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.

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends / Digital Trends One recommendation is “Sum of Total Sales by Customer.” If we choose that option, then Excel will proceed to create the pivot table.

Not anymore: Excel 2013’s table tools include features that make it easy to link charts and cells, perform searches, and create dynamically updated reports, just like—yes—a relational database.

How to Create Excel Spreadsheets With MySQL. When you use MySQL to query a database, you have the ability to view results from that query on your screen or send them to a text file.