The database capabilities of Excel are very powerful. In fact, not only can Excel be used to create a simple searchable database, it also can be used to create a proper relational database.

Tips This article applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, and Office 365. View the videos listed in the Resources section for more ideas on using Excel's database functions.

Essential tips for data formatting Before you create a database in your Excel workbook, keep several tips in mind which will help you get the desired results.

Here's how to create a pivot table in Excel to slice and dice your data, letting you perform in-depth analyses and spot important trends.

To create data bars in Excel, select your cells and then choose data bars from Conditional Formatting.

When collaborating in Excel, sometimes the collaboration can be distracting. Here's how to make a static image so you can do your own work without interruption.

You can easily create a drop-down list in Excel to limit the values that can be entered in a column. Here's how to set one up.