Excel is well-suited for managing and creating a database in Excel for business and personal use. Many people find it challenging to handle complex and large datasets effectively, which is where Excel comes in, as Excel makes it easier to create, maintain, analyze, and sort data.
The question is how to create a database in Excel that allows for efficient data storage, data retrieval, and integrity.
We have put together this brief guide to help with creating a database in Excel.
What Are Databases in Excel
There are three ways for creating a database in Excel, and to make the most of your Microsoft Excel Suite, you will want to understand all three options for storing and creating a database in Excel.
Excel comprises powerful tools that allow users to sort, format, and store data. The foundations of a database are access tables that also provide the perfect starting point for viewing and storing information.
Regarding creating a database in Excel, you have three basic ways to arrange the data, including the following:
Simple Tables
Simple tables are the most common way for creating database in Excel, where you have to make the changes manually, such as manually defining columns and rows to include additional data.
Excel Tables
Since the introduction of Excel 2007, the manual need to make changes has been replaced by the ability to automatically update the size of the table whenever there is a need to add data.
Pivot Tables
The pivot table is a more distinctive way for creating a database in Excel. While the pivot table looks similar to the normal Excel table, it comprises a drop-down menu that can be used to sort/ filter the results according to your needs.
How to Create a Database in Excel
There are several ways for creating a database in Excel. Let us explore a few of them.
Using Database Templates
A great option for creating a database in Excel is with the help of predefined database templates that you can then customize according to your needs. Excel database templates allow you to collect, store, and manage information.
You can use WPS Excel database templates for creating database in Excel. Let us have a look at a few of the WPS database templates:
Template to Record Customer Contact
Look at the layout of this Excel template. It is a simple Excel template that is formula-free and enables you to collect customer data, including their name, phone number, occupation, age, and sex.
So, you can use this template for creating a database in Excel to record basic customer information.
Template to Record a Customer Satisfaction Survey
This free Excel sheet allows users to record customer satisfaction surveys and make accurate assessments about how satisfied the customers are with the provided services. This Excel database template is great for improving customer service.
Template to Record Sales
You can use this template for creating a database in Excel that is related to the purchases that potential customers have made. This template lets you record and manage essential data, including customer name, purchased item, paid amount, and extra notes.
How to Make a Database Step-by-Step
There are various methods to follow for creating a database in Excel. This is why having a basic knowledge of Excel comes in handy to make a database.
You will want to follow the below-given steps to create a database in Excel:
Step 1: Open a new Excel sheet.
Step 2: Familiarize yourself with the layout of the Excel sheet. You will see horizontal rows and vertical columns. Use each row to represent different data.
Step 3: Create your fields as column headers. The column headers are the pieces of information for which you are creating a database in Excel.
The example is about maintaining customer information.
Step 4: Create the columns that are the pieces of information used in creating a database in Excel.
Step 5: If you have the data that you want to use in creating a database in Excel, then you will want to use the short keys “Ctrl C and Ctrl V” to paste the data. Or, you can manually type it and also import it from another application.
Step 6: To make the data easier to assess and maintain, you can convert it into a table, for which you will want to “select” the data, click on “insert,” and select “table.”
Step 7: Make sure that your table has headers, as these will be the searchable “fields” of your database.
Step 8: Click on “OK.”
Step 9: Select any “Cell” to bring forth the “Table Design” menu.
Step 10: This way, you will also enable the “column filters” that are useful in creating a database in Excel.
Step 11: Proceed to search for any value within the given filters.
Step 12: Select any from the predefined formulas of the Excel software, including “Sum,” “Count,” and “Average.”
Step 13: Now that you have been successful at creating a database in Excel, you can proceed to further explore the features and functions of Excel.
Best Free Alternative to Microsoft Office – WPS Office
By now, you know that creating a database in Excel can take your time and effort. Besides, you will also have to pay the subscription fees for availing of the Microsoft Office Suite, which is why we recommend switching to WPS Office, which is the best free alternative to Microsoft Office.
What is WPS Office?
WPS Office is a great alternative to Microsoft Office that can help you with creating a database in Excel as effortlessly as possible. Not only can you benefit from its wide range of tools and features but also from its thousands of free templates that allow you to customize and create spreadsheets according to your needs.
Basic Features of WPS Office
The user interface of WPS Office is pretty much similar to Microsoft Office. Its basic features include Spreadsheets, PPT, PDF, and Word. These features are free yet excellent alternatives to Microsoft Excel, PPT, Adobe Acrobat, and Microsoft Word.
The best part is that the free version of WPS Office offers its users thousands of free templates that can be used for creating databases in Excel and for customizing templates in Word and Presentation as well.
What Makes WPS Stand Out from Other Suites
The following aspects of WPS make it stand out from other Office Suites, including Microsoft Office:
Amazing Tools and Features
The WPS Office Suite offers amazing tools and features, including WPS AI, smart forms, WPS AI, and other smart functions that can save you time and effort.
Easy-to-Navigate User Interface
The user interface of WPS is amazing, which means that users can use its tools effectively and open documents in different formats while maintaining the quality of the content. It doesn’t matter whether you open Excel or Word files with WPS; the characters and formulas will remain intact.
Tons of Templates Available
With WPS Office, you can avail yourself of tons of thousands of free and paid versions of Word, PPT, and Excel templates for creating a database in Excel. The availability of all these templates can not only boost your creativity process but also streamline your workflow.
Pros of WPS Office
Thousands Free Templates
User-Friendly & Easy to Navigate Interface
Compatibility with iOS, Android, Windows, Linux, Mac
You can avail many features and tools for free.
FAQs
Question: Can I create relationships between different worksheets?
Answer: Yes, you can create relationships between various worksheets based on the matching data in each worksheet. Using the fields from each table, you can then create PivotTables and Power View sheets, irrespective of whether the worksheets are from different sources.
Question: Is there a limit to the amount of data an Excel database can handle?
Answer: While dealing with a large database, you will have limitations using Excel as the Excel worksheet can handle 16,384 columns and 1,048,576 rows at a time.
Question: What's the difference between a flat and a relational database in Excel?
Answer: Compared to a flat database, the relational database in Excel is easier to maintain as it doesn’t comprise redundant data, as is the case with a flat file where you have to manually maintain the data.
WPS Office – A Great Office Suite to Streamline Your Workflow
It doesn’t matter whether you are looking for an Office Suite for writing content or creating a database in Excel; WPS Office has your back. WPS Office has everything that you need, including PPT, Excel, PDF, and Word. This free Office Suite allows users to boost their productivity while using the user-friendly interface.
With WPS Office, you don’t have to worry about compatibility as it is fully compatible with Windows, macOS, and Android. This amazing Office Suite's free version has everything you need for your business and personal life, including a PDF editor, converter, presentation, spreadsheet, and Word Processor.
Download WPS Office now to streamline your workflow.
