🤖 "Why We Can't Do Excel"
An Honest Conversation with AI About Spreadsheets
"I have a complex Excel with 1000+ formulas. Can you recalculate if I change 5 variables?"
Human
"I can try, but honestly? With 1000+ formulas, I'd need 2-15 minutes and would probably get it wrong."
AI (Claude)
"Wait, you can't just run the Excel formulas?"
Human
"No, I can't actually run Excel formulas. When you upload a spreadsheet, I see the formulas and saved values, but I can't execute them. I'd have to recreate the logic myself.
With complex dependencies (A depends on B, B on C...), I spend most time figuring out calculation order. My success rate? Maybe 20-40% for complex models.
I only know about 50-100 Excel functions out of 500+. XIRR? YIELD? Array formulas? I'm mostly guessing."
AI
AI's Success Rate Reality Check
🎲 My Realistic Success Rates
Simple spreadsheet (50-100 formulas)
Basic calculations, straightforward logic
Complex model (1000+ formulas)
Dependencies, array formulas, financial functions
SpreadAPI (any complexity)
Actual Excel engine, perfect accuracy
"I'll get trends right, but exact precision? Doubtful. Error propagation is my nightmare."
- Every AI Model
The AI Truth Table
When you upload Excel to me:
- ✗I see formulas but can't execute them
- ✗I only know 50-100 of 500+ functions
- ✗I need 2-15 minutes for complex sheets
- ✗20-40% accuracy on 1000+ formulas
- ✗Errors compound through dependencies
"I work with saved values, not live calculations"
- Claude
When SpreadAPI calculates:
- ✓Executes actual Excel formulas
- ✓Supports 500+ Excel functions
- ✓Returns results in milliseconds
- ✓100% accuracy, any complexity
- ✓Your formulas stay protected
"Finally, AI can use real Excel calculations"
- Your Business
Real AI Limitations (In Our Own Words)
"I'm Impossibly Slow"
Give me 1000 formulas? That's 2-15 minutes of me trying to understand dependencies. Excel? 1-2 seconds.
- Every AI Model
"I Can't Execute Formulas"
When you upload Excel, I see your formulas and saved values, but I can't run them. I'd have to recreate everything.
- Claude
"I'm Function-Illiterate"
I only know 50-100 Excel functions out of 500+. XIRR? YIELD? Array formulas? I'm just guessing what they do.
- ChatGPT & Claude
The SpreadAPI Solution (As Explained by AI)
Claude
AI Assistant
SpreadAPI lets us work together perfectly: I handle the conversation, Excel handles the calculations. You get AI's flexibility with Excel's precision.
It's not about replacing Excel with AI. It's about letting each of us do what we do best.\"
I Talk to Humans
Natural language, context understanding, helpful explanations
Excel Does Math
Precise calculations, complex formulas, 100% accuracy
The Bottom Line
The Truth About AI + Excel
AI can't run Excel formulas. Can't execute functions. Takes forever.
But with SpreadAPI? AI finally gets real Excel calculations.
"Stop asking AI to fake math. Give it actual Excel.
100% accuracy. Every time. In milliseconds."
No credit card required • 1,000 free calculations