Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet application that allows users to organize,

analyze, and visualize data. It is widely used for tasks such as data entry,
budgeting, financial analysis, and reporting.

Excel Basics

Workbook vs. Worksheet

 Workbook: An Excel file containing multiple sheets (worksheets).

 Worksheet: A single sheet within a workbook where data is entered.

Worksheets have rows (horizontal) and columns (vertical) that form
cells.

Example: A workbook might have separate worksheets for January,

February, and March data.

Rows, Columns, and Cells

 Rows: Horizontal lines in a worksheet, numbered (e.g., 1, 2, 3).

 Columns: Vertical lines, labeled alphabetically (e.g., A, B, C).

 Cells: Intersection of a row and column (e.g., A1 is the cell in column

A, row 1).

Entering and Editing Data

1. Entering Data:

o Click a cell and type.

o Press Enter to move down or Tab to move right.

2. Editing Data:

o Double-click the cell to edit directly or press F2.

3. Deleting Data:

o Select a cell and press Delete or right-click → Clear Contents.

Formatting Cells

 Font: Change font style, size, or color.

 Alignment: Align text left, center, or right.

 Number Format: Format data as currency, percentage, date, etc.

Example:
 1. Select cells.

2. Go to Home → Number group.

3. Choose the desired format.

Basic Excel Features

Formulas and Functions

 Formulas: Start with = to perform calculations.

Example: =A1 + B1 adds values in cells A1 and B1.

 Functions: Predefined formulas for common tasks.

Examples:

o =SUM(A1:A5) Adds values from A1 to A5.

o =AVERAGE(A1:A5) Finds the average.

AutoFill

 AutoFill: Automatically fills a series (e.g., numbers, dates, or

patterns).
Steps:

1. Enter data in a cell (e.g., 1).

2. Drag the fill handle (bottom-right corner of the cell) across

adjacent cells.

Example: Type "Jan" in a cell, drag, and Excel fills "Feb," "Mar," etc.

Sorting and Filtering

1. Sorting: Arrange data in ascending/descending order.

Steps:

o Select data.

o Go to Data → Sort.

o Choose a column and order.

2. Filtering: Display only rows that meet specific criteria.

Steps:
 o Select data.

o Go to Data → Filter.

o Click the dropdown arrow and apply conditions.

Conditional Formatting

Highlight cells based on rules.

Steps:

1. Select data.

2. Go to Home → Conditional Formatting.

3. Choose a rule (e.g., Highlight cells greater than 100).

Excel Charts and Visualization

Charts

Create visual representations of data.

Steps:

1. Select data.

2. Go to Insert → Choose a chart type (e.g., Bar, Pie, Line).

3. Customize the chart (title, labels, colors).

Sparklines

Small, simple charts inside a cell.

Steps:

1. Select a cell.

2. Go to Insert → Sparklines → Choose Line, Column, or Win/Loss.

Data Management

Remove Duplicates

Remove duplicate entries.

Steps:

1. Select the data.

2. Go to Data → Remove Duplicates.

Data Validation

Restrict input in a cell (e.g., numbers only).

Steps:

1. Select cells.

2. Go to Data → Data Validation.

3. Set rules (e.g., whole numbers between 1 and 100).

Advanced Excel Features

VLOOKUP

Look up a value in a table.

Syntax: =VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num,
[range_lookup])
Example:
To find the price of Product ID 101:

=VLOOKUP(101, A2:D10, 3, FALSE)

Pivot Tables

Summarize data in a report.

Steps:

1. Select data.

2. Go to Insert → Pivot Table.

3. Drag fields into Rows, Columns, and Values sections.

Example: Summarize sales data by region.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcu
Action
t

Save workbook Ctrl + S

Ctrl +
Open workbook
O

Copy Ctrl +
 Shortcu
Action
t

Ctrl +
Paste
V

Ctrl +
Cut
X

Ctrl +
Undo
Z

Redo Ctrl + Y

Ctrl +
Select entire sheet
A

Fin Ctrl +
d F

Insert current Ctrl +

date ;

Insert current Ctrl + Shift

time +;

1. Understanding References

 Cell References refer to cells in Excel and are used in formulas. Types
of references:

o Relative Reference (e.g., A1): Changes when copied to another

cell.
 o Absolute Reference (e.g., $A$1): Stays constant even when
copied to other cells.

o Mixed Reference (e.g., $A1 or A$1): Only part of the reference

is fixed.

Copyrigh
ts Example:

o If B2 = A2 * 10, copying this formula from cell B2 to B3 will

adjust the formula to B3 = A3 * 10 in a relative reference.

o Using $A$2 * 10 keeps the reference to A2 fixed in every cell

where it is copied.

Here’s a set of notes covering the key Excel topics: References, Logical
Operators, IF Statements, VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP, Text Formulas, Date
& Time Formulas, and Error Types.

 Cell References refer to cells in Excel and are used in formulas. Types
of references:

o Relative Reference (e.g., A1): Changes when copied to another

cell.
 o Absolute Reference (e.g., $A$1): Stays constant even when
copied to other cells.

o Mixed Reference (e.g., $A1 or A$1): Only part of the reference

is fixed.

Copyrigh
ts Example:

o If B2 = A2 * 10, copying this

formula from cell B2 to B3 will adjust the formula to B3 = A3 * 10
in a relative reference.

o Using $A$2 * 10 keeps the reference to A2 fixed in every cell

where it is copied.

o 1. Relative Reference

o Definition: A relative reference in Excel adjusts when you copy

the formula to another cell. It’s the default reference type in
Excel.

o Example:

o If B1 has =A1 * 2, copying this formula from B1 to B2 will change

the formula to =A2 * 2 (the cell reference changes relative to the
new location).

o 2. Absolute Reference

o Definition: An absolute reference keeps a cell reference fixed,

so it won’t change when you copy the formula to another cell.
Indicated by dollar signs ($).

o Example:

Copyrigh o If you want to always multiply by

the value in A1, use $A$1 in the

ts
 formula, like =B1 * $A$1. Copying this formula to other cells will
still refer to A1 as $A$1.

o 3. Mixed Reference

o Definition: A mixed reference locks either the row or the column

but not both. It uses one dollar sign, either $A1 (locks the column
only) or A$1 (locks the row only).

o Example:

o If you want the formula in B1 to always refer to column A but

allow the row to change, you can use $A1 in your formula, like
=$A1 * 2. Copying this down would change it to =$A2 * 2, but
copying it to the right would still refer to column A.

2. Logical Operators

 Logical Operators are used in Excel to compare values:

o =: Equals

o <>: Not equal to

o >: Greater than

o <: Less than

o >=: Greater than or equal to

o <=: Less than or equal to

 Example:

o If A1 = 10 and B1 = 15, the formula =A1 < B1 returns TRUE

because 10 is less than 15.

3. IF Statements

 The IF function allows you to create conditional formulas.

o Syntax: =IF(condition, value_if_true, value_if_false)

 Example:
 o =IF(A2 > 50, "Pass", "Fail") checks if the value in A2 is greater
than 50. If true, it returns "Pass"; otherwise, it returns "Fail."

Copyrigh
ts Nested IFs: Multiple IF statements
within one formula to handle more
than two conditions.

o Example: =IF(A2 > 50, "Pass", IF(A2 > 30, "Average", "Fail"))

4. VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP

VLOOKUP

 VLOOKUP (Vertical Lookup) searches for a value in the first column of

a table and returns a value in the same row from a specified column.

o Syntax: =VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num,

[range_lookup])

o lookup_value: The value to search for.

o table_array: The range containing the data.

o col_index_num: The column number in the range to return.

o [range_lookup]: Use FALSE for an exact match or TRUE for an

approximate match.

 Example:

o =VLOOKUP("Apple", A2:C10, 3, FALSE) searches for "Apple" in

the first column of the range A2:C10 and returns the value from
the 3rd column.

Copyrigh
ts
HLOOKUP

 HLOOKUP (Horizontal Lookup) searches for a value in the first row of a

table and returns a value in the same column from a specified row.

o Syntax: =HLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, row_index_num,

[range_lookup])

 Example:

o =HLOOKUP("Q1", A1:D5, 4, FALSE) looks for "Q1" in the first row

and returns the value from the 4th row.

Copyrigh
ts 5. Text Formulas

 Concatenate (&): Joins two or more

text strings together.

o Example: =A2 & " " & B2 joins the text in A2 and B2 with a
space.

 LEFT, RIGHT, and MID: Extract parts of a text string.

o LEFT(text, num_chars): Gets the leftmost characters.

o RIGHT(text, num_chars): Gets the rightmost characters.

o MID(text, start_num, num_chars): Extracts characters from

the middle.

o Example: =MID(A2, 7, 5) extracts 5 characters starting from the

7th character in cell A2.

 LEN: Returns the number of characters in a text string.

o Example: =LEN(A2) counts the characters in cell A2.

 UPPER, LOWER, PROPER: Change text case.

o UPPER: Converts to uppercase, LOWER to lowercase, and

PROPER capitalizes each word.
 o Example: =UPPER("hello") results in "HELLO".

Copyrigh
ts 6. Date & Time Formulas

 TODAY(): Returns the current date.

o Example: =TODAY() might return 11/09/2024.

 NOW(): Returns the current date and time.

o Example: =NOW() could display 11/09/2024 14:35.

 YEAR, MONTH, DAY: Extract parts of a date.

o Example: =YEAR(A2) returns the year part of a date in A2.

 DATEDIF: Calculates the difference between two dates.

o Syntax: =DATEDIF(start_date, end_date, "unit")

o "unit" can be "Y" for years, "M" for months, or "D" for days.

 WEEKDAY: Returns the day of the week as a number (1 for Sunday

through 7 for Saturday).

o Syntax: =WEEKDAY(A2, [return_type])

7. Error Types

 #DIV/0!: You tried to divide by zero or by an empty cell.

o Solution: Check for empty cells or zero values in the

denominator.

 #N/A: A value is not available, often seen with lookup functions when a
value cannot be found.

o Solution: Make sure the value exists in your lookup range.

 #VALUE!: There’s an issue with the types of data used in the formula
(e.g., trying to do math with text).

o Solution: Check that all arguments in the formula are correct.

  #REF!: A cell reference is invalid, possibly because a cell was deleted.

Copyrigh
ts Solution: Update or correct the
reference.

#NAME?: Excel doesn’t recognize text in the formula, often due to a typo in
a function name.

o Solution: Check for misspellings.

 #NUM!: A formula has an invalid numeric value.

o Solution: Check for values that are too large, small, or otherwise
invalid.

Here’s a set of notes covering the key Excel topics: References, Logical
Operators, IF Statements, VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP, Text Formulas, Date
& Time Formulas, and Error Types.

1. Understanding References

 Cell References refer to cells in Excel and are used in formulas. Types
of references:

o Relative Reference (e.g., A1): Changes when copied to another

cell.

o Absolute Reference (e.g., $A$1): Stays constant even when

copied to other cells.

o Mixed Reference (e.g., $A1 or A$1): Only part of the reference

is fixed.

 Example:
 o If B2 = A2 * 10, copying this formula from cell B2 to B3 will
adjust the formula to B3 = A3 * 10 in a relative reference.

o Using $A$2 * 10 keeps the reference to A2 fixed in every cell

where it is copied.

2. Logical Operators

 Logical Operators are used in Excel to compare values:

o =: Equals

o <>: Not equal to

o >: Greater than

o <: Less than

o >=: Greater than or equal to

o <=: Less than or equal to

 Example:

o If A1 = 10 and B1 = 15, the formula =A1 < B1 returns TRUE

because 10 is less than 15.

3. IF Statements

 The IF function allows you to create conditional formulas.

o Syntax: =IF(condition, value_if_true, value_if_false)

 Example:

o =IF(A2 > 50, "Pass", "Fail") checks if the value in A2 is greater

than 50. If true, it returns "Pass"; otherwise, it returns "Fail."

 Nested IFs: Multiple IF statements within one formula to handle more

than two conditions.

o Example: =IF(A2 > 50, "Pass", IF(A2 > 30, "Average", "Fail"))

4. VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP

VLOOKUP

 VLOOKUP (Vertical Lookup) searches for a value in the first column of

a table and returns a value in the same row from a specified column.

o Syntax: =VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num,

[range_lookup])

o lookup_value: The value to search for.

o table_array: The range containing the data.

o col_index_num: The column number in the range to return.

o [range_lookup]: Use FALSE for an exact match or TRUE for an

approximate match.

 Example:

o =VLOOKUP("Apple", A2:C10, 3, FALSE) searches for "Apple" in

the first column of the range A2:C10 and returns the value from
the 3rd column.

HLOOKUP

 HLOOKUP (Horizontal Lookup) searches for a value in the first row of a

table and returns a value in the same column from a specified row.

o Syntax: =HLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, row_index_num,

[range_lookup])

 Example:

o =HLOOKUP("Q1", A1:D5, 4, FALSE) looks for "Q1" in the first row

and returns the value from the 4th row.

5. Text Formulas

 Concatenate (&): Joins two or more text strings together.

o Example: =A2 & " " & B2 joins the text in A2 and B2 with a
space.

 LEFT, RIGHT, and MID: Extract parts of a text string.

o LEFT(text, num_chars): Gets the leftmost characters.

o RIGHT(text, num_chars): Gets the rightmost characters.

 o MID(text, start_num, num_chars): Extracts characters from
the middle.

o Example: =MID(A2, 7, 5) extracts 5 characters starting from the

7th character in cell A2.

 LEN: Returns the number of characters in a text string.

o Example: =LEN(A2) counts the characters in cell A2.

 UPPER, LOWER, PROPER: Change text case.

o UPPER: Converts to uppercase, LOWER to lowercase, and

PROPER capitalizes each word.

o Example: =UPPER("hello") results in "HELLO".

6. Date & Time Formulas

 TODAY(): Returns the current date.

o Example: =TODAY() might return 11/09/2024.

 NOW(): Returns the current date and time.

o Example: =NOW() could display 11/09/2024 14:35.

 YEAR, MONTH, DAY: Extract parts of a date.

o Example: =YEAR(A2) returns the year part of a date in A2.

 DATEDIF: Calculates the difference between two dates.

o Syntax: =DATEDIF(start_date, end_date, "unit")

o "unit" can be "Y" for years, "M" for months, or "D" for days.

 WEEKDAY: Returns the day of the week as a number (1 for Sunday

through 7 for Saturday).

o Syntax: =WEEKDAY(A2, [return_type])

7. Error Types

 #DIV/0!: You tried to divide by zero or by an empty cell.

 o Solution: Check for empty cells or zero values in the
denominator.

 #N/A: A value is not available, often seen with lookup functions when a
value cannot be found.

o Solution: Make sure the value exists in your lookup range.

 #VALUE!: There’s an issue with the types of data used in the formula
(e.g., trying to do math with text).

o Solution: Check that all arguments in the formula are correct.

 #REF!: A cell reference is invalid, possibly because a cell was deleted.

o Solution: Update or correct the reference.

 #NAME?: Excel doesn’t recognize text in the formula, often due to a

typo in a function name.

o Solution: Check for misspellings.

 #NUM!: A formula has an invalid numeric value.

o Solution: Check for values that are too large, small, or otherwise
invalid.

Summary

Topic Function Example / Syntax

References Relative, Absolute A1, $A$1

Logical
=, <>, >, < =A1 > B1
Operators

IF Statements IF =IF(A2 > 50, "Pass", "Fail")

=VLOOKUP("Apple", A2:C10, 3,
VLOOKUP Lookup vertically
FALSE)

=HLOOKUP("Q1", A1:D5, 4,
HLOOKUP Lookup horizontally
FALSE)

Concatenate, LEFT,
Text Formulas =A2 & " " & B2, =MID(A2, 7, 5)
MID
Topic Function Example / Syntax

Date Formulas TODAY, NOW, YEAR =TODAY(), =YEAR(A2)

#DIV/0!, #N/A,
Error Types Error explanations and solutions
#VALUE!

These notes will give you a strong foundation for using Excel’s functions and
handling common errors effectively.

Practice these formulas on sample data of your own to gain confidence!

Some of the interview questions –

1. What is a Relative Reference in Excel, and how does it function when

copying a formula?
2. Can you explain an Absolute Reference and when you would use it in a
formula?
3. Describe a Mixed Reference and provide an example of when it might
be useful.
4. What are some common logical operators in Excel, and how do they
work?
5. How would you use the logical operator <> in a formula, and what
does it signify?
6. Can logical operators be combined with functions like IF? If so, how?
7. What is an IF function in Excel, and what is its basic structure?
8. How would you write an IF formula to display “Pass” if a cell value is
above 60 and “Fail” if it is 60 or below?
9. What are nested IF functions? Can you give an example of when
they are useful?

10. What is the limit to nesting IF functions in Excel, and how do you work around it?
11. What is VLOOKUP, and how does it work in Excel?
12. Can you explain how HLOOKUP differs from VLOOKUP?
13. What is the purpose of the [range_lookup] argument in
VLOOKUP?
14. How would you handle errors when using VLOOKUP with missing
data?
15. What does the col_index_num argument do in the VLOOKUP
function?
16. Can you use VLOOKUP to retrieve data from a table to the left of
your lookup column? Why or why not?
17. What does the CONCATENATE function or & operator do in
Excel?
18. How does the LEFT function work, and when would you use it?
19. Describe how the MID function extracts text and what its
parameters mean.
20. How would you use UPPER, LOWER, and PROPER functions to
format text?
21. What does the LEN function do, and why is it useful in working
with text?
22. What does the TODAY() function do in Excel, and what format
does it return?
23. How is the NOW() function different from TODAY(), and what
type of data does it return?
24. How would you use YEAR, MONTH, and DAY functions to
extract parts of a date?
25. Can you explain how the WEEKDAY function works and provide
an example use case?
26. Describe the DATEDIF function and how it can be used to
calculate the time difference between dates.
27. What does the #DIV/0! error indicate, and how can it be
avoided?
28. How do you resolve a #N/A error when using VLOOKUP or
HLOOKUP?
29. Explain what causes the #VALUE! error and how you would
troubleshoot it.
30. What is the #REF! error, and when might it appear?
31. What does the #NAME? error mean in Excel, and how would you
correct it?
32. Can you explain the #NUM! error and provide an example of
when it might occur?