Difference Between DBMS and Spreadsheet

In this article we will discuss about database management system (DBMS) and spreadsheet. We will discuss what is database, what is spreadsheet and their advantages and disadvantages. We will also discuss their applications and difference between DBMS and spreadsheet. 

What is Database Management system (DBMS)? 

DBMS is a software. We use it manage and organize data in a structured manner. We can create, update, delete and query from the database. We store data in form of tables inside database. There are different types of software available as DBMS, i.e., MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL server, etc. 

Features of DBMS 

These are importance features as given below -

• RDBMS: We organize data in form of tables. Tables consist rows and columns. We use primary key and foreign key to connect data each other and for other properties.
• Concurrency control: We can control the data using concurrency mechanisms, so multiple user can communicate with the data at the same time. 
• Data integrity: We can enforce data integrity and security constraints, so we can restrict the data who can access it. 
• Backup: We can recover data because we can have backup of the data in case of event failure occures. 
• Data modeling: We use data modeling to define the structure and relationships of the data in a database.

Types of DBMS 

There are three types of DBMS as given below - 

• RDBMS: It is relational database management system. It stores the data in the form of tables and each table has rows and columns. Example is MySQL.
• NoSQL DBMS: It store data using key-value pairs, documents, graphs, or columns. We use NoSQL DBMS for high performance. It is non-relational database management system. Example is NoSQL.
• OODBMS: It is object oriented database. We store the data as objects just like objects used in the object-oriented programming. 

Applications of DBMS

These are some uses of DBMS as give below -

• University: We use DBMS to store students and staff information. 
• Airlines: We use DBMS to store information of reservations and schedules.
• Banking: We use DBMS to store information of customer details, accounts, loans, banking transactions, credit card transactions.
• Enterprise: We use DBMS to store information of sales, accounting, human resources, Manufacturing, online retailers.

Advantages and disadvantages of DBMS 

These are some advantages and disadvantages of using DBMS -

Advantages of DBMS	Disadvantages of DBMS
It organizes data for easy access.	It is complex to set up and maintain.
It provides data integrity with controls.	It adds overhead to application performance.
Multiple users can access data.	It may limit scalability because locking may needs.
We can manage data security and access.	It is expensive.
It provides data backup and recovery.	It may not be suitable for the all the types of data.

What is Spreadsheet?

Spreadsheet is a software to store the data in form of rows and columns. We can store, arrange, calculate and sort the data. We can use different formulas and functions in the stored data. We can add more data in spreadsheet easily because we just need to insert more rows or columns only. We can create, update and delete data within cells.

Examples of spreadsheets are Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, and LibreOffice Calc.

Features of Spreadsheets

These are important features as given below - 

• Cell-based structure: We organize data in the cells of rows and columns. We can store any type of data in these cells, like numbers and text. 
• Formulas and functions: Spreadsheet provide different built-in formulas and functions for calculations and data analysis.
• Data visualization: We can create charts, graphs, and tables to represent data visually.
• Conditional formatting: We can restrict any cell to accept data based on given condition. 
• Data filtering: We can filter and sort data to find and organize data. 

Types of Spreadsheets

There are three main types of spreadsheets as given below -

• Personal spreadsheets: We use it for simple calculation and for personal use. Example is Google Sheets.
• Business spreadsheets: We use it for finance and accounting. Example is Microsoft Excel.
• Web-based spreadsheets: We use it for multiples user can access and edit the sheet online. Examples are Google Sheets and Zoho Sheets.

Applications of Spreadsheet

These are some uses of spreadsheets as given below -

• Personal use: We can use spreadsheet for personal use for tracking personal expenses, creating to-do lists and organizing information. 
• Project management: We can use spreadsheet to plan schedules, allocate resources and track project progress. 
• Data analysis: We can use spreadsheet for organizing and analyzing datasets in research and business.
• Finance: We can use spreadsheet to create budget plan and track expenses.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Spreadsheets

These are some advantages and disadvantages of using spreadsheets -

Advantages of Spreadsheets	Disadvantages of Spreadsheets
We can organize the data in easy to read format.	It can have data security and access control concerns.
We can use formulas and functions for calculations.	Formulas can be difficult to use.
We can display data using visualization with charts.	It is less suitable for large data.
We can filter and sort the data.	It is difficult for multiple users.
It is easy to use.	It has limited data integrity.

Difference between DBMS and Spreadsheet

These are some differences between DBMS and Spreadsheet as given below in the table.

DBMS	Spreadsheet
Users need to learn SQL to query DBMS.	Users access it directly.
It is not easier to use than spreadsheet.	It is easy to use.
We can store and query the data.	We can store and analyze the data.
We can store any amount of the data in the DBMS.	We can store only limited or small data in the spreadsheet.
DBMS is efficient for data handling.	Spreadsheet is not efficient for data handling.
Examples of DBMS are: MySQL, PostgreSQL, Microsoft Access.	Examples of Spreadsheet are: Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets.
We use DBMS in large enterprises to store the data.	We use spreadsheet for accounting tasks.
It provides classification of data.	It provides numeric relationships.

Conclusion

In this article, we have discussed database management system (DBMS) and Spreadsheet. We have discussed the features of DBMS, types of the DBMS, applications of DBMS and advantages and disadvantages of DBMS. Similarly, we have discussed spreadsheet. Then we have discussed various differences between DBMS and spreadsheets. Both DBMS and spreadsheet are used to store and retrieve the data. We can use DBMS for large data and spreadsheet for small data. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Que-1: When do you use spreadsheet instead of DBMS?

Ans: We use spreadsheet for smaller data and we use DBMS for larger data because DBMS provides data integrity, security, and multiple-user access.

Que-2: Which is better for analyzing data?

Ans: Spreadsheet is better for basic data analysis and visualization but for large data DBMS is better.

Que-3: Do spreadsheets provide data security like a DBMS?

Ans: Spreadsheets provides limited basic security options.