XL
Visit website Microsoft Excel
The universal spreadsheet for financial modeling
4.6From $6.99/moBest for Every PE analyst building deal models
Modeling Spreadsheet Ubiquitous
Overview
Microsoft Excel remains the backbone of financial modeling in private equity, used for LBO models, valuations, and diligence analysis. Its flexibility, ubiquity, and add-in ecosystem keep it central to deal work despite newer alternatives.
Key features
- Flexible spreadsheet modeling
- LBO and DCF templates
- Data connections and Power Query
- Add-ins (Capital IQ, PitchBook)
- Charting and analysis
Pros
- Universally known by dealmakers
- Unmatched flexibility
- Rich add-in and template ecosystem
Cons
- Error-prone in complex models
- Limited collaboration and governance