How do I prepare for a Excel interview?

Work through realistic questions, read why each answer is right, then redo the ones you missed. This test has ten, taken from what interviewers commonly ask a beginner or a junior. Then read the postings: the 968 open jobs that name Excel show what employers expect on top of it.

Is this Excel test free?

Yes. It needs no account and no email, runs in your browser and sends nothing anywhere.

What does my score mean?

It is a self-check. Eight or more right means the basics are fresh; five to seven means a good base with gaps; under five means more practice first. It is not an official certificate.

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Home / Skill tests / Excel

Excel test: 10 questions to check yourself

In plain words: Excel is a spreadsheet program: a grid of cells where you type numbers and formulas to count, compare and summarise. Answer ten questions, press the button, and see which you got right and why.

968 open jobs name Excel today, with a median advertised pay of $136K. The questions are the kind that come up in a first interview.

1What does the formula =SUM(B2:B10) do?Adds the values in cells B2 to B10Adds only B2 and B10Counts the cells from B2 to B10Multiplies B2 by B10

2You copy =A1*B1 from row 1 to row 2. What does the copy say?=A1*B1=A2*B2=A1*B2=B2*A2 only if the cells are sorted

3What does the $ do in $A$1?Formats the cell as moneyLocks the reference so it does not change when copiedTurns the cell into textMakes the value negative

4Which function looks up a value in the first column of a table and returns a value from another column of the same row?VLOOKUPCOUNTIFCONCATROUND

5What does =COUNTIF(C:C,"Paid") return?The sum of the cells that say PaidHow many cells in column C contain the word PaidThe first row that says PaidTRUE if any cell says Paid

6What is a PivotTable for?Drawing a picture on top of the sheetSummarising a long list by groups, such as total sales per region, without writing formulasProtecting the sheet with a passwordImporting data from the web

7A cell shows #DIV/0!. What happened?The formula divides by zero or by an empty cellThe column is too narrowThe file is damagedThe cell is locked

8What does =IF(B2>=50,"Pass","Fail") show when B2 holds 50?FailPassAn error50

9Which is the best way to find the average of the numbers in A1:A20, ignoring empty cells?=AVERAGE(A1:A20)=SUM(A1:A20)/20=MEDIAN(A1:A20)/2=COUNT(A1:A20)

10What does freezing panes do?Stops the file being editedKeeps the top rows or the first columns on screen while you scrollLocks the formulasTurns the sheet into a picture

Questions about this test

How do I prepare for a Excel interview?: Work through realistic questions, read why each answer is right, then redo the ones you missed. This test has ten, taken from what interviewers commonly ask a beginner or a junior. Then read the postings: the 968 open jobs that name Excel show what employers expect on top of it.
Is this Excel test free?: Yes. It needs no account and no email, runs in your browser and sends nothing anywhere.
What does my score mean?: It is a self-check. Eight or more right means the basics are fresh; five to seven means a good base with gaps; under five means more practice first. It is not an official certificate.

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