*This is part of a series about iWork, click the following links to read about Pages and Keynote!
One of the most popular questions I get on my tech-based YouTube channel regarding Macs goes something like this: ”What software can I use for Office Productivity?” The answer is pretty simple, and cheap, compared to similar software on Microsoft Windows.
To me, the clearcut answer is iWork: Apple’s answer to the Microsoft Office suite. Of course, there are other options, including Open Office and Microsoft Office for Mac. This article will go over the basics and functions of Pages, if you’re considering kicking Microsoft Office for it.
I switched to a Mac in January of 2010, and for the first few months, attempted to use Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac. I soon realized there had to be something better, easier, and easier on the eyes. I then learned that Apple had some software of their own: iWork. For only $80 dollars, you get the Mac equivalent of Microsoft Work, PowerPoint, and Excel.
Numbers is a super easy, good looking, quick, and compatible replacement for Excel. Opening Numbers brings up the template window, where you can choose between 30 different templates for what ever kind of work you wish to do. There are basic blank templates as well, which are what most users use. Templates include all kinds of financial stuff, charts, and graphcs. Of course, you can edit all of this from within a blank template, but having it already set up in very appealing themes makes it quicker and easier.
Three to five seconds later, the application has loaded to what ever template you told it to. For the sake of this review, we’ll use the blank/standard template. Numbers has all the basic and advanced functionality that Excel has, and more when it comes to ease of use and template selection. Templates just make quick and easy to set up data in a form that’s already been built. Like Pages, all the format settings are located on top. Font color, style, size and types are editable up top, as well as the cell specifications. Inserting shapes, charts, functions, and text boxes is super easy, and is done from the Insert tab.
Another common topic about the iWork suite that I get asked a lot regards saving your work. Numbers saves documents as .numbers as default. Of course, you can check the box and tell it to save a .xls so any Microsoft Office, or, iWork suite can read and edit it. I have had trouble with certain effects making the suite change, but all the content is displayed correctly.
The only thing I regret to say about Numbers is it’s lack of auto-save. So, make sure you don’t run out of battery in the middle of an un-saved document.
Having said all of this, I strongly feel that Numbers can replace Microsoft Excel. It may lack some of the more advanced features, but for what 99% of users need, Numbers is a more attractive, organized and cost-effective way to create and edit spreadsheets.
