Definition
Quattro Pro is a spreadsheet program developed by Borland and later acquired and marketed by Corel Corporation. It’s part of the Corel WordPerfect Office suite. The software provides features for performing calculations, analyzing data, and presenting information in graphs and charts.
Phonetic
The phonetics of the keyword “Quattro Pro” is: /kwɑːtroʊ proʊ/
Key Takeaways
- Quattro Pro is a spreadsheet program that was first designed and marketed by Borland and is now owned by Corel. It gained popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s for its powerhouse capabilities, offering capabilities for data analysis, graphing, and financial calculations.
- One of its key features is its compatibility with Microsoft’s Excel, as well as other spreadsheet software. Also, unlike other competitors at the time of its release, it was noted for offering multi-sheet workbooks, granting users more convenience and efficiency.
- Despite its strong initial success, Quattro Pro had struggled with maintaining its market position against its strong competitors like Microsoft Excel and Lotus 1-2-3. Corel continues to bundle it with their WordPerfect Office suite, but its usage and prevalence are not as widespread as once was.
Importance
Quattro Pro is an important term in technology as it represents a key historical software application in the evolution of spreadsheets. Developed by Borland and later owned by Corel, Quattro Pro was one of the first spreadsheet programs that posed a significant challenge to the dominance of Microsoft Excel in the 1980s and 1990s. Its compatibility and innovative features, such as the use of multiple pages (or sheets), cell notes, and an object-oriented system helped set standards that were followed by subsequent spreadsheet software. Although it has been overshadowed by other applications in recent years, Quattro Pro remains a key reference point when considering the history and development of spreadsheet software.
Explanation
Quattro Pro is a spreadsheet program developed and marketed by Borland, and later found its way into the suite of applications offered by Corel, called WordPerfect Office suite. It was first released in 1989 and it’s designed for Microsoft Windows. Its design is catered to provide data organization and analysis, something which is paramount to businesses and individuals alike for various purposes including financial analysis, budget preparation, financial statements preparation, etc. It works like other spreadsheets applications, such as Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets, where data is entered into cells in rows and columns, creating a grid of data.The fundamental purpose of Quattro Pro is to give a flexible and scalable platform for number crunching and data management. It’s specifically tailored to manage, calculate, analyze and report data. Perhaps its most potent feature is the ability to create formulas or functions which can be as simple as adding a column of numbers, or a complex statistical analysis modeling. Beyond raw data processing and presentation, Quattro Pro also possesses a range of graphing and charting tools that enable data visualisation which helps in better comprehension and representation of underlying patterns and trends in the data.
Examples
1. Business Accounting: Quattro Pro is extensively used in businesses for accounting purposes. This spreadsheet program aids businesses in maintaining financial records, generating financial reports, budgeting, tax calculations, and other financial related activities. Its expansive range of features allows businesses to easily track and analyze financial data.2. Educational Sector: In the education sector, Quattro Pro can be used by both teacher and students for data management and data analysis. For example, teachers can use it to track student grades, create class schedules, and analyze student performance statistics; while students can use it to organize study schedules, manage research data, and more.3. Scientific Research: Quattro Pro is also widely used in scientific research. For instance, researchers may use it to organize and analyze data from experiments, conducting statistical analyses, graphing results and calculating complex formulas. This aids in producing more accurate findings and hypothesis testing.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ)
**Q1: What is Quattro Pro?**A: Quattro Pro is a spreadsheet program developed by Borland and now managed by Corel, primarily for the Windows operating system. It originally competed against Lotus 1-2-3 and now serves as part of the WordPerfect Office suite.**Q2: What is the primary use of Quattro Pro?**A: Quattro Pro is primarily used for data organization, analysis and financial planning, similar to Microsoft Excel. Its functionalities range from basic calculation tools to advanced data analysis techniques.**Q3: What file extensions are associated with Quattro Pro?**A: The default file extension for Quattro Pro was initially .qpw, but it generally supports a variety of formats, such as .xls and .xlsx (Microsoft Excel) or .csv (Common Separated Values).**Q4: Is Quattro Pro compatible with Microsoft Excel?**A: Yes, Quattro Pro is designed to be compatible with Excel and can open, edit, and save files in Excel’s .xls and .xlsx file formats.**Q5: What is the latest version of Quattro Pro available?**A: The latest version of Quattro Pro is part of the Corel WordPerfect Office 2020 suite.**Q6: Is easy to use Quattro Pro as a beginner?**A: While there is a learning curve associated with any advanced spreadsheet program, Quattro Pro is known for its user-friendly interface and comprehensive help materials that make it easier for beginners to pick it up.**Q7: Can I create charts and graphs in Quattro Pro?**A: Yes, Quattro Pro has extensive charting and graphing capabilities. Users can create a variety of visualizations including bar graphs, pie charts, scatter plots, etc.**Q8: Is Quattro Pro available for Mac?**A: Currently, Quattro Pro is not available for the Mac operating system. It is primarily developed for use on Windows.**Q9: What sets Quattro Pro apart from other spreadsheet software?**A: One advantage of Quattro Pro is its compatibility with a wide range of file formats. It also has superior cell referencing in comparison to its counterparts and comes bundled with an extensive suite of office software, WordPerfect Office.**Q10: Can I encrypt and secure my Quattro Pro files?**A: Yes, Quattro Pro provides the user with security options such as password protection and encryption to secure sensitive data.
Related Tech Terms
- Spreadsheet software
- Borland Inc.
- Cell Computing
- Corel WordPerfect Office
- Lotus 1-2-3 Compatibility
