By Tony Phillips
Publication Date: 2026-01-07 12:30:00
As we move into 2026, it’s time Microsoft finally addressed some pain points all Excel users have experienced for far too long. The software’s modern features are great, but I’m tired of the paper-cut bugs that haven’t changed in decades. Here are the six fundamental changes I want to see implemented this year.
The date conversion trap
Excel’s habit of turning part numbers (12-14) or gene symbols (MARCH3) into dates is legendary for all the wrong reasons. While Microsoft provides buried workarounds, such as turning off automatic data conversion (File > Options > Data > Automatic Data Conversion), it remains an opt-out experience, and most users only discover this setting exists after Excel has already corrupted their data.
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