 ratings)
    9.1
    (2 ratings)
    Configurability
    10.0
    (2 ratings)
    7.3
    (1 ratings)
    Ease of integration
    10.0
    (2 ratings)
    9.1
    (1 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    10.0
    (2 ratings)
    8.2
    (2 ratings)
    Vendor post-sale
    10.0
    (2 ratings)
    7.3
    (1 ratings)
    Vendor pre-sale
    10.0
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    Microsoft ExcelSigma
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Microsoft
    I don't really know another program as powerful as Excel. I've used Google Doc programs but do not feel they come close. So far, anytime I've needed a table of some sort for data, whether it's budget oriented or information off a survey, the best system has been Excel. We do web audits on occasion and we create an Excel worksheet featuring every URL of the pages we're auditing, notes, data about the content, information about files attached to the page and other information to help us determine what pages need updating, deleting or otherwise. We also use Excel primarily to export our Google Analytics to in order for us to create reports for clients that need to see specific information about their traffic.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Sigma Computing
    We were able to set up client-facing embedded reports with ease and security. The interface is not difficult to learn, although we may not be aware of or lack the necessary expertise to utilize more advanced features that would likely benefit us.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    Microsoft
    • It is very good at embedded formulas and tying cells to one another
    • It allows me to compare deals terms on a side-by-side basis and talk my clients through it easily.
    • It is very helpful as well in terms of allowing me to filter/sort results in many different ways depending on what specific information I am most interested in prioritizing.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Sigma Computing
    • Allows end users to easily dive into the data without having direct access to the table in our database management software.
    • Can easily turnaround dashboards that are detailed and visually pleasing.
    • Sigma is intuitive and as new features are rolled out it is easy to adopt and incorporate them into new and existing dashboards.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    Microsoft
    • Excel offers collaboration features that allow multiple users to work on the same spreadsheet, but managing changes made by different users can be challenging. Excel could improve its features by offering more granular control, better tracking of changes, and more robust conflict resolution tools.
    • Itcan be a barrier to productivity when importing and exporting data from other applications or file formats. To improve its features, it should offer better support for standard file formats and more robust error handling and reporting tools.
    • Excel can be challenging for finance students and working professionals, but it can be improved by offering more robust tutorials, better documentation, and more user communities and support forums.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Sigma Computing
    • Sigma Computing does not allow custom ordering of pivot fields in pivot tables easily
    • Sigma Computing lacks functionality for creating tables or sections that dynamically adjust to the browser window's height while maintaining a fixed height textbox at the bottom
    • Sigma Computing does not provide straightforward options for formatting totals in tables, such as renaming 'Total' to 'Average', 'Team Total', etc
    • Sigma Computing does not support searching by individual tab names within a workbook
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    Microsoft
    Excel remains the industry standard for spreadsheets and has maintained simple and straight-forward formula writing methods. Although there is a learning curve to do more complex calculations, there are countless help sites and videos on the Internet for almost any need.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Sigma Computing
    Sigma has helped us a lot and has become an integral part of our daily workflow. It would be difficult to switch to another platform and have to rebuild the numerous metrics and performance reports that we have already established
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Usability
    Microsoft
    I'm giving it a 7 because it is my go to. But the fact other prefer Google Sheets when working with a team does get irritating. I've used the online version of Microsoft Excel that other teams can get into and it still seems behind Google Sheets. It's a little clanky and slow? If that's even a term.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Sigma Computing
    It has a clean and modern interface. However, it is not completely intuitive. I think it would be better and easier to navigate with more Windows style drop down menus and/or tabls. There is a significant learning curve, but that may be due in part to the technical nature of this type of software tool.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Reliability and Availability
    Microsoft
    I have rarely, if ever, had issues with its availability.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Sigma Computing
    Yes, as long as you don’t conduct user error sigma is always up and running and waiting for you to complete your dashboards
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Performance
    Microsoft
    Excel load and performs calculations immediately. It integrate well with all Microsoft Office applications and does not slow them down.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Sigma Computing
    It depends, it loads quickly for smaller dashboards but when loading larger amounts of data it takes more time to do so
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Support Rating
    Microsoft
    I have not had to use it often, but it is good.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Sigma Computing
    They are very friendly and informative. They are quick in resolving our queries and help us understand very minute things as well. They are quick in creating feature tickets based on our custom requirements, and they would also create a bug ticket if there is any discrepancy and get that checked on time.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Implementation Rating
    Microsoft
    No answers on this topic
    Sigma Computing
    Was not involved in implementation
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alternatives Considered
    Microsoft
    Out of Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Power BI, IBM SPSS, and Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel is by far the most common tool used for anything data-related across organizations. Accordingly, our organization has also implemented Microsoft Excel as a first-step tool. We recently adopted Microsoft Power BI (the free version), and use it occasionally (mostly for creating dashboards), but it is less commonly understood by stakeholders across our organization and by our clients. Accordingly, Microsoft Excel is more user-friendly and because of its popularity, we can easily look up how to do things in the program online. Google Sheets is a comparable alternative to Microsoft Excel, but because it's cloud-based and we have sensitive data that needs to be protected, we chose against using this software. Finally, a few users (including myself) have access to and utilize IBM's SPSS. For my role, it's a helpful tool to do more rigorous analyses. However, because of its cost and limited functionality as a simple spreadsheet, we only use it for more complex analyses.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Sigma Computing
    With Looker, to be effective, a substantial amount of coding & modeling needs to happen in LookML. Being another language to learn, users have to context switch again from at a minimum either SQL or Python into LookML. The concept of being able to source control, code review, and deploy your models is a plus though.
    Tableau is the gold standard for data visualization, no question. Power users will be able to create dazzling content that Sigma won't necessarily be able to easily match. However, since development usually happens via an extract, helping other users troubleshoot is an arduous process. Trying to re-do or un-do all the transformations and calculations that cause a certain number is very difficult.
    With Sigma, all the queries happen directly against Snowflake and you can see the query logs. The data modeling happens right in a tabular, spreadsheet-like manner, so within only a few minutes, substantial transformations can happen, with visualizations just a few more clicks away.
    Read full review
    Contract Terms and Pricing Model
    Microsoft
    N/A I was not involved in this process.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Sigma Computing
    No answers on this topic
    Scalability
    Microsoft
    Each user can use it to whatever level of expertise they have. It remains the same so users can contribute to another's work regardless of whether they have more or less expertise
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Sigma Computing
    It is a cloud service offering that is able to expand based on your usage
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Return on Investment
    Microsoft
    • Excel has positively impacted the business as it has increased our efficiency.
    • It also saves us the time that we would have spent on making the calculations that it does for us.
    • Since it works on all devices and is compatible with both Windows and Mac, we do not have to invest in any other alternative.
    Read full review
    Sigma Computing
    • Monitoring health of cloud platform has allowed the company to anticipate issues before they affect customers – Sigma prompted us building a canary monitoring process that provides customer container health.
    • Customer success has used an activity report to discover customers running runaway processes that they were unaware of, creating an alert to contact the customer and prevent an embarrassing situation.
    • Customer success uses the activity report to prompt conversations regarding increases or declines in behavior that led to increasing contract limits or addressing churn concerns.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ScreenShots