If spreadsheets are your thing, but Microsoft Office isn't, you might want to give the open-source clone, GridCraft, a try.

On day 4, I researched free automation methods. Today, I will actually install Python from those options and test if it works ...

Every day, you open multiple Excel files and copy values. You sort columns, calculate totals, and paste them into a report ...

Excel isn't useless here, either. Poking one number and watching everything move is instant, and Excel's own Python in Excel ...