What is Excel used for in engineering?
Excel is widely used by engineers for organizing data, performing basic calculations, and creating charts for project documentation. Its flexibility makes it a popular choice for tasks such as managing project schedules and conducting straightforward computations. However, Excel lacks built-in support for complex calculations required of engineers which are essential for building safe infrastructure or mechanical systems.
To address these gaps, dedicated engineering calculations software like PTC Mathcad Prime offers intuitive, streamlined workflows and advanced capabilities. Mathcad also integrates seamlessly with Excel, allowing engineers to leverage existing documentation while enhancing accuracy and interoperability across systems and projects.
Mathcad vs Excel
Dedicated engineering calculations software like PTC Mathcad Prime offers significant advantages over traditional spreadsheets, such as Excel. While Excel is familiar, it lacks essential features for complex engineering projects. Mathcad is purpose-built for engineers, enabling advanced calculations, clear documentation, and seamless integration with other engineering tools.
Feature
PTC Mathcad Prime
Excel
Natural Math Notation
Units Intelligence
Visualization & Graphs
Complex Calculations
Documentation
Integration
Error Checking
Reusable Templates
Yes – intuitive and readable
No – hidden formulas in cells
Built-in, automatic
Manual conversion
2D, 3D, polar, and contour plots
Range of chart options
Supports differential equations, matrix math, numeric/symbolic engines
Manual calculation setup
Live math, text, graphics, and tables in one worksheet
Manual annotations, comments
Excel, Windchill, CAD systems, Office Suite applications
Mathcad, Office Suite applications
Automated, transparent
Manual auditing
Standardized, validated libraries
Manual copying
PTC’s solution for engineering calculations
PTC Mathcad Prime is trusted by engineers for its intuitive interface, units' intelligence, advanced capabilities, and clear documentation. Easily solve, analyze, document, and share complex calculations with confidence and accuracy.
Mathcad’s approach to engineering calculations
Mathcad gives engineers an application purposefully built for engineering math. It visually represents math in an intuitive way, making it easy to define, understand, and manipulate engineering calculations with the whiteboard-like user interface.
Natural math notation
Mathcad lets engineers express equations just as they would appear in textbooks, using intuitive, readable math notation. With the ability to use English and Greek characters in standard math operations, this reduces errors and makes calculations easy to understand, review, and share.
Units intelligence
Mathcad automatically manages and converts engineering units, as well as allows users to define custom units for specific applications, ensuring calculations are accurate and consistent. This built-in unit intelligence helps prevent costly mistakes and streamlines complex engineering workflows.
Higher-level math
With powerful numeric and symbolic engines, Mathcad supports more than 700 built-in functions for advanced calculations – including differential equations, matrix math, and optimization – enabling engineers to solve complex problems with confidence.
Documentation
Mathcad combines live math, text, graphics, and tables in a single worksheet, making it easy to document engineering decisions, capture project knowledge, and create clear auditable records for every engineering project.