MS Excel and Mac Numbers

Question

MS Excel and Mac Numbers

Thoroughly confused new guy here. Run an Excel spreadsheet (2013) on Windows 7 and just bought a new MacBook Air 13 with Numbers. Discovered my MacBook can "read" my Excel spreadsheet downloaded on USB drive; then discovered my MacBook Numbers can accept changes to my Excel spreadsheet. Thought I had to buy Excel for the Mac or something in order to do that. What is going on? What more can I do with Windows Excel files and my Mac without getting other applications?

MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2015), OS X El Capitan (10.11.6)

Posted on Sep 6, 2016 4:41 AM

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Answer 1

Sep 6, 2016 4:52 AM in response to johnfromplattsmouth

Numbers can import Excel most files and can edit the Numbers document that results from having imported an excel document. You can save what you edited as a Numbers file, or export back to excel. If, however, you need excel for work, then drag the excel file onto the excel icon in your doc to force the Mac OS to open the file with excel.

You can also select any excel file, then select the menu item "File > Get Information". In the resulting window, choose "Excel" from the "Open With" menu, then click the "Change All..." button

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Answer 2

t quinn

Level 5

7,063 points

Sep 6, 2016 6:51 AM in response to johnfromplattsmouth

Hi John,

There are some differences in how Excel and Numbers work that can create difficulties if you need to translate between the two frequently. If you are looking to move on over, Welcome!

There are certain functions that Numbers is missing, notably some array functions. There are many people here who use both Numbers and Excel and they can help you modify formulas that need it.

One big difference between the two is Numbers preference for multiple tables on a sheet ratther than a monolithic table with different sections.

My impression from these forums is that you can accomplish nearly everything with Numbers on your Mac that you did in Excel. If you are used to linking between documents you will need a workaround.

quinn

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Answer 3

Sep 6, 2016 1:08 PM in response to t quinn

I am certain that Excel is much more than I really need. I was happiest with the now dead Microsoft Works. And I don't even know what arrays are.

"One big difference between the two is Numbers preference for multiple tables on a sheet ratther than a monolithic table with different sections." This is one part of the area in which I need help. I don't understand multiple tables on a sheet. Thought that by looking at some of the Apple sample spreadsheets I would get an idea of how they work. But so far that hasn't helped. Each sample presented appears to be a finished product, and I don't see what went into creating it.

Would really like a simple guide to constructing Numbers spreadsheets. I have a feeling that Pogue's book on iWorks would be too complicated for me to begin with. If anyone has a hint on a simple book, web guide or YouTube tutorial, I would really appreciate it. My spreadsheet is monthly, with days of the month across the top and expense categories down the left column. But I do run the entire year with YTD info as I go.

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Answer 4

notcloudy

Level 4

1,258 points

Sep 6, 2016 1:34 PM in response to johnfromplattsmouth

At least in Numbers(Iwork9) version - noticed that complex spreadsheets really did not convert well.

You can have multiple table spreadsheets but I broke up the one I had with two tables as it did not perform well.

AppleWorks was equal to Works for Windows - and many of us miss that too - as the Iwork package was a step backward.

Generally I found what I wanted to do by browsing through the menus.

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