Spreadsheet software is very important in the modern world of records and organization. Spreadsheet software allows users to make lists, organize budgets, perform calculations, and much more. While not all spreadsheet software is the same, the general goal is to provide the user with a simplified way of organizing and presenting information. This article will list a number of free spreadsheet programs that users can use to increase business, educational, and personal organization.

Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Excel is, perhaps, the most widely used spreadsheet software in the world. Microsoft Excel is a part of the Microsoft Office Suite and knowledge of how to use the software is usually included as a job requirement for most office jobs. While it can be easy to use the software once it is learned, Microsoft Excel can be extremely complicated and confusing for many users. It is, however, undisputable that Microsoft Excel includes many great features such as the ability to make calculations based on formulas, add notes to individual cells, and drag cells to new positions.

Open Office Calc
Open Office Calc is an open source alternative to Microsoft Excel that comes with the Open Office Suite. Open Office Calc allows the user to create graphs and charts based on percentages, arrange information in new and exciting ways, perform calculations, assign functions, and separate documents into multiple layers. Open Office Calc includes many great features including the ability to create formulas based on words rather than variables, collect information from external databases, and calculate subtotals automatically. Wizards also aid the user throughout the program in performing various tasks.

KSpread
KSpread comes from the KOffice Suite and provides the user with many great spreadsheet tools. While Open Office Calc and Microsoft Excel are similar to one another, KSpread has a unique interface. KSpread includes the editing features of all other KOffice products so users are able to modify the spreadsheets much more efficiently. KSpread also allows users to choose a template depending on the specific nature of the spreadsheet and use a comprehensive list of formulas that are preprogrammed into the software.

Gnumeric
Gnumeric is a part of the Gnome Office Suite and is completely open source under the GNU General Public License. Gnumeric is able to read and modify documents created by other spreadsheet software, handle large spreadsheets, and quickly calculate accurate answers. Gnumeric includes all of the tools and features of Microsoft Excel plus 154 additional functions. The software also includes a batch processing tool that can translate documents from one spreadsheet format into another.

Bean Sheet
Bean Sheet is a Java-based spreadsheet program based on the open source Java Interpreter, Bean Shell. Bean Sheet is capable of much more than a standard spreadsheet software as it has full access to the Java Virtual Machine. Users can use Bean Sheet to create ordinary spreadsheets but can also use the software to create applications by matching functions with variables.

Google Docs
Google Docs allows the user to create and edit spreadsheets online and share them with anyone or everyone. Google Docs handles multiple forms of documents so users are able to combine multiple sources of information into one spreadsheet. Google Docs makes financial budgeting extremely easy through the use of complex formulas, comprehensive functions, and automatic translations. Users can also allow others to edit their spreadsheets in order to create a group-controlled project. Google Docs does not need to be downloaded or installed and can be used from any browser in the world.

Sphygmic
Sphygmic is a spreadsheet program that includes much of the same functions and features as other spreadsheet software but is under 4 MB in size (compared to Excel's 180 MB). The software includes 125 functions, 256 columns, and 16,384 rows while users can still work with multiple sheets at once. Sphygmic can also import CSV files and write in Excel 4.0.