From Excel to Pandas: A Beginner’s Guide to a Seamless Data Transition
By Sheikh | July 31, 2025 | DataPrepWithPandas.com
Excel to Pandas Cheat Sheet
Ditch the clicks. Automate everything. Love your data again.
Grab the Files
Want to follow along with both Excel and Python? Download the ready-to-use examples:
- Loading Your Data
In Excel:
You go to File → Open and manually pick your file.
In Pandas:
import pandas as pd
df = pd.read_csv("data.csv")
Loads millions of rows in seconds—no crashing!
- Filtering Your Data
In Excel:
You click on Data → Filter and start selecting dropdowns.
In Pandas:
filtered = df[df["Sales"] > 500]
Filter by any logic—no clicks, no fuss. Works even on live data!
- VLOOKUP in Excel → merge() in Pandas
In Excel:
=VLOOKUP(A2, Sheet2!A:B, 2, FALSE)
In Pandas:
merged = pd.merge(table1, table2, on="ID")
No more formula errors or broken links. Just clean merges.
- Pivot Tables
In Excel:
You click Insert → PivotTable, then drag stuff around.
In Pandas:
pivot = df.pivot_table(values="Sales", index="Region", aggfunc="sum")
Build pivot tables with code you can re-use, tweak, and automate.
- SUMIFS / COUNTIFS = groupby()
In Excel:
=SUMIFS(Sales, Region, "West")
In Pandas:
summary = df.groupby("Region")["Sales"].sum()
Group, count, and sum anything—all in a single line.
- Removing Duplicates
In Excel:
Data → Remove Duplicates (and hope you selected the right column)
In Pandas:
df.drop_duplicates(inplace=True)
One command. Clean results. No mouse needed.
- Saving Your Results
In Excel:
File → Save As (and hope you don’t overwrite something important)
In Pandas:
df.to_csv("result.csv", index=False)
Save directly from your code. Even schedule it to run every week!
Ready to Learn Pandas Properly?
If you're tired of Excel limitations and want to truly master your data—join my beginner-friendly course:
Mastering Pandas for Excel Users →
It’s made for folks just like you.
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Why This Cheat Sheet Works:
- Clear side-by-side comparisons—no tech jargon
- Instant code downloads—no gatekeeping
- Designed to help you learn & act fast
Need more help switching from Excel to Python? Just ask. I’ve got you. 💡
