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50 Most Asked MS Excel Interview Questions

By Khurshid MD Anwar
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Basic Level
1. What is MS Excel?
MS Excel is a spreadsheet program developed by Microsoft that
allows users to organize, format, and calculate data using formulas
and functions.
2. What are the basic components of an Excel worksheet?
o Cells
o Rows and Columns
o Worksheet Tabs
o Formula Bar
o Ribbon
3. What is a cell reference? Explain its types.
A cell reference is a way to identify a cell. The types are:
o Relative (A1)
o Absolute ($A$1)
o Mixed ($A1 or A$1)
4. How do you create a new worksheet in Excel?
Right-click on the worksheet tab and select Insert, or click the + icon
at the bottom.
5. What is a Pivot Table, and why is it used?
A Pivot Table is used to summarize, analyze, and extract meaningful
insights from large datasets.
6. What is the difference between a workbook and a
worksheet?
o Workbook: A file containing multiple worksheets.
o Worksheet: A single sheet within a workbook.

50 Most Asked MS Excel Interview Questions

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7. How do you apply a filter in Excel?

Go to the Data tab, click on Filter, and select criteria to filter data.
8. What is Conditional Formatting?
A feature that formats cells based on specific conditions or rules
(e.g., highlight cells with values > 100).
9. What is the use of the VLOOKUP function?
VLOOKUP is used to find data in a table based on a specific value.
Example:

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

10. What is the shortcut for freezing panes in Excel?
Press Alt + W + F + F or go to View → Freeze Panes.

Intermediate Level
11. What is the difference between COUNT, COUNTA, and
COUNTIF?
• COUNT: Counts numeric values only.
• COUNTA: Counts all non-empty cells.
• COUNTIF: Counts cells that meet a specific condition.
12. How do you use the IF function in Excel?
Example:

=IF(A1>10, "Pass", "Fail")

13. What are named ranges, and how are they useful?
Named ranges assign a name to a range of cells, making formulas
easier to read and man age.

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14. What is the use of the CONCATENATE or CONCAT
function?
Combines text from multiple cells into one.
Example:

=CONCAT(A1, " ", B1)

15. What are Excel tables, and why are they useful?
Excel tables automatically adjust ranges, provide easy filtering, and
support structured references.
16. What is the purpose of the MATCH function?
Returns the position of a value in a range.
Example:

=MATCH(50, A1:A10, 0)
17. What is the difference between HLOOKUP and
VLOOKUP?
• VLOOKUP: Searches vertically in a column.
• HLOOKUP: Searches horizontally in a row.
18. How do you protect a worksheet?
Go to Review → Protect Sheet, set a password, and choose
permissions.
19. What is the purpose of the TRIM function?
Removes extra spaces from text except for single spaces between
words.
20. What is the difference between SUBTOTAL and SUM?
• SUM: Calculates the total of a range.
• SUBTOTAL: Allows filtering, excluding hidden rows.

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Advanced Level
21. What is Power Query in Excel?
A tool for connecting, cleaning, and transforming data from various
sources.
22. What is the XLOOKUP function? How is it better than
VLOOKUP?
• XLOOKUP can search both vertically and horizontally.
• It eliminates the need for column numbers.
Example:

=XLOOKUP(101, A2:A10, B2:B10)

23. How do you create a dynamic dropdown list in Excel?
Use Data Validation with a range and convert it to a table to auto-
expand.
24. What is the INDEX-MATCH combination? Why is it
used?
It is a flexible alternative to VLOOKUP.
Example:

=INDEX(B2:B10, MATCH(101, A2:A10, 0))

25. What is the difference between Charts and Sparklines in
Excel?
• Charts: Visualize data in graphs (e.g., bar, pie).
• Sparklines: Small, inline charts within a cell.
26. What are Macros in Excel?
Macros are used to automate repetitive tasks in Excel using VBA
(Visual Basic for Applications).

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27. What is the purpose of the TEXT function?

Formats numbers and dates as text.
Example:

=TEXT(TODAY(), "MM/DD/YYYY")
28. How do you remove duplicates in Excel?
Select the range, go to Data → Remove Duplicates.
29. What is the use of Array Formulas?
Array formulas perform calculations on multiple values at once.
Example:
{=SUM(A1:A10*B1:B10)}
30. What is the purpose of the Pivot Chart?
Pivot Charts are visual representations of Pivot Table data, helping in
better analysis.
Intermediate to Advanced Level
31. What is the difference between Excel's FIND and
SEARCH functions?
• FIND: Case-sensitive and does not support wildcards.
• SEARCH: Not case-sensitive and supports wildcards like * and ?.
Example:
FIND("A", "Apple") → 1
SEARCH("a", "Apple") → 1
32. How do you handle errors in Excel formulas?
Use error-handling functions like:
• IFERROR: =IFERROR(A1/B1, "Error!")
• ISERROR: =IF(ISERROR(A1/B1), "Error!", A1/B1)
33. What is data validation in Excel?
Data validation restricts the type of data that can be entered in a cell.
Example: Restrict entries to numbers between 1 and 100.
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34. What are dynamic arrays in Excel?
Dynamic arrays allow formulas to return multiple results that spill into
adjacent cells.
Example:

=SORT(A1:A10)
35. What is the use of the UNIQUE function?
Returns unique values from a range.
Example:

=UNIQUE(A1:A10)
36. How do you create a custom number format in Excel?
Go to Format Cells → Custom, and use format codes like #,##0.00.
37. What is the use of the TEXTJOIN function?
Combines text from multiple cells with a specified delimiter.
Example:

=TEXTJOIN(", ", TRUE, A1:A3)

38. How do you create a heatmap in Excel?
Use Conditional Formatting → Color Scales to visualize data
patterns.
39. What is the purpose of the RAND and RANDBETWEEN
functions?
• RAND: Generates a random number between 0 and 1.
• RANDBETWEEN: Generates a random integer within a range.
40. What is the use of Excel's LET function?
Assigns names to calculations to improve readability and
performance.
Example:

=LET(x, A1*10, y, A2*20, x+y)

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41. How do you create a dependent dropdown list in Excel?
Use Data Validation with a combination of named ranges and
INDIRECT.
42. What is the use of the SUBSTITUTE function?
Replaces specific text in a string.
Example:

=SUBSTITUTE("A-B-C", "-", "/") → "A/B/C"

43. What are slicers in Excel?
Slicers are visual filters for Pivot Tables and Pivot Charts.
44. What is the difference between Workbook Protection
and Worksheet Protection?
• Workbook Protection: Protects the structure (e.g., adding/deleting
sheets).
• Worksheet Protection: Protects individual cells or data within a sheet.
45. How do you remove blank cells from a dataset?
• Use filters to display non-blank cells, then copy and paste.
• Or use =FILTER(A1:A10, A1:A10<>"") in dynamic arrays.
46. What is Power Pivot in Excel?
A data modeling tool that allows you to work with large datasets and
perform advanced calculations.
47. How do you use the OFFSET function?
Returns a range that is offset from a starting cell by a specified
number of rows and columns.
Example:

=OFFSET(A1, 2, 3, 1, 1)

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48. What is the difference between Excel's NOW and TODAY
functions?
• NOW: Returns the current date and time.
• TODAY: Returns only the current date.
49. How do you transpose data in Excel?
Use the Transpose option in Paste Special, or the TRANSPOSE
function.
Example:

=TRANSPOSE(A1:A3)
50. How do you calculate the correlation between two
datasets in Excel?
Use the CORREL function:
Example:

=CORREL(A1:A10, B1:B10)