Let’s be honest - Excel is amazing.

But it wasn’t built for everything.

Ever spent hours trying to fix dates to be formatted correctly?

Or forced a chart to look “just right,” and it still didn’t?

Yeah. We’ve all been there.

But now there's a way to skip the workarounds…

…and just type one line to get what you need.

Say hello to Python. In Excel.

And no - you don't need to be a programmer.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve opened files where dates looked like this:

​Unfortunately, there's no easy fix in Excel. Or there wasn't, until now.

Guess what? Python's pandas can handle this with one short function:

Looking at this, you’d never guess Python was used. It works just like a simple Excel formula - quick to type and cleans everything instantly.

You can use the clean dates in formulas. Build Pivot Tables

Or continue using Python for the next step.

You've now got options.

And that's the magic: Python fills the gaps where Excel struggled.

So, what else can it do?

Well, this takes me to our big announcement...

📢 Something Big is Coming Tuesday...

We’ve been building something special:

Python in Excel for the Real World.

A brand-new course designed specifically to cover "the gap".

It's filled with examples that everyday Excel users will LOVE - without having to "become a coder".

And because demand is high, we're opening it up early to our insiders - with a very special deal.

So if you're interested, join the interest list here.

Let’s make Excel do things it’s never done before.

🤓 Geeky News

💻 Good news if you still can't let go of Windows 10

Support for Windows 10 ends on October 14, 2025. This will affect Microsoft 365 apps. They'll continue to work but will no longer be updated. At least not with new features.

Microsoft extended the security updates until October 2028.

So, if you cling to Windows 10 (or your device doesn't support Win11), you can at least breathe easy about any bugs or vulnerabilities.

🗓️ Project Manager agent in Planner will keep you informed

Another app getting retired - this August, in fact - is Microsoft Project for the Web. It's getting rolled into Planner (Premium).

Like all other Microsoft apps, Planner is getting the Copilot treatment.

The Project Manager AI agent in Planner now sends real-time notifications when:

• A task is completed and ready for your review.
• It needs your input to move forward.

You’ll see these updates right in your Teams Activity feed, so you can stay in the loop and act fast - without hunting things down.

It's currently in public preview for users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license.

📝 OneNote gets a glow-up

Some fresh updates just dropped for OneNote on Windows and on the Web.

🌌 OneNote’s interface just got a declutter. They’ve trimmed the fat between your ribbon and canvas, so you can see more of your notes, drawings, and tabs without squinting. Bonus: the search bar now floats. Oh, and don't forget about vertical tabs!

🖨️ If you tend to print everything out or save it to random folders, this update might be for you. Print to OneNote lets you print anything (PDFs, slides, websites, forms) straight into OneNote as searchable pages. Then mark it up, tag it, or draw on it. It’s like a digital sticky note board, but organized.

🕸️ Meanwhile, OneNote for the Web got a whole lot of improvements. You can expect smoother copy-paste actions as well as smarter tables. It also offers better language proofing and support for WebP images.

Yeah... I still prefer the desktop version.

Speaking of...

🟠 My Least Favorite Things

When you open a file in Teams, you get this pop-up:

​Guess what happens when you click OK? 🤨 Come on, guess. I'll wait...

Why add this extra step, why set defaults, if it's going to open in the browser anyway? 🙄

Cause that's exactly what happened.

Get it together, Microsoft.

👏 From “Is Excel Even Relevant?” to “I’ve Got This.”

When Alec joined Excel Essentials, he was skeptical.

Excel felt like a relic... (as it does to many people).

But once he saw what’s actually possible - with formulas, Power Query, dynamic arrays, and more - everything changed.

Here’s what he shared after completing Excel Essentials for the Real World:

                       

I was stumped when it came to Excel and felt overwhelmed by formulas. I saw it as an outdated product and not applicable to the work center, until realizing what was possible within the platform. Once you are introduced to the power of Excel and see how professionals use it, you realize there is much to learn! I feel extremely confident in my Excel skills now and while fine-tuning will occur over time, the resources and challenges provided will enable me to have easy reminders of "how" and "why" in any situation I am stumped in.

Alec Vicari, US Air Force NCO

It pays to stay open-minded and always be learning. Unlocking possibilities in the process. Massive props to Alec! 🙌

See you next week,

Leila

P.S. Watch out for our special Python announcement!

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