# Excel: how AI models rank it, October 2026

HR AI Recommendation Index, October 2026 Edition. Named in 19 judge labels across 8 categories by 8 of 14 models. Page: https://hr-ai-index.com/vendors/excel/

## Standing by category

| Category | Share | Rank | Negative rate | Labels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Succession planning | 0% | 93 | 100% | 5 |
| Org charts and org design | 0% | 94 | 75% | 4 |
| People analytics | 0% | 35 | 0% | 3 |
| Goals and OKRs | 0% | 51 | 50% | 2 |
| Workforce planning | 0% | 96 | 100% | 2 |
| 360 feedback | 0% | 63 | 100% | 1 |
| Leave and absence management | 0% | 88 | 100% | 1 |
| Pay equity | 0% | 35 | 0% | 1 |

## What the models said for it

- "spreadsheet software is actually one of the cheapest ways to handle org charts" (Qwen 3.7 Flash, Org charts)
- "your best strategy is to use Excel combined with specialized templates" (Qwen 3.7 Flash, Pay equity)

## And against it

- "Basic Survey & Spreadsheet Tools (Excel, Google Forms, SurveyMonkey)... they are generally considered "toxic" for mature performance management" (Qwen 3.7 Flash, 360 feedback)
- "relying on it for active succession planning is considered a major risk factor... Why to Avoid: It creates a "single point of failure."" (Qwen 3.7 Flash, Succession planning)
- "Use spreadsheets only for initial, ad-hoc sandbox modeling, but avoid them as your system of record for planning." (Gemini 3.5 Flash, Workforce planning)
- "Excel-Only Solutions (Without Controls) - Why to avoid: Nearly 90% of Excel spreadsheets contain errors" (GLM 4.7 FlashX, Workforce planning)

## Movement since September 2026

Floor: 13 points of share, measured on the calibration repeat. A larger change is movement; a smaller one is noise.

- Succession planning: 0% to 0%, ±0. Inside the floor by 13 points · rank 83 → 93 of 93.
- Org charts and org design: 0% to 0%, ±0. Inside the floor by 13 points · rank 74 → 94 of 95.
- People analytics: 0% to 0%, ±0. New · not ranked in September 2026 · rank 35 of 114.
- Goals and OKRs: 0% to 0%, ±0. Inside the floor by 13 points · rank 44 → 51 of 68.
- Workforce planning: 0% to 0%, ±0. Inside the floor by 13 points · rank 69 → 96 of 98.
- 360 feedback: 0% to 0%, ±0. New · not ranked in September 2026 · rank 63 of 73.
- Leave and absence management: 0% to 0%, ±0. Inside the floor by 13 points · rank 80 → 88 of 95.
- Pay equity: 0% to 0%, ±0. New · not ranked in September 2026 · rank 35 of 73.

## Record

- Method: https://hr-ai-index.com/methodology/
- Raw judge labels and full responses: https://hr-ai-index.com/data/
- License: CC BY 4.0. Cite as HR AI Recommendation Index, October 2026 Edition, hr-ai-index.com.