Its not easy to get good figures on just how many people have switched to Excel 2007, but from what I’ve been able to find its sounding like not more than 20%- this figure a near random guess based on complex methods such as random Google searches.  (There are of course power user, or early adopter communities where use is much higher- or companies where its been mandated which will provide samples higher than this, but I’m thinking about the entire community of Excel users.)  This is evolving quickly too- since many get a new PC every three years or so, Vista and office 2007 will arrive by default to some extent.

Interestingly, there seems also to be a significant population who use both versions at once. (Its possible-  THANK YOU MICROSOFT- to install both versions at the same time.)

Being in the software development business, and since my company is a registered Microsoft Partner, I have access to lots of Microsoft software, for test and internal use purposes.  I have lots of different combinations of XP, Vista, Office 2003, Office 2007 with various options installed on my virtual machines for testing and design work.

But for my personal use? The long and the short of it is that I had Excel 2007 installed on my primary machine for about 48 hours. 

It wasn’t that I didn’t like it- I just didn’t have a pressing need right then, and so I didn’t want to spend the time and effort of learning the new interface- yet.  I will soon, as I move into the next phases and let the Datamartist tools take advantage of its new features.  But at this point I’m doing data transformation and management work- Excel is better at the presentation side- and it seems to me that that’s where most of the new features in Excel 2007 are focused on.  I’m sure its awesome-  I’m working on tools for getting data in a state to be used in it first.

And I wouldn’t be surprised if many of you are in the same boat.  You do all sorts of analysis in Excel, you have come to know its interface inside and out, and well, although you have nothing against the new way of doing things… its just different, is all.

And lets face it- unless there is a specific new feature some specific need drives you to, Excel 2003 is pretty powerful for what it does. 

But we can be assured that we are not alone in this resistance to change- some of the most popular add-ins for Excel 2007 provide retro-menus to avoid searching the ribbon.

So don’t feel that you are behind the times- we’ll all get there when it makes sense, and when there is payback- not just because its there.