Microsoft Excel is a popular spreadsheet program that was developed by Microsoft. It is designed for computers that use the Windows operating system, and it can also be used on computers that use Mac OS as well. It has an easy to use interface with a number of tools that can make creating a spreadsheet fast and simple. This combined with a powerful marketing campaign has made Excel one of the most popular software programs in the world. Excel is typically bundled in the Microsoft Office package of programs.

Excel is not the first spreadsheet program to be produced by Microsoft. A spreadsheet program called Multiplan was first released by the company in 1982, but it eventually lost market share due to the release of Lotus 1-2-3. Because of this, Microsoft decided to create a spreadsheet program that could effectively compete against the dominance of Lotus. The very first version of Excel was introduced in 1985, and was available on the Mac. The first version for Windows would be released two years later. Because Lotus didn't bring their spreadsheet program to Windows quickly enough, Excel begin to gain a larger share of the market. By 1988 Excel had surpassed 1-2-3, and it is one of the factors behind the success of Microsoft as a software company.