1. What are the different types of references in Excel?

 Answer: There are three types of references in Excel:

1. Relative Reference: A reference that changes when the formula is copied to
another cell (e.g., A1).
2. Absolute Reference: A reference that remains constant when the formula is
copied (e.g., $A$1).
3. Mixed Reference: A reference where either the row or the column is fixed (e.g.,
$A1 or A$1).

2. What is the difference between SUM and SUMIF functions?

 Answer:
o SUM adds all the numbers in a range of cells.
o SUMIF adds numbers in a range that meet a specified condition or criteria. For
example, =SUMIF(A1:A10, ">5") adds all numbers greater than 5 in the range
A1

3. What is a Pivot Table?

 Answer: A Pivot Table is a data summarization tool used in Excel to automatically sort,
count, and total data stored in one table or spreadsheet and create a second table
displaying the summarized data. It allows you to organize and analyze data from different
perspectives without altering the original data.

4. Explain the difference between VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP.

 Answer:
o VLOOKUP (Vertical Lookup) is used to search for a value in the first column
of a table and return a value in the same row from another column.
o HLOOKUP (Horizontal Lookup) searches for a value in the first row of a table
and returns a value in the same column from another row.

5. What is conditional formatting in Excel?

 Answer: Conditional formatting in Excel allows you to apply specific formatting (such
as color, font changes, etc.) to cells that meet certain conditions or criteria. For example,
you can set a rule to highlight cells with values greater than 100 in green or cells with
negative values in red.

6. How do you protect a worksheet or a workbook?

 Answer:
o To protect a worksheet, go to the Review tab and click on Protect Sheet. You can
set a password to prevent unauthorized changes.
 o To protect a workbook, go to the Review tab and click on Protect Workbook,
and you can protect the structure of the workbook (e.g., prevent sheets from being
added, deleted, or moved).

7. What are some useful Excel shortcuts?

 Answer: Some common Excel shortcuts include:

o Ctrl + C: Copy
o Ctrl + V: Paste
o Ctrl + Z: Undo
o Ctrl + Shift + L: Toggle filters on/off
o Ctrl + Arrow Keys: Navigate to the edges of data
o Ctrl + T: Create a table
o Alt + E, S, V: Paste Special

8. What is the difference between COUNT and COUNTA?

 Answer:
o COUNT counts only cells that contain numbers.
o COUNTA counts all non-empty cells, regardless of the data type (numbers, text,
or other values).

9. How would you find the second-largest number in a range?

 Answer: You can use the LARGE function to find the second-largest number in a range.
The syntax is:

=LARGE(range, 2)

This will return the second-largest number from the specified range.

10. What is the difference between an Excel function and a formula?

 Answer:
o A function is a pre-defined calculation in Excel, such as SUM, AVERAGE, or
VLOOKUP.
o A formula is a custom calculation created by the user using functions, constants,
and operators, for example, =A1+B1.

11. How do you remove duplicates in Excel?

 Answer: To remove duplicates, select the data range, go to the Data tab, and click
Remove Duplicates. You can choose which columns to check for duplicates.

12. What is the INDEX and MATCH function combination in Excel?

 Answer: The INDEX and MATCH combination is an alternative to VLOOKUP:

o INDEX returns the value of a cell in a specified row and column of a range.
 o MATCH returns the position of a value within a range.
o When combined, they can perform lookups in any direction (vertical or
horizontal) and are more flexible than VLOOKUP.

Example:

=INDEX(B2:B10, MATCH("Apple", A2:A10, 0))

This will return the value from the range B2:B10 where the value "Apple" is found in the range
A2:A10.

13. How would you concatenate text in Excel?

 Answer: You can concatenate text in Excel using the CONCATENATE function or the
& operator. Example:

=CONCATENATE(A1, " ", B1)

=A1 & " " & B1

14. What are some ways to optimize an Excel workbook?

 Answer: Some ways to optimize an Excel workbook include:

1. Reducing the use of volatile functions like INDIRECT, OFFSET, or NOW.
2. Avoiding array formulas where possible.
3. Turning off automatic calculation when working with large datasets.
4. Minimizing the use of complex formatting (e.g., excessive conditional
formatting).
5. Removing unused styles, sheets, and formatting.

15. Explain what an array formula is and how you can use it.

 Answer: An array formula performs calculations on multiple values in a range of cells

at once, instead of performing the same calculation on individual cells. You can create an
array formula by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Enter after typing the formula. For example, an
array formula to sum the products of two ranges could be:

less
Copy code
=SUM(A1:A10 * B1:B10)

After pressing Ctrl + Shift + Enter, Excel will compute the sum of the products of
corresponding values from the two ranges.

41. EXCEL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

42. What is Excel?
43. Excel is a spreadsheet software by Microsoft, used for data storage, analysis, and
visualization.
44. How is Excel used in data analysis?
45. Excel helps organize, manipulate, and visualize data through functions, formulas, charts, and
pivot tables.

46. What is a cell in Excel?

47. A cell is a single data point in Excel, located at the intersection of a row and column, used to
store data.

48. What are Excel workbooks and worksheets?

49. A workbook is an Excel file containing multiple worksheets (individual sheets), where data is
stored and analyzed.

50. What is the purpose of formulas in Excel?

51. Formulas perform calculations or operations on data, such as addition, averaging, and logical
tests.

52. How do you create a pivot table?

53. Go to Insert > PivotTable, select the data range, and choose where to place it.

54. What is the importance of a pivot table in data

analysis?
55. Pivot tables summarize and aggregate large datasets, making it easier to derive insights.

56. Explain the difference between relative and

absolute cell references.
57. Relative references adjust when copied (e.g., A1), while absolute references remain constant
(e.g., $A$1).

58. What is conditional formatting?

59. Conditional formatting changes cell appearance based on criteria, helping highlight important
trends or outliers.

60. How does Excel handle missing data?

61. Excel allows users to filter, replace, or ignore missing data points or use formulas like
IFERROR to manage errors.

62. What is VLOOKUP, and how is it used?

63. VLOOKUP finds values in the first column of a range and returns data from another column in
the same row.

64. What does the IF function do?

65. Performs conditional checks, returning one value if true and another if false, like =IF(A1>10,
"Yes", "No").
66. How do you use the SUM function?
67. SUM adds values in a range, such as =SUM(A1:A10).

68. What is the COUNT function?

69. Counts numeric cells within a specified range, e.g., =COUNT(A1:A10).

70. Explain the difference between COUNT and

COUNTA.
71. COUNT counts only numeric values, while COUNTA counts all non-empty cells.

72. What is data validation?

73. Data validation restricts the type of data entered into a cell, ensuring consistency and
accuracy.

74. How do you use the AVERAGE function?

75. AVERAGE finds the mean of a range of values, e.g., =AVERAGE(A1:A10).

76. How do you remove duplicates in Excel?

77. Go to Data > Remove Duplicates and select columns to check for duplicate data.

78. What is the CONCATENATE function?

79. Joins text from multiple cells, e.g., =CONCATENATE(A1, " ", B1).

80. How do you create a chart in Excel?

81. Select data, go to Insert > Chart, and choose the chart type (e.g., bar, line, pie).

82. What is a trendline in Excel, and how is it used?

83. A trendline shows the general direction of data in a chart, useful for identifying trends.

84. Explain the LEFT function.

85. Extracts characters from the start of a text string, e.g., =LEFT(A1, 3).

86. What is the purpose of the RIGHT function?

87. Extracts characters from the end of a text string, e.g., =RIGHT(A1, 3).

88. How does the MID function work?

89. Extracts text from the middle of a string, starting at a specified position, e.g., =MID(A1, 2, 3).

90. What is data cleaning, and how does Excel help

with it?
91. Data cleaning is the process of correcting or removing inaccuracies in data. Excel provides
tools like TRIM, CLEAN, and conditional formatting for this.
92. How do you sort data?
93. Select the data, go to Data > Sort, and choose your sorting options.

94. How does the FILTER function work?

95. Allows data to be filtered by specific criteria, e.g., =FILTER(A1:B10, B1:B10>10).

96. Explain the use of the TODAY function.

97. Returns the current date, e.g., =TODAY().

98. What does the NOW function do?

99. Returns the current date and time, e.g., =NOW().

100. How do you use the INDEX function?

101. Returns a value or reference from within a range, e.g., =INDEX(A1:B10, 2, 1).

102. What is the purpose of the MATCH function?

103. Finds the position of an item in a range, e.g., =MATCH("Apple", A1:A10, 0).

104. How does the SUMIF function work?

105. Adds values that meet specified criteria, e.g., =SUMIF(A1:A10, ">5").

106. What is Goal Seek, and how is it used?

107. Adjusts a cell's value to achieve a desired result, found under Data > What-If Analysis >
Goal Seek.

108. Explain the HLOOKUP function.

109. Looks up values horizontally in the first row and returns data from other rows.

110. How do you create a drop-down list in Excel?

111. Use Data Validation to create a list of options in a cell.

112. What are Excel macros?

113. Macros are sequences of recorded actions that automate repetitive tasks.

114. How do you use the TEXT function?

115. Converts numbers to text in a specified format, e.g., =TEXT(A1, "0.00").

116. What is the use of sparklines in Excel?

117. Sparklines are mini-charts that visually represent data trends within a single cell.

118. What is a dashboard in Excel?

119. A dashboard is a collection of visualizations, like charts and tables, that summarize key
metrics.
120. Explain the RANK function.
121. Returns the rank of a number within a list, e.g., =RANK(A1, A1:A10).

122. What is data visualization in Excel?

123. It involves representing data graphically through charts to make insights easier to
understand.

124. How do you add data labels to a chart?

125. Select the chart, go to Chart Design > Add Chart

Element > Data Labels.

126. What is the purpose of the SUBSTITUTE

function?
127. Replaces specified text in a string, e.g., =SUBSTITUTE(A1, "old", "new").

128. How does the ROUND function work?

129. Rounds numbers to a specified number of decimal places, e.g., =ROUND(A1, 2).

130. What is a lookup table in Excel?

131. A reference table used with functions like VLOOKUP or HLOOKUP to find data based on
a key.

132. How do you protect a worksheet?

133. Go to Review > Protect Sheet to restrict editing by setting a password.

134. How is Excel used for trend analysis?

135. Excel helps in plotting data over time with line charts or trendlines to observe patterns.

136. What is the FIND function?

137. Finds the position of a substring within a text string, e.g., =FIND("a", A1).

138. Explain how to group rows or columns in Excel.

139. Select them, go to Data > Group to combine for easy expansion or collapsing

140. What is the use of AutoSum?

141. AutoSum quickly adds up selected cells or provides other quick calculations.

142. Data Lookup: You have two lists of customer IDs, one from the sales department and
another from the customer service department. How would you match these lists and
identify missing or mismatched records?
143. Data Cleaning: You receive a dataset with inconsistent date formats and some missing
values. Describe the steps you would take to standardize the date format and handle missing
data.

144. Dynamic Reports: Your manager needs a sales report that dynamically updates when
new data is added each month. How would you set up this report in Excel?

145. Duplicate Identification: You have a list of product IDs with some duplicates. How
would you identify and highlight the duplicate IDs in Excel?

146. Conditional Formatting for KPIs: You are asked to create a dashboard to track sales
performance, where sales above the target are highlighted in green and those below target
in red. How would you implement this using conditional formatting?

147. Pivot Table Analysis: You have a dataset with sales data by region, product, and month.
How would you use a Pivot Table to find the top-performing region for a specific product?
148. Budget vs. Actual: Your team needs to compare budgeted expenses against actual
expenses each month. How would you set up a comparison report that calculates the
variance and highlights areas over budget?

149. Data Validation for Input Control: You are tasked with creating a form in Excel to collect
standardized employee information. How would you use data validation to ensure all inputs
(e.g., department names) are consistent?

150. Monthly Sales Trend Analysis: You have a table of monthly sales data over several
years. Describe how you would create a chart to show monthly sales trends and identify any
seasonal patterns.

151. Error Handling: You created a complex formula, but it occasionally returns errors. How
would you use Excel functions to display a custom message instead of the error?
152. Sales Forecasting: Using historical monthly sales data, you’re asked to predict next
month’s sales. Describe how you would use Excel’s forecasting functions or trendlines to
make this prediction.

153. Top N Analysis: You have a dataset with customer purchase information. Your manager
wants a list of the top 5 customers by purchase amount. How would you set this up in Excel?

154. Inventory Management: You need to create an inventory tracking system that updates
stock levels automatically based on daily sales. Describe the functions and formulas you
would use to achieve this.

155. Sales Growth Calculation: Given monthly revenue data, your manager wants to see the
percentage growth each month. How would you calculate this in Excel?

156. Goal Seek for Target Achievement: Your company has a revenue target, and you know
the current revenue and average sales per unit. How would you use Excel to calculate the
number of additional units required to meet the target?

157. Data Aggregation Across Sheets: You have sales data across multiple sheets, one for
each region. How would you consolidate this data into a single summary sheet?
158. Dynamic Charting: You need to create a chart that updates automatically as new
monthly data is added to the dataset. How would you set this up?

159. Customer Churn Analysis: You have data on customers who left and those who stayed.
Explain how you would analyze this data to identify trends or factors contributing to
customer churn.

160. Discount Application: You’re asked to calculate discounts for customers based on their
purchase volume (e.g., 10% for orders over $500). How would you set up a formula to apply
the correct discount rate?
 161. Sorting and Filtering Large Datasets: You have a large dataset, and you need to filter by
multiple criteria (e.g., region, product type, and date range). Explain how you would manage
this effectively in Excel.

162. Conditional Summing: You are asked to calculate total sales for a specific product
category and region. Describe how you would use conditional functions like SUMIF or SUMIFS
to accomplish this.

163. Automated Weekly Report: Your team needs a weekly summary report generated from
a dataset that is updated daily. Describe how you would automate this process in Excel.

Highlighting Outliers: You have a dataset with numerical values, and you need to identify values
that are significantly higher or lower than the average. How would you use Excel to highlight
these outliers?

Data Reconciliation: You have two different reports from separate sources, and you need to
reconcile the data to ensure consistency. Explain how you would use Excel to accomplish this.

Financial Metrics Calculation: Your manager needs a report showing revenue, cost, and profit
for each product line, along with profit margins. Describe how you would calculate and present
these metrics in Excel.

1. Basic Formula Usage

 Task: You are given a data set of sales transactions with columns for Product, Quantity
Sold, and Price per Unit. Write a formula to calculate the Total Sales (Quantity * Price
per Unit) for each row.
 Skill Tested: Basic formula creation, multiplication.

2. SUM, AVERAGE, and COUNT Functions

 Task: Given a column of sales data, calculate the total sales, the average sales, and the number
of transactions.
 Skill Tested: Use of SUM(), AVERAGE(), and COUNT() functions.

3. VLOOKUP Usage
  Task: You have a table with employee names and their respective departments. Using VLOOKUP,
find the department of a specific employee based on their name.
 Skill Tested: Using VLOOKUP to retrieve data from a table.

4. IF Function

 Task: Write an IF function to classify sales performance into "Good" and "Needs Improvement"
based on whether the sales value exceeds $1000.
 Skill Tested: Logical functions like IF.

5. Data Validation

 Task: Set up a drop-down list for the "Product Category" column, allowing only specific
categories (e.g., Electronics, Furniture, Office Supplies).
 Skill Tested: Data validation and creating drop-down lists.

6. Conditional Formatting

 Task: Highlight all values in a sales column that are above the average sales figure with a green
fill color.
 Skill Tested: Conditional formatting rules.

7. Using Pivot Tables

 Task: Create a pivot table from a data set that includes Product, Region, Sales, and Date.
The pivot table should show the total sales by Product and Region.
 Skill Tested: Creating and customizing Pivot Tables.

8. COUNTIF / SUMIF

 Task: Use the COUNTIF function to count how many sales transactions are greater than $500 in
a sales data table.
 Skill Tested: Use of COUNTIF for counting based on a condition.

9. Text Functions

 Task: Split a full name column into first name and last name using the TEXT TO COLUMNS
feature or using Excel functions (LEFT, RIGHT, MID).
 Skill Tested: Text manipulation using Excel functions or tools.

10. Filtering Data

 Task: Filter a data set of sales transactions to show only transactions that occurred in 2024.
 Skill Tested: Using filters in Excel.

11. Advanced Sorting

 Task: Sort a list of employees by Name in alphabetical order, and within the same list, sort the
Salary column in descending order.
  Skill Tested: Multi-level sorting in Excel.

12. Creating a Dashboard

 Task: You are given sales data for the last year. Create a simple dashboard that includes the
total sales, average sales per month, and a chart showing sales trends over time.
 Skill Tested: Data aggregation, charts, and dashboard creation.

13. Index-Match Combination

 Task: Use the INDEX and MATCH combination to look up the Sales value for a particular
Product in a given Region from a data table.
 Skill Tested: Use of INDEX and MATCH to perform a lookup.

14. Date Calculations

 Task: You are given a column of dates when orders were placed. Calculate the number of days
between the order date and the current date.
 Skill Tested: Date calculations using TODAY(), DATEDIF(), or simple subtraction.

15. Using the SUMPRODUCT Function

 Task: Use SUMPRODUCT to calculate the total revenue from a list of quantities and prices per
unit.
 Skill Tested: Using SUMPRODUCT for array-based calculations.

16. Consolidating Data from Multiple Sheets

 Task: You are given multiple sheets containing sales data for different months. Consolidate this
data into one summary sheet using functions like CONSOLIDATE, VLOOKUP, or by creating a
master pivot table.
 Skill Tested: Data consolidation from multiple sheets.

17. Create a Dynamic Chart

 Task: Create a dynamic line chart that updates automatically when new data is added to the
source table.
 Skill Tested: Dynamic chart creation with named ranges or tables.

18. Removing Duplicates

 Task: You have a list of product names that includes duplicates. Remove the duplicates and
provide a unique list.
 Skill Tested: Removing duplicates using Excel's built-in feature.

19. Find the Top N Values

 Task: Find the top 5 sales transactions in a list and display the corresponding customer names.
 Skill Tested: Using LARGE function, sorting, or TOP N filters.
20. Using the Power Query Tool

 Task: Use Power Query to clean and transform raw data (e.g., remove empty rows, change text
case, filter values) before importing it into the main Excel worksheet.
 Skill Tested: Data transformation using Power Query.

21. Use of the OFFSET Function

 Task: Create a dynamic range using the OFFSET function to refer to a range that expands as new
data is added.
 Skill Tested: Dynamic ranges with OFFSET.

22. Create a Slicer for Filtering Data

 Task: Add a slicer to a Pivot Table to allow for easy filtering by categories or dates.
 Skill Tested: Using slicers for interactive data filtering in Pivot Tables.

23. Scenario Analysis with Data Tables

 Task: Use a one- or two-variable data table to analyze how changes in a single variable (like
interest rate or cost) affect profitability.
 Skill Tested: Using Data Tables for sensitivity analysis.

24. Create an Excel Model with Multiple Variables

 Task: Build a financial model where changing variables (e.g., sales price, quantity, cost) affect
the overall profit. Use cell references, functions, and possibly Goal Seek or Solver.
 Skill Tested: Creating financial models with multiple variables and tools like Goal Seek or Solver.

25. Using the TEXT Function for Formatting

 Task: Use the TEXT function to format a number as currency with two decimal places.
 Skill Tested: Formatting numbers using the TEXT function.

Data cleaning in Excel involves preparing your data for analysis by identifying and fixing or
removing any issues that may affect the accuracy of your results. Below are common data
cleaning tasks and techniques you can use in Excel:

1. Remove Duplicates

 Steps:
1. Select the range of cells or the entire dataset.
2. Go to the Data tab and click on Remove Duplicates.
3. Select the columns where you want to check for duplicates and click OK.
4. Excel will tell you how many duplicates were removed.

Use Case: Remove repeated entries from customer names, transaction IDs, or any other dataset
to ensure uniqueness.
2. Text to Columns (Splitting Data)

 Steps:
1. Select the column containing the data you want to split (e.g., full names into first and
last name).
2. Go to the Data tab and click Text to Columns.
3. Choose the delimiter (e.g., space, comma) or fixed width depending on the structure of
your data.
4. Follow the wizard to separate the data into new columns.

Use Case: Split addresses, dates, or names that are in one column into multiple columns for
easier analysis.

3. Remove Unwanted Spaces

 Use the TRIM function to remove extra spaces from text, leaving only single spaces between
words.
 Formula:

=TRIM(A2)

 This will clean leading, trailing, and excessive spaces in between words.

Use Case: Clean customer names, addresses, or other text fields where inconsistent spacing
might be present.

4. Fix Non-Printable Characters

 Use the CLEAN function to remove non-printable characters that may have been imported from
other systems (like extra spaces or invisible characters).
 Formula:

=CLEAN(A2)

 This removes characters such as line breaks or other characters that aren't visible but may
disrupt data processing.

Use Case: Clean data imported from external sources, such as databases or web scraping.

5. Find and Replace

 Steps:
1. Press Ctrl + H to open the Find and Replace dialog.
2. In the Find what box, enter the value you want to find.
3. In the Replace with box, enter the replacement value.
4. Click Replace All.

Use Case: Replace missing values (#N/A) with blanks, replace incorrect data, or standardize
values (e.g., changing "NY" to "New York").
6. Handling Missing Values

 Identify missing data by using Excel's Filter feature or conditional formatting to highlight blanks.
 Fill missing data:
o Manually input missing data where appropriate.
o Use the Fill Handle to fill missing values based on patterns (e.g., dates or numbers).
o Use the IF function to fill in missing values with a default value.
 Formula

=IF(ISBLANK(A2), "Unknown", A2)

 Use Case: Fill in missing customer addresses or product details.

7. Standardize Data

 Capitalize Text: Use the UPPER, LOWER, or PROPER functions to standardize text case.
o Formula for Proper Case:

=PROPER(A2)

o Formula for Upper Case:

=UPPER(A2)

o Formula for Lower Case:

=LOWER(A2)

 Fix inconsistent date formats by ensuring all dates follow the same format (e.g., mm/dd/yyyy).
o Use the TEXT function to standardize date formats:
 Formula:

=TEXT(A2, "mm/dd/yyyy")

Use Case: Standardize the format for customer names, addresses, or dates to ensure consistency across
the dataset.

8. Use the Go To Special Function

 Steps:
1. Press F5 or Ctrl + G to open the Go To dialog.
2. Click Special, then select Blanks or Formulas to identify specific types of data, such as
empty cells or errors.
3. You can then fill blanks with a default value or delete unwanted cells.

Use Case: Highlight empty cells, errors, or specific data types to clean your dataset.

9. Convert Text to Numbers

Sometimes, numbers are stored as text. You can convert them back to numbers using these
methods:

 Using the VALUE function:

=VALUE(A2)

 Using "Text to Columns":

1. Select the column with text-formatted numbers.
2. Go to the Data tab and click Text to Columns.
3. Choose Delimited and click Finish.

Use Case: Convert text-based numbers into numeric format for calculations or analyses.

10. Remove Invalid Characters

 Steps:
1. If you know certain characters are invalid or unwanted, use the Find and Replace
feature or SUBSTITUTE function to remove them.

o Formula to remove specific characters:

=SUBSTITUTE(A2, "-", "")

This will remove any hyphens (-) in the data.

Use Case: Remove special characters like dashes, commas, or any unwanted symbols that
disrupt analysis.

11. Use Conditional Formatting to Highlight Errors

 Steps:
1. Select the data range you want to analyze.
2. Go to the Home tab, click Conditional Formatting, and choose New Rule.
3. Select Format only cells that contain, then choose Errors from the dropdown.
4. Set a format (e.g., a red fill) to highlight cells with errors.

Use Case: Quickly identify errors (e.g., #DIV/0!, #N/A) and clean them up.

12. Remove Blank Rows and Columns

 Steps:
1. Select the dataset.
2. Go to the Home tab, click Find & Select, and choose Go To Special.
3. Select Blanks and click OK.
4. Right-click on one of the selected blank cells and choose Delete to remove rows or
columns.

Use Case: Clean up datasets with unnecessary empty rows or columns.

13. Consolidate Data from Multiple Sheets

 Use PivotTables or the Consolidate tool to combine data from different worksheets into one
summary sheet.

Use Case: Combine sales data from multiple regions or months into a single report.

Final Thoughts on Data Cleaning in Excel

Data cleaning is an essential step to ensure your analysis is accurate and meaningful. By using
the above tools and functions, you can clean data efficiently, whether you are dealing with
duplicates, missing values, inconsistencies, or errors.

1. PivotTables and PivotCharts

 Question: How would you create a PivotTable to summarize sales data by region, product
category, and month? Can you also show how to filter out top 5 products by sales value?
 Expected Answer:
o Select the data range and insert a PivotTable.
o Drag Region to Rows, Product Category to Columns, and Sales to Values.
o Use Date for the Rows or Columns and group it by Month.
o To filter top 5 products, click on the dropdown arrow next to the Product Category in
Rows/Columns, select Value Filters, and then choose Top 10. Change to 5 in the dialog.

2. VLOOKUP vs. INDEX-MATCH

 Question: Explain the difference between VLOOKUP and INDEX-MATCH. Which one is more
efficient and why?
 Expected Answer:
o VLOOKUP searches for a value in the first column and retrieves data from another
column in the same row.
o INDEX-MATCH is a combination of two functions: INDEX returns the value of a cell in a
specific position, and MATCH provides the row number of the searched value.
o INDEX-MATCH is more flexible (can search in any column) and typically more efficient,
especially in large datasets.

3. Data Validation and Dropdown Lists

 Question: How would you set up a data validation rule to ensure that only dates within the last
30 days can be entered in a cell?
 Expected Answer:
o Select the cells where you want to apply the rule.
o Go to the Data tab and click Data Validation.
o In the Settings tab, select Date from the Allow dropdown.
o Set the condition to between, and in the Start date, enter =TODAY()-30, and in the
End date, enter =TODAY().

4. Advanced Formulas: SUMPRODUCT

  Question: How would you use the SUMPRODUCT function to calculate the weighted average of
sales for different products, where each product has a different weight factor?
 Expected Answer:
o Assume column A contains the sales values, and column B contains the weight factors.
o Use the following formula:

=SUMPRODUCT(A2:A10, B2:B10) / SUM(B2:B10)

o This formula multiplies each sales value by its corresponding weight and then divides
the sum of the products by the sum of the weights to calculate the weighted average.

5. Advanced Charting

 Question: How would you create a dynamic chart that updates based on the selection from a
dropdown list (e.g., choosing a specific region or product)?
 Expected Answer:
o Use a dropdown list created via Data Validation (Data tab → Data Validation → List).
o Create a named range that dynamically updates using OFFSET and COUNTA.
o Use the INDEX function to display the selected region or product data based on the
dropdown list.
o Create a chart using this dynamic range so that when the dropdown selection changes,
the chart updates automatically.

6. Power Query (M Code)

 Question: Explain how you would import data from multiple sheets into one table using Power
Query.
 Expected Answer:
o Use Power Query (Data tab → Get Data → From Other Sources → Blank Query).
o In the query editor, use Excel.Workbook function to reference the workbook and
then combine the data from multiple sheets.
o Use the Append Queries function to combine data from all sheets into a single table.
o Clean and transform the data as necessary (remove columns, change data types, etc.)
before loading it into Excel.

7. Using Power Pivot for Data Modeling

 Question: How would you create a relationship between two tables in Power Pivot and perform
a calculation (e.g., calculate the total sales per product)?
 Expected Answer:
o Load the tables into Power Pivot (Data tab → Manage Data Model).
o Define the relationship by linking the relevant columns (e.g., Product ID in both tables).
o Create a new measure in Power Pivot to calculate total sales:

=SUMX(Sales, Sales[Quantity] * Sales[Unit Price])

o Add the measure to a PivotTable to show the total sales per product.

8. Array Formulas and Dynamic Arrays

  Question: How would you use an array formula to calculate the total sales for products that
meet two conditions (e.g., sales above 1000 and a specific region)?
 Expected Answer:
o Use the SUM and IF functions as an array formula:

=SUM(IF((Sales[Amount]>1000)*(Sales[Region]="East"), Sales[Amount], 0))

o After typing the formula, press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to make it an array formula.
o In Excel 365/2021, you can use Dynamic Arrays directly without Ctrl+Shift+Enter.

9. Conditional Formatting with Formulas

 Question: How would you use conditional formatting to highlight cells in a column where the
sales are above average for that specific region?
 Expected Answer:
o Select the range of sales data.
o Go to Home → Conditional Formatting → New Rule.
o Choose Use a formula to determine which cells to format.
o Enter the formula:

=A2 > AVERAGEIF(RegionRange, RegionCell, SalesRange)

o Set the format to highlight cells with sales greater than the average for that region.

10. Dynamic Named Ranges

 Question: How would you create a dynamic named range that automatically adjusts as data is
added or removed from a table?
 Expected Answer:
o Use the OFFSET function in the Name Manager to create a dynamic named range.
o Example formula:

=OFFSET(Sheet1!$A$1, 0, 0, COUNTA(Sheet1!$A:$A), 1)

o This formula adjusts the range dynamically based on the number of non-empty rows in
column A.

11. Use of the INDIRECT Function

 Question: How can the INDIRECT function be used to reference a cell in a different sheet
dynamically based on user input?
 Expected Answer:
o Assume cell A1 contains the sheet name and cell B1 contains the cell reference (e.g.,
"A5").
o Use the formula:

=INDIRECT(A1 & "!" & B1)

o This will return the value from the cell A5 in the sheet whose name is in cell A1.
12. Advanced Data Cleaning with Power Query

 Question: You are given a dataset with inconsistent date formats (some dates are in
mm/dd/yyyy, others in yyyy-mm-dd). How would you clean the dates in Power Query?
 Expected Answer:
o Load the data into Power Query.
o Select the column with date data and convert all the entries to a consistent date format
using the Transform tab → Change Type → Date.
o If necessary, use the Add Column feature to reformat the date column using
Date.ToText to the desired format.

1. Power Pivot and Data Modeling

 Question: How would you use Power Pivot to create a relationship between multiple tables and
perform complex calculations like calculating total sales for each region and product category?
 Expected Answer:
o Load the tables into Power Pivot using Manage Data Model.
o Define relationships between tables using primary and foreign keys (e.g., Product ID and
Region).
o Create measures in Power Pivot to calculate metrics like total sales using DAX functions.
Example:

Total Sales = SUM(Sales[Quantity] * Sales[UnitPrice])

o Use this measure in a PivotTable or PivotChart to analyze sales by region and category.

2. Dynamic Named Ranges

 Question: How would you create a dynamic named range that automatically adjusts when rows
are added or removed from a data set?
 Expected Answer:
o Use the OFFSET function in Name Manager to define a dynamic range.
o Example formula for a dynamic range in column A:

=OFFSET(Sheet1!$A$1, 0, 0, COUNTA(Sheet1!$A:$A), 1)

o This range automatically adjusts as data is added or removed from column A.

3. Using Array Formulas

 Question: How can you use an array formula to calculate the total sales for products that meet
two conditions, such as sales above a certain amount and a specific region?
 Expected Answer:
o Use an array formula with SUM and IF to calculate conditional sums.
o Example:

=SUM(IF((Sales[Amount]>1000)*(Sales[Region]="East"), Sales[Amount], 0))

o Press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to enter it as an array formula (in Excel versions prior to
365/2021).
 o In Excel 365/2021, dynamic arrays are used automatically without needing
Ctrl+Shift+Enter.

4. VLOOKUP vs. INDEX-MATCH

 Question: What is the difference between VLOOKUP and INDEX-MATCH? Which one is better
and why?
 Expected Answer:
o VLOOKUP searches for a value in the first column of a range and returns a value from
another column in the same row. It is limited because it can only look up values to the
right of the lookup column.
o INDEX-MATCH is more flexible. INDEX returns the value of a cell in a specified position,
and MATCH finds the position of a value in a row or column. It is more efficient,
especially with large datasets, as it doesn't require the lookup column to be the first
column.
o INDEX-MATCH is better when performing lookups to the left or when working with large
data.

5. Power Query for Data Transformation

 Question: How would you use Power Query to merge data from multiple tables (e.g., sales data
and product data) into a single table for analysis?
 Expected Answer:
o Open Power Query Editor and import data from multiple sources (tables or sheets).
o Use the Merge Queries option to combine the tables based on a common field, such as
Product ID.
o Choose the type of join (inner, outer, etc.) based on the required result.
o Perform any necessary transformations (e.g., removing columns, changing data types).
o Load the merged data into Excel for analysis.

6. Advanced Use of Conditional Formatting

 Question: How would you apply conditional formatting to highlight the top 10% of sales in a
column, and how can you adjust the format dynamically when the data changes?
 Expected Answer:
o Select the data range, then go to Home → Conditional Formatting → Top/Bottom Rules
→ Top 10%.
o You can modify the formatting options (e.g., cell color, font) to highlight the top 10% of
sales.
o The formatting will automatically adjust as the data changes, ensuring the top 10% cells
are always highlighted.

7. Using Dynamic Arrays in Excel 365

 Question: How would you use dynamic arrays in Excel 365 to generate a list of unique values
from a range of data?
 Expected Answer:
o In Excel 365, you can use the UNIQUE function to extract unique values from a range.
o Example:
=UNIQUE(A2:A100)

o This will return all unique values from the range A2

, and the result will automatically expand as data is added or removed.

8. Using the INDIRECT Function

 Question: How would you use the INDIRECT function to dynamically reference a cell or range
based on user input?
 Expected Answer:
o Use INDIRECT to construct a reference to a cell or range based on the value in another
cell.
o Example:

=INDIRECT(A1 & "!B2")

o This formula dynamically references cell B2 in the sheet specified in cell A1, allowing the
user to change the sheet name by modifying A1.

9. Handling Large Data Sets with Power Pivot

 Question: How would you use Power Pivot to create a data model for handling large datasets
with multiple sources and perform a complex calculation like calculating the moving average of
sales over the last 12 months?
 Expected Answer:
o Load large datasets into Power Pivot using the Manage Data Model feature.
o Define relationships between the different data tables (e.g., sales data and calendar
table).
o Use DAX (Data Analysis Expressions) to create a measure for the moving average.
Example:

Moving Average = AVERAGEX(DATESINPERIOD(Calendar[Date],

LASTDATE(Sales[Date]), -12, MONTH), Sales[Amount])

o This DAX formula calculates the average sales over the last 12 months for each period.

10. Advanced Use of COUNTIFS and SUMIFS

 Question: How would you use COUNTIFS or SUMIFS to count or sum values based on multiple
criteria across different columns?
 Expected Answer:

The COUNTIFS function counts the number of times multiple criteria are met across different columns.

Example: Counting the number of sales transactions that occurred in the "East" region with a sales
amount greater than 500:

=COUNTIFS(RegionRange, "East", SalesAmountRange, ">500")

 o Similarly, use SUMIFS to sum values based on multiple conditions:

=SUMIFS(SalesAmountRange, RegionRange, "East", SalesAmountRange, ">500")

11. Creating Complex Reports with Consolidate Tool

 Question: How would you use the Consolidate tool in Excel to combine data from multiple
worksheets into a single summary report?
 Expected Answer:
o Go to the Data tab, click on Consolidate.
o Choose the function you want to use (e.g., Sum, Average) for consolidating the data.
o Select the ranges from different sheets that contain the data you want to consolidate.
o Use the Top row and Left column options to match labels, and click OK to generate the
summary.

12. Scenario Analysis Using Data Tables

 Question: How would you perform a scenario analysis using Data Tables in Excel? For example,
calculate the effect of different interest rates on loan payments over different terms.
 Expected Answer:
o Set up a data table with the varying interest rates and loan terms.
o Use the Data Table feature (Data → What-If Analysis → Data Table).
o In the Row input cell, link to the cell containing the term, and in the Column input cell,
link to the cell with the interest rate.
o Excel will then generate a table showing how the loan payments vary based on the
different interest rates and terms.

1. Basic VLOOKUP Usage

 Question: How would you use VLOOKUP to find the price of a product from a table where the
product names are in column A and the prices are in column B?
 Expected Answer:
o The formula to retrieve the price for a specific product (let's say "Product A") would be:

=VLOOKUP("Product A", A2:B10, 2, FALSE)

o This looks for "Product A" in column A (range A2

) and returns the value from the second column (column B), ensuring an exact match
with FALSE.

2. VLOOKUP with Approximate Match

 Question: How would you use VLOOKUP to return an approximate match for a lookup value,
such as finding a tax rate based on an income range?
 Expected Answer:
o If the income ranges are in ascending order, you can use the TRUE parameter for an
approximate match.

=VLOOKUP(45000, A2:B10, 2, TRUE)

 o This finds the largest value less than or equal to 45000 in column A and returns the
corresponding tax rate from column B.

3. VLOOKUP with Wildcards

 Question: How can you use VLOOKUP with wildcards to search for a partial match in a text field?
 Expected Answer:
o You can use the * wildcard for any number of characters and ? for a single character.
For example:

=VLOOKUP("App*", A2:B10, 2, FALSE)

o This formula looks for any product name starting with "App" and returns the
corresponding value from the second column.

4. Handling Errors with VLOOKUP

 Question: How would you modify your VLOOKUP formula to handle errors, such as when the
lookup value is not found in the table?
 Expected Answer:
o You can use the IFERROR function to handle errors like #N/A:

=IFERROR(VLOOKUP("Product A", A2:B10, 2, FALSE), "Not Found")

o This formula will return "Not Found" if VLOOKUP can't find "Product A" in the range A2

5. Using VLOOKUP to Lookup Data from Left to Right

 Question: Can VLOOKUP be used to look up values to the left of the lookup column? If not, how
would you solve this problem?
 Expected Answer:
o No, VLOOKUP can only search to the right of the lookup column. To overcome this
limitation, you can use INDEX and MATCH functions:

=INDEX(A2:A10, MATCH("Product A", B2:B10, 0))

o This finds "Product A" in column B and returns the corresponding value from column A.

6. VLOOKUP with Multiple Criteria

 Question: How would you use VLOOKUP with multiple criteria, such as looking up a price for a
specific product and region?
 Expected Answer:
o VLOOKUP can only handle a single lookup value, so you can concatenate the criteria into
a helper column.
o For example, in a helper column, you can concatenate product and region:

=A2 & B2 (Where A2 is Product and B2 is Region)

 o Then use VLOOKUP with the concatenated value:

=VLOOKUP("Product ARegion 1", C2:D10, 2, FALSE)

7. VLOOKUP with a Different Lookup Table

 Question: How would you modify the VLOOKUP formula to lookup values in a different
workbook (not in the same file)?
 Expected Answer:
o You can reference an external workbook by including the full path. For example:

=VLOOKUP("Product A", '[SalesData.xlsx]Sheet1'!A2:B10, 2, FALSE)

o This formula looks for "Product A" in the range A2 in the external file SalesData.xlsx
on Sheet1.

8. VLOOKUP with Column Index

 Question: How do you handle dynamic column index numbers in a VLOOKUP formula if the
lookup table's column order changes?
 Expected Answer:
o Use the MATCH function to dynamically determine the column index number. For
example, if the column headers are in row 1, and you want to return the value from the
column that has the header "Price":

=VLOOKUP("Product A", A2:D10, MATCH("Price", A1:D1, 0), FALSE)

o This finds the column index of "Price" and uses it in the VLOOKUP formula.

9. VLOOKUP with a Range of Lookup Values

 Question: How would you use VLOOKUP to find the corresponding value for a range of lookup
values (e.g., finding a range for a grade based on a student's score)?
 Expected Answer:
o You can use VLOOKUP with an approximate match for ranges.
o For example, if you have score ranges in column A and grades in column B:

=VLOOKUP(85, A2:B10, 2, TRUE)

o This looks for the largest value less than or equal to 85 in column A and returns the
corresponding grade from column B.

10. VLOOKUP with a Helper Column for Exact Matching

 Question: How would you use a helper column to ensure an exact match lookup when dealing
with similar values (e.g., multiple entries of the same product name)?
 Expected Answer:
o Create a helper column that combines unique identifiers (e.g., product code + product
name) to ensure uniqueness:
 =A2 & B2

o Use VLOOKUP with this concatenated value:

=VLOOKUP("ProductCodeProductName", C2:D10, 2, FALSE)

11. VLOOKUP with Date Ranges

 Question: How would you use VLOOKUP to look up a date range, such as finding the applicable
tax rate based on a given date?
 Expected Answer:
o If your table contains date ranges, you can use VLOOKUP with an approximate match.
The dates in the lookup table must be sorted in ascending order.
o Example:

=VLOOKUP(TODAY(), A2:B10, 2, TRUE)

o This looks up today's date and finds the corresponding tax rate from column B,
returning the nearest match that is less than or equal to today's date.

12. VLOOKUP with Multiple Lookup Values

 Question: How would you perform a VLOOKUP when you need to search for multiple values
(e.g., product and region) in one formula?
 Expected Answer:
o Use concatenation of multiple criteria in a helper column and then perform the
VLOOKUP:

=VLOOKUP(A2&B2, C2:D10, 2, FALSE)

o Where column A and column B are your lookup values, and column C contains
concatenated values of A and B.

LOOKUP FUNCTION

[Find Specific Information in a Table or Range]

SYNTAX: =LOOKUP (lookup_value,array)

=LOOKUP (lookup_value, lookup_vector,[result_vector])

Problem Statement:
You are managing a small institute and have a list of employees with their respective Employee IDs,
salaries, designation, and DOJ. And your manager asks about the salary of a specific employee, this is
when you can use the LOOKUP function in Excel to quickly find the information.

Sales Table Employee Table

Emp ID Emp ID Emp Name Designation DOJ

Salary
 203 30000 202 Abhay Manager 10/Jan/24
Develope 23/Oct/
201 40000 203 Rohan
r 24

202 35000 201 Harsh Designer 8/Aug/24

• What is the salary of the employee with Employee ID 203?

• What is the designation of the employee with Employee ID 202?
• What is the DOJ of the employee with Employee ID 203?

Solution:
SYNTAX USED =LOOKUP (lookup_value,array)
Result:

Single dimensional Multiple Dimensional

Designatio
Emp ID Salary Emp ID Emp
n DOJ
ID
203 30000 202 Manager
203 23/Oct/24
LOOKUP(B29,B20:C23) LOOKUP(F29,F20:H23
) LOOKUP(I29,F20:I23)

SYNTAX USED =LOOKUP (lookup_value, lookup_vector,[result_vector])

Result:
Emp ID Salary Emp ID Designation

203 30000 203 Developer

LOOKUP(B38,B20:B23,C20:C LOOKUP(F40,F19:F22,H19:H22
23) )

CHOOSE Function
[Select a value from a list of values based on an index number]

Syntax = CHOOSE (index_num, value1, [value2], [value3], …)

Problem Statement:
You advise students on which course to take based on their interests. You want to display the course name based on a student's
choice.

ID Fees Course Name

1 2000 Excel
2 3000 Power Query
 3 5000 Power BI
4 4500 Tableau
5 3500 SQL Server

• If a student wants to know about the course for option 3, what is the course name and its
fees?
• Gives function Number to basic function like Sum, Average, and Max and calculates it?

Solution:
Example =CHOOSE (N4, "Excel", "Power Query", "Power BI", "Tableau", "SQL Server")

Result:

CHOOSE Function with Sum, Average, and Max

Function No. Fees

1 18000
2 3600
3 5000

CHOOSE(N15, SUM($P$5:$P$9), AVERAGE($P$5:$P$9), MAX($P$5:$P$9))

MATCH Function

[Find the position (row or column number) of a specific item in a range]

SYNTAX MATCH (lookup_value, lookup_array, [match_type])

Problem Statement:
You are helping students to find the position of a specific course in a list of available courses. By
using the MATCH function, you can easily determine the course's position in the list.

ID Fees Course Name

1 2000 Excel
2 3000 Power Query
3 5000 Power BI
4 4500 Tableau
5 3500 SQL Server
 • If you want to find out the position of the course 'Tableau' in the course list, what is its
position?
• If you want to find out the column number of the Fees column, how would you do it?

Solution:

Course Name Text Position Fees

Tableau 4 2

MATCH(AK28,AM20:AM24,0) MATCH(AK33,AK19:AM19,0)

CHOOSE with MATCH Function

[Dynamically select values based on criteria]

SYNTAX CHOOSE(index_num, value1, [value2], [value3], …)

MATCH(lookup_value, lookup_array, [match_type])

Problem Statement:
You are an academic advisor helping students choose courses based on their interests. You want to
display the course Discount% dynamically based on the course they select from a list.

ID Course Name Discount %

1 Excel 10
2 Power Query 15
3 Power BI 5
4 Tableau 20
5 SQL Server 25
. A student wants to know the discount% for the course 'Tableau.' How can we find that using the
CHOOSE and MATCH functions?

Solution:

Course Discount %
Tableau 20
CHOOSE(MATCH(AR27,AS19:AS23,0),AT19,AT20,AT21,AT22,AT23)

VLOOKUP (Vertical Lookup) function

[Search for a value in the first column of a range (or table) and return a value in the same row
from a specified column]
 SYNTAX Vlookup(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num,[range_lookup])

Problem Statement:
You are the ADMIN at an institute, and you need to provide information about new employees to your
team. You want to identify which employee joined most recently and gather details about their
designation and joining date.

Employee Table
Emp ID Emp Name Designation DOJ
202 Abhay Manager 10/Jan/24
203 Rohan Sr. Manager 23/Oct/24
201 Harsh Executive 8/Aug/24

• What is the designation of employee id 201?

• What are the designations of given employee IDs?

Solution:

Emp ID Emp Name

201 Harsh
Emp ID Designation

202 Manager

203 Sr. Manager

201 Executive

VLOOKUP(AE13,AE5:AH8,2,0) VLOOKUP(AE17,$AE$5:$AH$8,3,0)

In this function, we need to use absolute cell references for the table array. This way, we
can keep the table array fixed, so it doesn't change or move when we copy the formula to
other cells or drag downside.

VLOOKUP with MATCH Function

SYNTAX VLOOKUP (lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, [range_lookup])

MATCH (lookup_value, lookup_array, [match_type])

Problem Statement:
You are a teacher at a training institute, and you have the following dataset of students and their
courses

Employee Table

Emp ID Emp Name Designation DOJ

202 Abhay Manager 10/Jan/24
203 Rohan Developer 23/Oct/24
201 Harsh Designer 8/Aug/24

• Use the VLOOKUP function to find out the designation for the given Emp ID
• Find out the position of Emp ID in Emp ID column
• Use a combination of VLOOKUP & MATCH to find out the Emp Name of Emp ID 201

Solution:

Emp ID Designation Emp ID Position

202 Manager 202 2

VLOOKUP(BP29, : BR24,3,0)
BP21

Emp ID Emp Name

201 Harsh

MATCH(BP34,BP21:BP24,0)

VLOOKUP(BP40,BP21:BS24,MATCH(BQ3
9,BP21:BS21,0),0)

VLOOKUP with CHOOSE function

SYNTAX: Vlookup(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num,[range_lookup])

CHOOSE(index_num, value1,[value2],[value3]….)

Problem Statement:
Imagine you are managing employee records on an Excel sheet.
You have the following data on employee names, their unique IDs, and their job designations:

Employee Table
Emp Emp ID DOJ
Name Designation
Abhay 202 Manager 10/Jan/24
Rohan 203 Developer 23/Oct/24
Harsh 201 Designer 8/Aug/24

Your boss asks you to quickly retrieve details for employees based on their IDs. However, you realize
that Emp ID is in the second column, making it difficult to use a simple VLOOKUP (which requires the
lookup column to be first).

Solution:

Emp ID Emp
Name
203 Rohan
VLOOKUP(BX26,CHOOSE({1,2},BY20:BY22,BX20:BX22),2,0)

VLOOKUP with WILDCARD Function

SYNTAX VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, [range_lookup])

There are two main wildcards in Excel:

• Asterisk (*): Represents any number of characters.

• Question mark (?): Represents a single character.

Problem Statement:

Course Details

Course ID Course Name Discount %

PLTL4 Tableau 20
PLTL19 Adv SQL Server 10
PLTL2 Power Query 15
PLTL3 Power BI 5
PLTL6 Adv Excel 12
PLTL18 Adv Power BI 13
PLTL1 Excel 10
PLTL17 Adv Power Query 11
PLTL5 SQL Server 25
 • You want to look up the discount% of any course starting with 'Adv' and require the first
match.
• Your manager asks you to quickly find the discount% of any course that contains 'BI' and
require the first match. • Your manager asks you to quickly find the course of any course ID
that contains 'PLTL1' and require the first match.

Solution:

* (Asterisk): Matches any number of characters (e.g., *abc can match '1abc', 'xyzabc', 'abc').

Discount % Discount %

10 5

VLOOKUP("Adv*",CG18:CH27,2,0) VLOOKUP("*BI",CG22:CH30,2,0)

? (Question mark): Matches exactly one character (e.g., abc? can match 'abcd', 'abce').

Course
Adv SQL Server
VLOOKUP("PLTL1?",CF24:CG33,2,0)

VLOOKUP with SUMPRODUCT Function

[Calculate values based on lookup results from multiple tables.]

SYNTAX VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, [range_lookup])

SUMPRODUCT(array1, [array2], [array3], …)

Problem Statement:
• You have two tables of data: one with course fees and another with course discount
percentages.
• Your manager wants to see the total discount amount.

Course ID Fees Course ID Course Discount %

Name

PLTL1 2500 PLTL1 Excel 10

PLTL2 3000 PLTL2 Power Query 15

PLTL3 5000 PLTL3 Power BI 5

 PLTL4 4000 PLTL4 Tableau 20

PLTL5 3500 PLTL5 SQL Server 25

Solution:

Total Discount Amount

262500
SUMPRODUCT(CP15:CP19,VLOOKUP(CO15:CO19,CR15:CT19,3,0))

XLOOKUP Function

SYNTAX XLOOKUP(lookup_value, lookup_array, return_array, [if_not_found],

[match_mode], [search_mode])

XLOOKUP is a powerful and flexible lookup function in Excel that’s designed to overcome many
limitations of VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP.

Introduced in Excel 365 and Excel 2019, XLOOKUP can search for a value in a range and return a
corresponding result from another range.

Unlike VLOOKUP, XLOOKUP does not require the lookup column to be on the left, and it can search
from the bottom up, perform exact or approximate matches, and even return multiple values.

Parameter Requirement Description Example

1 lookup_value Required This is the value you are Example: If you want to
searching for find a specific student's
grade, the student's name
would be the lookup_value
2 lookup_array Required This is the range or Example: If you have a list
array where Excel will of student names in cells
search for the A2 to A10, this range is the
lookup_value. lookup_array
3 return_array Required This is the range or Example: If the grades are
array from which in cells B2 to B10, you’d
XLOOKUP will return set return_array as B2 to
the result if it finds a get the corresponding
match. grade for the matched
student name
4 [if_not_found] Optional Specifies what to return Example: Manually enter
if no match is found. 'Not Found' to return if no
match is found
 5 [match_mode] Optional Determines how
XLOOKUP matches the
lookup_value. Options
are:
0 (default): Exact
match only.
-1: Exact match or next
smaller item. 1: Exact
match or next larger
item. 2: Wildcard
match (e.g., using * or ?
to represent partial
matches)

6 [search_mode] Optional Specifies the direction

for searching. Options
are:
1 (default): Search
from the first to the last
item.
-1: Search from the last
to the first item. 2:
Perform a binary search
in ascending order.
-2: Perform a binary
search in descending
order.

Problem Statement:

Emp ID Name Salary

101 Aditi 50000
102 Ravi 55000
103 Mohit 48000
105 Sunita 60000
110 Pooja 52000
Solution:

• Exact Match only ( match_mode=0)

If we want to find out salary of Emp ID 104 If

Emp ID Salary
this Emp ID 104 is not available in Emp ID then
104 Not Found

XLOOKUP(CB50,CB40:CB44,CD40:CD44,"Not Found",0)
• Exact Match or Next Smaller Item (match_mode=-1)

Emp Salar
ID y
4800
104
0
XLOOKUP(CB58,CB40:CB44,CD40:CD44,"Not Found",-1)

If you want the exact salary of "Emp ID 104". However, if "104" isn't found, you are okay with the
salary of the next alphabetically smaller emp id

• Exact Match or Next Larger Item (match_mode=1)

Emp
Salary
ID

104 60000

XLOOKUP(CB66,CB40:CB44,CD40:CD44,"Not Found",1)

You want to exact salary of "Emp ID 104", but if it's unavailable, you will accept the salary of the next
alphabetically larger emp id

• Wildcard Match (match_mode=2)

You want to find the price of any name of employee that contains"ra" in its name using a

wildcard search. This will match names like: "Ravi"

 Name Salary

ra 55000

XLOOKUP("ra*",CC40:CC44,CD40:CD44,"Not Found",2)

Match_mode Scenario Result

0 Exact match only Not Found
-1 Exact match or next smaller 52000
item
1 Exact match or next larger item 55000
2 Wildcard match 55000

Course Details

Cours Course Discount Course Course Discount Course Course Discount

e ID Name % ID Name % ID Name %
PLTL Adv PLTL Tablea
PLTL4 Tableau 20 12 20
6 Excel 4 u
PLTL1 Adv SQL PLTL1 Adv PLTL SQL
10 13 25
9 Server 8 Power BI 5 Server
Power Adv Power
PLTL2 15 PLTL1 PLTL
Query Power 11 Query 15
7 2
Query
PLTL3 Power BI 25
PLTL1 Adv SQL PLTL Power
10 25
9 Server 3 BI
PLTL6 Adv Excel 12
PLTL2 PLTL
Excel 5 Excel 10
PLTL1 Adv Power 1 1
13
8 BI PLTL2 PLTL2
Excel 8 Excel 8
PLTL1 Excel 10 0 0
PLTL PLTL2
PLTL1 Adv Power Excel 10 Excel 5
11 1 1
7 Query
PLTL Power PLTL1 Adv SQL
SQL 25 10
PLTL5 25 3 BI 9 Server
Server
Power Adv
PLTL2 PLTL PLTL1
Query 15 Power 11
Excel 8 2 7
0 Query
PLTL2 PLTL SQL PLTL1 Adv
Excel 5 25 13
1 5 Server 8 Power BI
PLTL PLTL Adv
Tableau 20 12
4 6 Excel

1 (Default): Search from first to Last

This is the default setting. Excel searches the lookup_array starting from the first element and moving
to the last useful for most situations where you want to find the first occurrence of the lookup_value

Emp ID Name
Excel 10
XLOOKUP(CB89,CC105:CC115,CD105:CD115,"Not Fount",0,1)

-1: Search from Last to First

Excel searches the lookup_array starting from the last element and moving to the first useful when you
want to find the last occurrence of the lookup_value in the list, if the lookup_array contains multiple
instances of the value, this mode will return the price of the last Course name found

Emp ID Name
Excel 5
XLOOKUP(CB100,CC105:CC115,CD105:CD115,"Not Fount",0,-1)

2: Binary Search (Descending Order)

Performs a binary search on the lookup_array, assuming it is sorted in descending order.Similar to option
2, but for datasets sorted in descending order.

Course Name Discount %

Excel 5
XLOOKUP(CB134,CK105:CK115,CL105:CL115,"No",0,-2)

HLOOKUP Function

[Search for a value in the top row of a table or range and returns a value in the same column
from a specified row in that table or range. It is particularly useful for horizontal data lookups,
where the data is organized in rows rather than columns.]

SYNTAX HLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, row_index_num, [range_lookup])

Problem Statement:
You are an admin at an institute, and your manager wants to quickly find the sales of specific
quarters based on course names.

Courses Sold

Courses Q1_Sales Q2_Sales Q3_Sales Q4_Sales

Excel 58 93 96 57
Power Query 20 46 44 34
Power BI 34 59 52 35
Tableau 31 96 42 94
SQL Server 39 78 52 97

Courses Excel Power Power BI Tableau SQL

 Query Server
Total Sales 304 144 180 263 266

• Find out Excel Course Qty

Solution:

Qtr. Power BI

Course Total Sales

Q3_Sales 52

Power BI 180
HLOOKUP(CP32,CP12:CT17,4,0)

HLOOKUP(CP37,CP32:CU33,2,0)

HLOOKUP with MATCH Function

[The HLOOKUP function combined with the MATCH function allows for dynamic row selection in
horizontal lookups. MATCH helps to find the row number, making HLOOKUP flexible for
changing data sets.]

SYNTAX HLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, row_index_num, [range_lookup])

MATCH(lookup_value, lookup_array, [match_type])

MATCH FUNCTION:
[Find out row and column number]

Problem Statement:
If we have course sold and course fees data:

Courses Sold

Courses January February March April

Excel 58 93 96 57
Power Query 20 46 44 34
Power BI 34 59 52 35
Tableau 31 96 42 94
SQL Server 39 78 52 97
 • You want to first create course sold data in transpose
• You want to calculate the total revenue by using both datasets

Solution:

Courses Excel Power Query Power BI Tableau SQL Server

Q1_Sales 58 20 34 31 39
Q2_Sales 93 46 59 96 78
Q3_Sales 96 44 52 42 52
Q4_Sales 57 34 35 94 97
HLOOKUP($CZ20,$CQ$12:$CT$17,MATCH(DA$19,$CP$12:$CP$17,0))

HLOOKUP with VLOOKUP Function

[Combining HLOOKUP and VLOOKUP functions allows you to dynamically retrieve data from
two datasets. This is useful for calculations that rely on different lookup directions
(horizontal and vertical)].

SYNTAX HLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, row_index_num, [range_lookup])

VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, [range_lookup])

Problem Statement:
Using both functions, you need to calculate the total revenue from two datasets.

Courses Sold

Courses Q1_Sales Q2_Sales Q3_Sales Q4_Sales

Excel 58 93 96 57
Power Query 20 46 44 34
Power BI 34 59 52 35
Tableau 31 96 42 94
SQL Server 39 78 52 97

Course Fees
ID Course Name Fees
1 Excel 2000
2 Power Query 3000
3 Power BI 5000
4 Tableau 4500
5 SQL Server 3500
 Solution:

Calcualte the total amo unt

Courses Q1_Sales Q2_Sales Q3_Sales Q4_Sales

Excel 116000 186000 192000 114000
Power Query 60000 138000 132000 102000
Power BI 170000 295000 260000 175000
Tableau 139500 432000 189000 423000
SQL Server 136500 273000 182000 339500

HLOOKUP(DL$24,$DK$12:$DO$17,MATCH($DK25,$DK$12:$DK$17,0),0)*VLOOKUP($DK25,$DR$12:$DS$
17,2,0)

OFFSET with MATCH function

SYNTAX OFFSET(reference, rows, cols, [height], [width])
MATCH(lookup_value,lookup_array,[match_type])

reference required explanation

rows required We can use here MATCH function
cols required We can use here MATCH function
The number of rows you want the final range to cover. If omitted the
height optional
height will match the reference
The number of columns you want the final range to cover. If omitted, the
width optional
width will match the reference

Problem Statement:
• You are maintaining Institutes expenses data, You manager want to know office rent of
Apr month • You manager want to see Laptop Rent of Qtr 2

Monthly Expenses
Expense Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
s
Office 3838 4125 5591 7954 4817 4125 4397 5120 5799 6800 5872 6945
Rent
Electricit 1432 1361 1107 1126 1078 1151 1453 1152 1355 1025 1138 1170
y
Internet 1500 1500 1500 1500 1500 1500 1500 1500 1500 1500 1500 1500
Laptop
4535 4988 4212 4342 4508 4909 4046 4146 4095 4326 4648 4027
Rent
Material 244 189 407 157 452 375 295 240 166 118 197 205
s
Certificati
o 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
n
Salary 5000 5000 5000 5000 5000 50000 5000 5000 5000 5000 5000 5000
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Stationer 381 455 131 485 473 354 239 147 295 187 288 436
y
Solution:

Expenses Apr
Office Rent 7954
OFFSET(DS31,MATCH("Rent",DS32:DS36,0),MATCH("Q2_Sales",DT31:DW31,0))

Expenses Qtr 2

Laptop Rent 4046 4146 4095

Expenses Dec

OFFSET(DS16,MATCH(DS34,DS17:DS24,0),7,1,3) Materials 205

Certification 100

Salary
50000
Stationery 436

OFFSET(DT17,MATCH(DT41,DT18:DT25,0),MATCH(DU40,DU17:EF17,0),4,1)

OFFSET with AVERAGE, SUM, MATCH function

SYNTAX OFFSET(reference, rows, cols, [height], [width])
AVERAGE(number1,[number2],..)
SUM(number1,[number2],..)
MATCH(lookup_value,lookup_array,[match_type])

Problem Statement:
• You have maintaining student admission data
• Your manager wants to know the average student enrollment for the Power BI course in Q2.
• Your manager wants to know the total student enrollment for the Excel course in Q3

Admission Data
Month Excel Power Query Power BI Tableau SQL Server
Jan 15 19 13 14 11
Feb 7 13 8 13 3
Mar 16 9 10 3 6
Apr 8 3 5 11 11
May 17 9 8 10 4
Jun 3 15 9 6 9
Jul 17 6 20 10 18
Aug 6 7 20 5 4
Sep 10 19 3 14 18
Oct 16 8 16 7 18
 Nov 19 12 13 3 3
Dec 7 20 12 4 16
Solution:

Course Q2
Power BI 14.33333333
AVERAGE(OFFSET(EH17,7,MATCH(EH35,EI17:EM17,0),3,1))

Month Total Admission

Jan 72
SUM(OFFSET(EH17,MATCH(EH41,EH18:EH29,0),1,1,5))

Month Total Admission

Jun 50
SUM(OFFSET(EH17,MATCH(EH46,EH18:EH29,0),2,2,2))

Q3 Total Admission
Oct 174
SUM(OFFSET(EH17,MATCH(EH52,EH18:EH29,0),1,3,5))

VLOOKUP, OFFSET with MATCH function

OFFSET (reference, rows, cols, [height], [width])

VLOOKUP (lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num,
SYNTAX
[range_lookup])
MATCH (lookup_value,lookup_array,[match_type])

Problem Statement:
• You are working as an accountant in a coaching institute.
• Your CA wants to quickly know the Jan months Excel & Power BI course total GST Amt.
• Your CA wants to quickly know the Mar months Power Query & SQL Server course total GST Amt.

GST Data
Month Excel Power Power BI Tableau SQL
Query Server
Jan 4401 6100 1965 1962 3080
Feb 5757 1698 9156 2016 2055
Mar 4437 1403 6150 1611 5166
Solution:
• Find out total GST amount of course Excel & Power BI for Jan Months.

Ans: 6366

Function: VLOOKUP ("Jan", ER15:EW18, MATCH ("Excel", ER15:EW15,0),0) +OFFSET (ER15, MATCH ("Jan", ER16:ER18,0),
MATCH ("Power BI", ES15:EW15,0),1,1)

• Find out total GST amount of course Power Query & SQL Server for Mar Months.
Ans: 6569

Function: VLOOKUP ("Mar", ER15:EW18, MATCH ("Power Query", ER15:EW15,0),0) +OFFSET (ER15, MATCH ("Mar",
ER16:ER18,0), MATCH ("SQL Server", ES15:EW15,0),1,1)

MAX or MIN function

SYNTAX MAX (number1, [number2]..)

MIN (number1, [number2]..)

Problem Statement:
• You have year 2023 student's total enrollment data
• You manager want to know quickly highest
enrollment
• You manager want to know quickly lowest
enrollment

Year 2023 nt
Enrollme
Month Courses Total Enrollment
Jan Excel 635
Feb Power Query 112
Mar Power BI 318
Apr Tableau 384
May SQL Server 392
Jun Excel 742
Jul Power Query 338
Aug Power BI 667
Sep Excel 194
Oct Power Query 158
Nov Power BI 527
Dec Excel 871
Solution:

Highest Student Enrollment

871
MAX(ET13:ET24)

Lowest Student
Enrollment
112
MIN(ET14:ET25)

MAX with IF function

 SYNTAX MAX(number1,[number2]..)

IF(logical_test,[value_if_true],[value_if_false])

Problem Statement:
• You have year 2023 students total enrollment data
• You manager want to know quickly highest enrollment for Excel course
• You manager want to know quickly lowest enrollment for Power BI Course

Y ear 2023 nt
Enrollme
Month Courses Enrollment
Jan Excel 635
Feb Power Query 112
Mar Power BI 318
Apr Tableau 384
May SQL Server 392
Jun Excel 742
Jul Power Query 338
Aug Power BI 667
Sep Excel 194
Oct Power Query 158
Nov Power BI 527
Dec Excel 871
Solution:

Course Enrollment
Excel 871
MAX(IF(FA12:FA23=EZ28,FB12:FB23,""))

Course Enrollment
Power BI 318
MIN(IF(FA13:FA24=EZ36,FB13:FB24,""))

MAXIFS function

[Find the maximum value based on one or more conditions. This is useful for datasets where you
want to find the maximum in a filtered data]

SYNTAX: MAXIFS(max_range, criteria_range1, criteria1, [criteria_range2, criteria2], ...)

Problem Statement:
Suppose you want to find the maximum student enrollment for a specific course like Excel. Your
manager want to know the lowest enrollment for Power Query course

Y ear 2023 Enrollment

Month Courses Course Sell
Jan Excel 635
Feb Power Query 112
Mar Power BI 318
Apr Tableau 384
May SQL Server 392
Jun Excel 742
Jul Power Query 338
Aug Power BI 667
Sep Excel 194
Oct Power Query 158
Nov Power BI 527
Dec Excel 871
Solution:

Course Enrollment
Excel 871
MAXIFS(FH15:FH26,FG15:FG26, FF30)

Course Enrollment
Power Query 112
MINIFS(FH13:FH24,FG13:FG24,FF34)

IF with PRODUCT function

SYNTAX IF(logical_test,[value_if_true],[value_if_false])

PRODUCT(number1,[number2]..)

Problem Statement:
You're working on a Year 2023 student enrollment data and you need to calculate a "weighted
revenue" based on course, enrollment, fees, and discount rates. You want to find the revenue for only
those items with a specific month and apply a discount to get a result.

Year 2024 Enrollment

Month Courses Enrollment Per Course Fees Discount Rate

Jan Excel 63 2000 0.09
Feb Power Query 12 1500 0.13
Mar Power BI 31 3500 0.09
Apr Tableau 38 3000 0.19
 May SQL Server 39 2500 0.20
Jun Excel 74 2000 0.20
Jul Power Query 33 1500 0.05
Aug Power BI 66 3500 0.15
Sep Excel 19 2000 0.18
Oct Power Query 15 1500 0.13
Nov Power BI 24 3500 0.09
Dec Excel 18 200 0.09

• Calculate the total revenue for course after applying the discount rate, using a formula that
combines PRODUCT with other functions

Solution:

Course Total Revenue

Excel 267496.00
SUMPRODUCT((FQ19:FQ30=FP35 )*FR19:FR30*FS19:FS30*(1-FT19:FT30))

Course Total Revenue

Excel 267496.00
SUMPRODUCT(FILTER(FR19:FR30*FS19:FS30*(1-FT19:FT30),FQ19:FQ30="Excel"))

INDEX with MATCH function

SYNTAX: INDEX(array,row_num,[column_num])

MATCH(lookup_value,lookup_array,[match_type])

Problem Statement:
Suppose you work in a company's HR department, and you have a dataset listing employees’ details.

You want to retrieve an employee’s designation and date of joining (DOJ) based on their Emp
Name and Emp ID.

Employee Table
Emp ID Emp Name Designation DOJ
202 Abhay Manager 10/Jan/24
203 Rohan Developer 23/Oct/24
201 Harsh Designer 8/Aug/24
204 Abhay Analyst 15-Mar-24

• Retrieve the Designation and DOJ for "Abhay" with Emp ID 204.
 • Retrieve the Emp ID for Employee Rohan.

Solution:

Emp ID Emp Name Designation

204 Abhay Analyst
INDEX(FZ18:FZ21,MATCH(1,(FY18:FY21=FY26)*(FX18:FX21=FX26),0))

Emp ID Emp Name DOJ

204 Abhay 15/Mar/24
INDEX(GA18:GA21,MATCH(1,(FY18:FY21=FY32)*(FX18:FX21=FX32),0))

Name Emp ID
Rohan 203
INDEX(FX17:GA21,MATCH(FX38,FY17:FY21,0),MATCH(FY37,FX17:GA17,0))

When would you use the IF Function or a Nested IF in Excel?

=if(logical_test, [value if true], [value if False] Understanding the IF Function 1.Logical_test: The
condition you want to test. Value_if_true: The value to return if the condition is true. 2. Value_if_false:
The value to return if the condition is false. 3. Example: Converting USD to INR Let's say you have a list of
amounts in USD and want to convert them to INR. You can use the IF function to check if the currency is
USD and then apply the conversion rate. =IF(A2="USD", B2*75, B2) Formula: A2: Contains "USD" if the
amount is in USD. B2: Contains the amount in USD. 75: The conversion rate from USD to INR.
Understanding the IF Function If you have to deal with multiple currencies, you can use nested IF
functions to create more complex conditions. Syntax =IFS(logical_test_1, [value if true], logical_test_1,
[value if True].....etc
Microsoft Excel is one of the simplest and most powerful software applications available out there. It
lets users do quantitative analysis, statistical analysis with an intuitive interface for data manipulation,
so much so that its usage spans across different domains and professional requirements. This is an
important field that gives a head-start for becoming a Data Analyst. So, now let us quickly discuss the
questions asked with respect to this topic.

Q1. Can you tell what is a waterfall chart and when do we use it?

The waterfall chart shows both positive and negative values which lead to the final result value. For
example, if you are analyzing a company’s net income, then you can have all the cost values in this chart.
With such kind of a chart, you can visually, see how the value from revenue to the net income is
obtained when all the costs are deducted.

Q2. How can you highlight cells with negative values in Excel?

You can highlight cells with negative values in Excel by using the conditional formatting. Below are the
steps that you can follow:

• Select the cells which you want to highlight with the negative values.  Go to the
Home tab and click on the Conditional Formatting option  Go to the Highlight Cell
Rules and click on the Less Than option.
• In the dialog box of Less Than, specify the value as 0.
 Fig 3: Snapshot of Highlighting cells in Excel – Data Analyst Interview Questions

Q3. How can you clear all the formatting without actually removing the cell
contents?

Sometimes you may want to remove all the formatting and just want to have the basic/simple data. To
do this, you can use the ‘Clear Formats’ options found in the Home Tab. You can evidently see the
option when you click on the ‘Clear’ drop down.
 Fig 4: Snapshot of clearing all formatting in Excel – Data Analyst Interview Questions

Q4. What is a Pivot Table, and what are the different sections of a Pivot Table?

A Pivot Table is a simple feature in Microsoft Excel which allows you to quickly summarize huge
datasets. It is really easy to use as it requires dragging and dropping rows/columns headers to create
reports.

A Pivot table is made up of four different sections:

• Values Area: Values are reported in this area

• Rows Area: The headings which are present on the left of the values.
• Column Area: The headings at the top of the values area makes the columns area.
• Filter Area: This is an optional filter used to drill down in the data set.

Q5. Can you make a Pivot Table from multiple tables?

Yes, we can create one Pivot Table from multiple different tables when there is a connection between
these tables.
Q6. How can we select all blank cells in Excel?

If you wish to select all the blank cells in Excel, then you can use the Go To Special Dialog Box in Excel.
Below are the steps that you can follow to select all the blank cells in Excel.

• First, select the entire dataset and press F5. This will open a Go To Dialog Box.
• Click the ‘Special‘ button which will open a Go To special Dialog box.  After that, select the
Blanks and click on OK.

The final step will select all the blank cells in your dataset.
Q7. What are the most common questions you should ask a client before creating a
dashboard?

Well, the answer to this question varies on a case-to-case basis. But, here are a few common questions
that you can ask while creating a dashboard in Excel.

• Purpose of the Dashboards

• Different data sources
• Usage of the Excel Dashboard
• The frequency at which the dashboard needs to be updated  The version of Office the client
uses.

Q8. What is a Print Area and how can you set it in Excel?

A Print Area in Excel is a range of cells that you designate to print whenever you print that worksheet.
For example, if you just want to print the first 20 rows from the entire worksheet, then you can set the
first 20 rows as the Print Area.

Now, to set the Print Area in Excel, you can follow the below steps:

• Select the cells for which you want to set the Print Area.
• Then, click on the Page Layout Tab.
• Click on Print Area.
• Click on Set Print Area.

Q9. What steps can you take to handle slow Excel workbooks?
Well, there are various ways to handle slow Excel workbooks. But, here are a few ways in which you can
handle workbooks.

• Try using manual calculation mode.

• Maintain all the referenced data in a single sheet.
• Often use excel tables and named ranges.
• Use Helper columns instead of array formulas.
• Try to avoid using entire rows or columns in references.  Convert all the unused formulas to
values.

Q10. Can you sort multiple columns at one time?

Multiple sorting refers to the sorting of a column and then sorting the other column by keeping the first
column intact. In Excel, you can definitely sort multiple columns at a one time.

To do multiple sorting, you need to use the Sort Dialog Box. Now, to get this, you can select the data
that you want to sort and then click on the Data Tab. After that, click on the Sort icon.
In this Dialog box, you can specify the details for one column, and then sort to another column, by
clicking on the Add Level button.

Moving onto the next set of questions, which is questions asked related to
Statistics.

Challenges:

Extract the first two letters from each department name in the dataset
below. What formula did you use?

Create a pivot table to summarize total sales by department for 2023 using
the dataset below. Can you explain the steps you followed?

Apply conditional formatting to highlight all employees who exceeded their

2023 sales target in the dataset below. Detail the criteria you used.

Calculate the year-over-year growth percentage for each employee's sales

using the dataset below. What formulas did you apply?

Set up data validation in the 'Department' column to ensure entries are

among 'Marketing', 'Sales', 'HR', 'IT' using the dataset below. Describe your
process.

Use advanced filters to display only those employees whose sales in 2023
were above $18,000 using the dataset below. How did you configure the
filters?

Identify and correct any potential errors in the 'Sales 2023' figures using the
dataset below. What Excel tools did you use for error checking?
Activate to view larger image,
1.Removing Duplicates: Eliminate repeated entries to ensure data accuracy.
2. Text to Columns: Split text into multiple columns for better organization.
3. Data Validation: Set rules to maintain data integrity.
4. Flash Fill: Automatically fill data based on patterns.
5. SUMIFS, COUNTIFS, AVERAGEIFS: Aggregate data with multiple criteria.
6. VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP: Search for data vertically or horizontally.
7. INDEX, MATCH, INDEX & MATCH: Combine functions for powerful lookups.
8. IF, AND, OR, NOT: Perform logical operations.
9. Nested Functions: Use multiple functions within one another.
10. Array Formulas: Handle multiple values at once.
11. XLOOKUP, LET: Modern functions for efficient lookups and variable definitions.
12. SUMPRODUCT, INDIRECT: Advanced functions for complex calculations.
13. LEFT, RIGHT, MID: Extract specific characters from a string.
14. Pivot Tables & Pivot Charts: Summarize and visualize large datasets.
15. Data Sorting and Filtering: Organize and find data efficiently.
16. Subtotals: Calculate subtotals within your data sets.
17. Conditional Formatting: Highlight data based on conditions.
18. Basic to Advanced Charting: Create various types of charts.
19. Creating Dynamic Dashboards: Build interactive and real-time dashboards.
20. Data Consolidation Techniques: Combine data from different sources.
21. Advanced Filter: Perform advanced data filtering.
22. Slicers and Timelines in Pivot Tables: Enhance pivot table interactivity.
23. Excel Functions for Date and Time (TODAY, NOW, EOMONTH, etc.): Manage and
manipulate date and time data.
24. Error Handling Functions (IFERROR, ISERROR): Handle errors in formulas efficiently.
25. COUNTA: Count non-empty cells in a range to assess data presence.

Excel :
1. Basics
- Cell operations and basic formulas: SUMIFS, COUNTIFS, AVERAGEIFS
- Charts and introductory data visualization
- Data sorting and filtering, Conditional formatting

2. Intermediate
- Advanced formulas: V/XLOOKUP, INDEX-MATCH, complex IF scenarios
- Summarizing data with PivotTables and PivotCharts
- Tools for data validation and what-if analysis: Data Tables, Goal Seek

3. Advanced
- Utilizing array formulas and sophisticated functions
- Building a Data Model & using Power Pivot
- Advanced filtering, Slicers and Timelines in Pivot Tables
- Crafting dynamic charts and interactive dashboards

Excel Proficiency:
- Cell operations, formulas (SUMIFS, COUNTIFS, AVERAGEIFS)
- PivotTables, PivotCharts, Data validation, What-if analysis
- Advanced formulas, Data Model & Power Pivot

Data Management & Cleaning:-

➡️Removing Duplicates
➡️Text to Columns
➡️Data Validation
➡️Flash Fill

Formula Proficiency:-

➡️SUMIFS, COUNTIFS, AVERAGEIFS

➡️VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP
➡️INDEX, MATCH, INDEX & MATCH
➡️IF, AND, OR, NOT
➡️Nested Functions
➡️Array Formulas
➡️XLOOKUP, LET
➡️SUMPRODUCT, INDIRECT
➡️CHOOSE, OFFSET

Data Analysis & Reporting:-

➡️Pivot Tables & Pivot Charts

➡️Data Sorting and Filtering
➡️Subtotals
➡️Data Tables, Scenarios (What-If Analysis)
➡️Goal Seek and Solver

Visualization Mastery:-

➡️Conditional Formatting
➡️Basic to Advanced Charting
➡️Creating Dynamic Dashboards
➡️Sparklines

Efficiency Boosters:-

➡️Keyboard Shortcuts
➡️Basic Macros and VBA (Optional)
➡️Data Consolidation Techniques
➡️Error Checking and Auditing Tools

Advanced Excel Features:-

➡️Power Query for Data Transformation

➡️Data Model & Power Pivot
➡️Advanced Filter
➡️Slicers and Timelines in Pivot Tables

Excel:
Basic
➡️Cell operations, basic formulas (SUMIFS, COUNTIFS, AVERAGEIFS, IF, AND, OR, NOT &
Nested Functions)
➡️Introduction to charts and basic data visualization
➡️Data sorting and filtering
➡️Conditional formatting
Intermediate
➡️Advanced formulas (V/XLOOKUP, INDEX-MATCH, nested IF)
➡️PivotTables and PivotCharts for summarizing data
➡️Data validation tools
➡️What-if analysis tools (Data Tables, Goal Seek)
Advanced
➡️Array formulas and advanced functions
➡️Data Model & Power Pivot
➡️Advanced Filter
➡️Slicers and Timelines in Pivot Tables
➡️Dynamic charts and interactive dashboards

2 reasons why you should start your analytics journey with Excel.

1) It's the Swiss Army Knife of data

- Clean data
- Ad-hoc analytics
- Create visualizations
- Automations (Macros)

2) Integration with other tools

- Excel spreadsheets feed data into everything
- MS Access, Tableau, Power BI, SQL, etc

3) Power BI adoption
- DAX and Power Query in Excel make PBI easier to adopt

4) All roads lead back to Excel eventually (trust me)

- As hard as you try, you can never escape it

Key Excel Concepts for Data Analyst Interviews

1. Formulas and Functions: Master essential Excel functions like VLOOKUP(),

HLOOKUP(), INDEX(), MATCH(), IF(), and nested IF statements to perform complex data
lookups, logical operations, and calculations.
2. PivotTables: Use PivotTables to summarize, analyze, and explore large datasets
quickly. Understand how to group data, create calculated fields, and apply filters within
PivotTables.

3. Data Cleaning and Transformation: Familiarize yourself with data cleaning techniques
using functions like TRIM(), CLEAN(), TEXT(), and DATE(). Use Excel’s built-in tools like
Flash Fill, Text to Columns, and Remove Duplicates for efficient data preparation.

4. Conditional Formatting: Apply conditional formatting to highlight key data points,

trends, or outliers, enabling more effective data visualization and interpretation.

5. Advanced Charts and Graphs: Create a variety of charts, including bar charts, line
charts, scatter plots, and histograms. Understand when and how to use each chart type
for the best data representation.

6. Macros and VBA: Learn to automate repetitive tasks by recording macros and writing
simple VBA scripts, streamlining workflows and saving time on complex processes.

7. Data Validation and Dropdowns: Use data validation to control user input, ensuring
data accuracy and consistency. Create dropdown lists and other controls for better data
entry.

8. Lookup and Reference Functions: Deepen your understanding of advanced lookup

and reference functions like XLOOKUP(), OFFSET(), and INDIRECT() for dynamic data
referencing.

9. What-If Analysis: Perform what-if analysis using tools like Goal Seek, Data Tables, and
Scenario Manager to model different scenarios and assess their potential impact.

10. Power Query and Power Pivot: Use Power Query for advanced data import, cleaning,
and transformation, and Power Pivot for building sophisticated data models and
performing complex calculations using DAX within Excel.

1. OFFSET : Understanding how to reference a dynamic range.

2. EOMONTH : Calculating end-of-month dates.
3. SUBSTITUTE & REPLACE : Manipulating text strings effectively.
4. COUNTIF : Analyzing data with conditional counts.
5. TEXTSPLIT : Splitting text into separate values.
6. CHOOSECOLS : Selecting specific columns from a range.
7. FILTER : Working with dynamic arrays to filter data.
8. TEXTJOIN : Combining text strings with ease.
9. UNIQUE : This was particularly crucial,showing my familiarity with
the latest Excel updates really helped me stand out!

Sharing Excel questions asked in Data Analyst interview:

1. What are the different types of Excel functions you commonly use in data analysis?
Answer:
• VLOOKUP / HLOOKUP / XLOOKUP: for looking up values in tables.
• IF / COUNTIF / SUMIF: for conditional logic and aggregation.
• INDEX and MATCH: more flexible alternatives to VLOOKUP.
• SUMPRODUCT: for advanced aggregations.
• TEXT functions (e.g., LEFT, RIGHT, MID, CONCATENATE, TEXT): for manipulating and
cleaning text.
• DATE and TIME functions: e.g., TODAY, DATE, YEAR, MONTH, DAY, NETWORKDAYS.
• Pivot Tables: for summarizing and analyzing large data sets.

2.How do you remove duplicates from a dataset in Excel?

Answer:
Select the range of data you want to clean.
Go to the Data tab and click on Remove Duplicates.
You can choose to remove duplicates based on specific columns or the entire row.

3.How do you handle missing data in Excel?

Answer:
• Conditional Formatting to highlight missing values.
• IFERROR() to handle errors that arise from missing data.
• Data Cleaning techniques like replacing missing values with a default (e.g., 0, blank,
or mean).

4.What is the IFERROR function and how do you use it?

Answer: IFERROR is used to handle errors in formulas. It allows you to specify a value to
return if a formula results in an error.
=IFERROR(formula, value_if_error)
For example:
=IFERROR(VLOOKUP(A2, DataRange, 2, FALSE), "Not Found")
This formula returns "Not Found" if the VLOOKUP fails.

5. Explain how you would use the TEXT function in Excel.

Answer: The TEXT function converts numbers to text in a specified format. For example:
To format a date: =TEXT(A1, "mm/dd/yyyy")
To format a number with commas: =TEXT(A1, "#,##0")
To display a number with two decimal places: =TEXT(A1, "0.00")

Sharing Excel questions asked in Data Analyst interview:

1. What are the different types of cell references in Excel?

Answer: There are three types of cell references:

Relative: (e.g., A1) — Adjusts when the formula is copied.
Absolute: (e.g., $A$1) — Does not adjust when copied.
Mixed: (e.g., A$1 or $A1) — One part is fixed while the other is relative.

2.What is the purpose of the CONCATENATE function (or CONCAT function in newer
versions)?

Answer: The CONCATENATE function (or CONCAT in modern Excel versions) combines
multiple text strings into one cell.

3.What is a pivot table and how do you create one?

Answer: A pivot table is a powerful tool for summarizing and analyzing data. To create
one:
Select the data range.
Go to the "Insert" tab and click "PivotTable."
Drag fields into the rows, columns, values, and filters areas to organize the data.

4.What is VLOOKUP, and how do you use it?

Answer: VLOOKUP is a function that searches for a value in the first column of a range
and returns a value from another column in the same row. Example formula:
=VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, [range_lookup]).

5.Explain the difference between SUMIF and COUNTIF.

Answer:
SUMIF(range, criteria, [sum_range]) adds the values in the range that meet the given
criteria.
COUNTIF(range, criteria) counts the number of cells that meet the given criteria.

Basic Excel Questions

1. What are the different types of cell references in Excel?

2. What is the difference between relative, absolute, and mixed references?
3. What is the difference between SUM and SUMIF?
4. How do you format cells in Excel?
5. How can you sort data in Excel?
6. What is conditional formatting in Excel?
7. Explain the use of the COUNT, COUNTA, and COUNTIF functions.
8. What is the VLOOKUP function, and how does it work?
9. What is the difference between VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP?
10. How do you protect a worksheet or workbook?

Intermediate Excel Questions

 11. What is a Pivot Table, and how would you use it?
12. How do you remove duplicates in Excel?
13. What are Excel charts, and how do you create them?
14. What is the difference between a formula and a function in Excel?
15. How do you use the IF function in Excel?
16. Explain the use of the CONCATENATE function.
17. What are named ranges, and how do you use them?
18. Explain the use of the CONCAT and TEXTJOIN functions in Excel.
19. What is an array formula, and how do you use it?
20. How do you use the data validation feature in Excel?

Advanced Excel Questions

21. Explain the INDEX and MATCH function combination.

22. How do you create a dynamic chart in Excel?
23. What are array formulas, and how are they different from regular formulas?
24. How do you use Power Query to clean and transform data?
25. What is the use of the SUMPRODUCT function?
26. Explain the use of the INDIRECT function.
27. How do you handle large datasets in Excel?
28. What is the difference between a Table and a Range in Excel?
29. How do you use Power Pivot in Excel?
30. What is the difference between INDEX/MATCH and VLOOKUP?
31. What are the different types of Excel charts, and when would you use each type?
32. How do you handle errors in Excel formulas (e.g., #VALUE!, #N/A)?
33. What is the Solver add-in in Excel, and how do you use it?
34. What is a dynamic named range in Excel?
35. How can you improve the performance of an Excel workbook with large datasets?

Data Analysis and Reporting

36. How do you filter data in Excel?

37. What are slicers in Excel, and how are they used?
38. How do you perform trend analysis in Excel?
39. What is the use of the TEXT function in Excel?
40. Explain how you would create a dashboard in Excel.

Excel Shortcuts and Tips

164. What are some essential Excel keyboard shortcuts?

165. How do you quickly navigate to the last row or column of data?
166. How do you split text into columns?
167. How do you hide or unhide rows/columns in Excel?
168. How do you create custom formatting or styles in Excel?
169. Data Sorting and Filtering
170.
171. How do you sort data alphabetically, numerically, or by color in Excel?
172. How would you apply filters to display specific data?
173. Conditional Formatting
174.
175. Highlight all cells where sales are greater than $10,000.
176. Use a color scale to show low to high values.
177. Data Validation
178.
179. Create a drop-down list for selecting product categories.
180. How do you restrict input in a cell to a number between 1 and 100?
181. Formulas and Functions
182.
183. Write a formula to calculate the total sales (e.g., SUM function).
184. Use the IF function to determine if sales are above the target.
185. Apply VLOOKUP or XLOOKUP to find the price of a product.
186. Use the CONCATENATE or TEXTJOIN function to combine first and last names.
187. How do you calculate the average sales using the AVERAGE function?
188. Basic Charting
189.
190. Create a column chart to show monthly sales.
191. Generate a pie chart to represent the percentage contribution of categories.
192. Intermediate Excel Skills
193. Pivot Tables
194.
195. Create a Pivot Table to summarize sales by region and category.
196. Add slicers to filter the Pivot Table by year or category.
197. Data Analysis
198.
199. How do you use the What-If Analysis tool?
200. Demonstrate how to use Goal Seek to find the break-even point.
201. Lookup Functions
202.
203. Explain and demonstrate the difference between VLOOKUP and INDEX-MATCH.
204. Use HLOOKUP to fetch horizontal data.

Text Functions

205. Extract the first three characters from a text string using the LEFT function.
206. Convert text to uppercase using the UPPER function.
207. Split data in a column (e.g., full name into first and last name).

Data Cleaning

208.
209. Remove duplicates from a dataset.
210. Trim extra spaces in a text column using the TRIM function.

Advanced Excel Skills

211. Macros and VBA

212.
213. Create a macro to automate a repetitive task (e.g., formatting a report).
214. Explain how to record a macro and assign it to a button.
215. Advanced Functions

Use COUNTIF to count the number of sales greater than $5000.

216. Apply OFFSET to dynamically create a range for a chart.

217. Use ARRAYFORMULA or dynamic arrays for advanced calculations.

Power Query

218.
219. Demonstrate how to import data from a CSV file using Power Query.
220. Transform data (e.g., split columns, remove duplicates).

Data Modeling

221. Create relationships between tables in Excel’s Data Model.

222. Use Power Pivot to create calculated fields.
223. Dynamic Named Ranges
224. Create a dynamic range for a growing dataset using the OFFSET function.
225. Scenario-Based Questions
226. Calculate a weighted average of sales?
227. Identify the top 5 performing sales reps in your dataset?
228. Highlight duplicates across two columns?
229. Given a dataset, create a dashboard with charts and slicers to analyze sales trends.
230. Troubleshoot an issue where a formula is returning an error (e.g., #VALUE!, #N/A).
231. How would you handle large datasets to improve performance (e.g., using efficient
formulas, reducing file size)?
232. Explain how you would secure an Excel file by protecting cells, worksheets, or the entire
workbook.