I find Excel easier and faster than pencil and a calculator. But I don't even bother with a stock spreadsheet. I usually just create something on the fly.
I still have the old HP calculator. It has been so long, I have forgotten how to use it. I remeber in the mid 1990's that was pretty much how we did mortgages and prequals.
If you Google "investment analysis filetype:xls" you'll get a boat load of free spreadsheets, many of which are useful tools.
If you're asking the question, you haven't been at this anywhere near as long as the guys that do their figuring with a financial calculator and a paper napkin.
There's a lot to be learned looking at a comprehensive set of spreadsheets prepared by someone who knows their stuff. For example,you can see how IRR/MIRR values are calculated, which are important values in commercial investment decision making.