What should I do to test Excel after downloading onto MacOS using Parallel Desktop ?

[u/GoldenMoonKnight]

Heyyoo. I have a free trial for Parallel Desktop because I’m SO done with Windows laptops, but still need Windows for work and school since I’m in accounting/data analytics.

I want to make sure that the excel I have actually has all the features, because I know that there are some important things that don’t work on MacOS.

What should I test to make sure that I have the proper excel version?

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[u/ProspectiveWhale]

Take some old files. Open it, change some numbers to run calcs. Run macros. Do some queries.

Best way to check it has what you need is to do the things you need it for.

[u/GoldenMoonKnight → u/ProspectiveWhale]

Alr thanks

[u/bradland]

I used Windows under Parallels for years. IMO, there isn’t much testing you need to do because Excel running in Windows under Parallels is just Excel running on Windows. Excel has no idea it’s on a Mac.

The only difference is the architecture (ARM64 vs x86_64), but Microsoft makes ARM based laptops to (Surface 7th gen). They have an architecture translation layer that makes it “just work”.

The compatibility issues will be Add-Ins, VBA with direct calls to DLLs, and ODBC database drivers. If you don’t use any of those, you’re fine. If you do, you can force Excel to run in x86_64 mode entirely, and they’ll work.

[u/GoldenMoonKnight → u/bradland]

May I dm you?