The Best Way to Learn Excel as a Beginner

The best way for you to learn Excel will depend on how much you already know about spreadsheets, your preferred learning styles, and your learning goals, such as whether you want to master the program for work or use it for personal budgeting. Options range from teaching yourself through online tutorials and videos to taking a course or completing a certification.

Explore the best ways to learn Excel as a beginner, from the basics to more advanced options, and consider factors such as learning preferences and formats. 

What do you use Excel for?

Microsoft Excel’s popularity stems from its extensive spreadsheet functionality, which serves both individuals and businesses. Whether you want to make calculations, create lists, track data, or sort information, Excel allows you to do this in a simple, fast, and efficient way.

With so many functions, some example use cases for Excel include:

• Collecting data

• Analyzing data

• Storing data

• Managing accounts

• Tracking payments

• Creating budgets

• Managing performance

• Business administration

Is Excel easy to learn?

Whether you find Microsoft Excel easy to learn depends on several factors, including your prior knowledge of spreadsheets and how in-depth you want to take your learning. At a basic level, such as inputting data into an Excel sheet and performing simple tasks, this is generally an expectation of most individuals working in an office, so much so that it is rarely stated on resumes.

How long does it take to learn Excel?

You can learn to use Excel quite quickly through online tutorials, guides, books, templates, and many official resources directly from Microsoft. However, the uses for Excel are vast, and it will take longer to master the more advanced features, such as the FILTER, SUMIF, and COUNTIF functions. For example, you can take a two-hour hands-on project through the Coursera Project Network, such as An Introduction to Data Analysis Using Excel. Alternatively, you might opt for something that runs for longer, such as the Microsoft 365 Fundamentals Specialization. This takes three to six months and covers all components of the 365 application, including Excel.

The best way to learn Excel as a beginner

Since best is subjective, how you like to learn might be different from the next person, so it’s important to think about your learning preferences and then find an appropriate medium. This might be through an online course, in-person training, or self-learning from a book. It might also be a YouTube tutorial video. As a beginner, how quickly you grasp Excel will depend on your technical skills, experience with spreadsheets, and the time you have available to learn. Use the three steps below to get started.

1. Set your learning goals.

Before you begin learning Excel, it’s important to set your learning goals. You can work from a basic level to an advanced level and on a range of functions when studying Excel, so it’s a good idea to spend some time thinking about what you want to get out of your learning. Whether you are looking to just learn the basics, a specific task, or continue to become an advanced learner, set your intention before you start, so you know where you are going. This will help you create a schedule, choose a relevant means to learn, and define what you need to cover.

To help you set an attainable schedule, consider making your goals SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely). For example:

“I will learn to input data into an Excel spreadsheet using a Microsoft 30-minute tutorial. With practice, I will then create a spreadsheet detailing my weekly income and expenses within three days.” 

2. Focus on core functions.

Regardless of your method of learning or how ambitious your learning goals are, it makes sense to start with the basics as a beginner. The fundamentals of Excel will be your foundation for building on your knowledge and skills.

Core functions to learn include:

• Create a workbook: The name for a new Excel document is a workbook, which includes sheets (spreadsheets) made up of cells, columns, and rows.

• Input data: Type text and numbers into the cells.

• AutoSum: Add data together using AutoSum by selecting participating cells.

• Create a formula: Add = to a cell along with + and - to create your own formulas.

• Filter your data: Select cells to include or leave out of the formula.

3. Discover graphs and charts.

Once you understand how to use Excel and have sufficient practice making workbooks and sheets, you can move on to using Excel to create graphs and charts to make visualizations of your data. Microsoft support offers a short video alongside a step-by-step guide outlining how to “Create a chart from start to finish,” catering to different learning styles [1]. 

The process of adding a graph or chart is beginner-friendly and quick. You select the data you want to visualize, go to the Insert tab, and choose from a range of chart options. Excel also provides a “Recommended Charts” feature that suggests chart types based on your selected data.

Take an online course

Self-learning is entirely possible with Excel, especially as Microsoft offers so much support. However, depending on how you like to learn, you may decide the best way to develop your skills is through a course. You’ll find a range of online courses on Excel from the most basic to very advanced. Along with free tutorials, you can access courses from colleges and schools, and other online course providers. Each varies in delivery method and content. Examples include:

• IBM Excel Basics for Data Analysis

• Work Smarter with Microsoft Excel

• Everyday Excel Specialization: University of Colorado, Boulder

How to advance with Excel

Excel has so many functions. As a simple tool, you can use it for making spreadsheets and tracking data, even making graphs and charts. However, Excel allows you to do so much more if you work with it at an advanced level. To work at an advanced level takes longer to master, and you may need to take an online course or certification such as the Microsoft Office Specialist: Excel Expert. To continue your learning of Excel toward an advanced level, consider focusing your learning on the following:

• VLOOKUP: Vertical Look Up allows you to search for data within a data set and pull it out into a new table. This function is useful when you want to pull two datasets together that have common information. For example, you are collating personal details, but one sheet has a phone number and one has an email address. You can take data from both sheets to create a new common dataset.

• TREND: You use this function to find trends in linear values. For example, timelines that you can translate into charts. 

• IF: You can use the IF function to see if a variable you set is true or false, by seeing the results, allowing you to find errors and inconsistencies in data. The IF function with COUNT (IFCOUNT) allows you to see how many times a certain word appears in a data set.

Additional resources for learning Excel

The following articles can be helpful in finding the best way for you to learn Excel. You'll also find more information on what Excel is used for and its various functions:

• What Is Excel? Formulas, Functions, and More

• How to Learn Excel

• How to Earn a Microsoft Excel Certification (+ Why You Should)

• Google Sheets vs. Excel: What’s the Difference?

Learn more about Excel with Coursera

Excel is a popular tool for various activities, from creating spreadsheets to tracking performance to creating data visualizations such as graphs and charts. As a beginner, a great place to start your learning is through an online course. Your chosen course will depend on what you want to use Excel for. To use Excel for data analysis, check out the IBM Data Analytics with Excel and R Professional Certificate, available on Coursera. With no prior experience necessary, you can get in-demand skills and practical knowledge to help you enter the workforce in less than three months.