Microsoft Word and Excel are commonly used software programs. Word is a graphical word processing program used to create and edit documents, with features like formatting, headers/footers, spelling/grammar check, and printing. Excel is a spreadsheet program used to store, organize, and manipulate data, with functions like formulas, sorting, filtering, and charts. Both programs are useful for tasks like reports, documents, financial analysis, and data management in education, business, and other sectors.