Excel Step by Step

Step-by-step lessons · October 2026

Excel Step by Step

From first cell to PivotTables

Clear, numbered steps for every main feature of Excel, from typing your first list to SUMIFS, XLOOKUP, PivotTables, Power Query and macros. Most lessons include a worked example on the same sample sales data, and every lesson ends with a practice task.

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Lessons

19 lessons in 4 parts · 257 numbered steps

Highlights

SUMIFS, XLOOKUP and PivotTables, worked through on one sample dataset

Version

Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows; newer functions such as XLOOKUP and FILTER need Excel 2021 or later

Part 1

Foundations

01 · 25 min · Worked example

Getting Started with Excel

Learn the words Excel uses, find your way around the window, and create, save and reopen a workbook.

11 steps → 02 · 35 min · Worked example

Entering, Editing and Filling Data

Type text, numbers and dates correctly, move around quickly, and let AutoFill and Flash Fill do the typing for you.

18 steps → 03 · 35 min · Worked example

Formatting Numbers and Cells

Show numbers as rupees, percentages and dates, write custom formats, and use alignment, borders and cell styles.

14 steps → 04 · 25 min

Rows, Columns and Worksheets

Insert, resize, hide and group rows and columns, freeze headings in place, and organise a workbook with several sheets.

16 steps → 05 · 40 min · Worked example

Formulas, AutoSum and Cell References

Write formulas with + − × ÷, total columns with AutoSum, and copy formulas correctly with relative and absolute references.

14 steps → 06 · 30 min · Worked example

Excel Tables and Printing

Turn a list into an Excel Table that formats, filters and totals itself, then print a sheet neatly on one page.

13 steps →

Part 2

Formulas & functions

07 · 40 min · Worked example

Maths and Statistics Functions

Total, count and average with conditions using SUMIFS, COUNTIFS and AVERAGEIFS, and round numbers correctly.

15 steps → 08 · 35 min · Worked example

Logical Functions: IF, IFS, AND, OR

Make formulas choose between results with IF and IFS, combine conditions with AND and OR, and handle errors with IFERROR.

12 steps → 09 · 40 min · Worked example

Lookups: XLOOKUP, VLOOKUP and INDEX/MATCH

Bring information from one table into another, such as a product’s category or a customer’s rate, with XLOOKUP and its older cousins.

13 steps → 10 · 40 min · Worked example

Text and Date Functions

Clean and split names and codes, join text, and calculate due dates, working days, ages and month-ends.

12 steps → 11 · 40 min · Worked example

Dynamic Arrays, LET, LAMBDA and Financial Functions

Return whole lists with FILTER, SORT and UNIQUE, name parts of long formulas with LET, build your own functions, and calculate EMIs and returns.

13 steps → 12 · 30 min · Worked example

Finding and Fixing Formula Errors

Understand what each error value means, trace where a formula gets its numbers, and fix numbers stored as text and circular references.

10 steps →

Part 3

Analyse & visualise

13 · 35 min · Worked example

Sort, Filter, Clean and Validate Data

Sort and filter lists, remove duplicates and split columns, and add drop-down lists and rules that stop wrong entries.

14 steps → 14 · 30 min · Worked example

Conditional Formatting

Highlight values automatically with colour rules, data bars, colour scales and icons, including whole-row rules written as formulas.

12 steps → 15 · 40 min · Worked example

Charts and Sparklines

Choose the right chart for your question, build and format it, add combo and waterfall charts, and put tiny sparklines in cells.

16 steps → 16 · 45 min · Worked example

PivotTables, Slicers and PivotCharts

Summarise thousands of rows by dragging fields, show percentages and running totals, group dates, and filter with slicers and timelines.

17 steps → 17 · 45 min · Worked example

What-If Analysis, Forecasting and Power Query

Work backwards from a target with Goal Seek, compare scenarios and data tables, forecast trends, and clean incoming data repeatably with Power Query.

13 steps →

Part 4

Share & automate

18 · 30 min · Worked example

Protecting, Sharing and Co-authoring

Lock formulas and leave input cells open, protect sheets and workbooks, share a live copy, and work together with comments and version history.

10 steps → 19 · 40 min · Worked example

Macros, Office Scripts and Copilot

Record a macro to repeat a weekly routine, run it from a button, automate in Excel for the web with Office Scripts, and ask Copilot to analyse data.

14 steps →

Quick finder

Where is that button?

#LessonWhere to find itTime
01 Getting Started with Excel File tab (Backstage view), the ribbon, Name Box and formula bar 25 min
02 Entering, Editing and Filling Data Home › Editing group (Fill, Find & Select) and Data › Flash Fill 35 min
03 Formatting Numbers and Cells Home › Font, Alignment, Number and Styles groups; Format Cells (Ctrl+1) 35 min
04 Rows, Columns and Worksheets Home › Cells group, View › Freeze Panes, and the sheet tabs 25 min
05 Formulas, AutoSum and Cell References The formula bar, Home › AutoSum and Formulas tab 40 min
06 Excel Tables and Printing Insert › Table (Ctrl+T), Table Design tab, Page Layout tab and File › Print 30 min
07 Maths and Statistics Functions Formulas › Math & Trig and More Functions › Statistical 40 min
08 Logical Functions: IF, IFS, AND, OR Formulas › Logical 35 min
09 Lookups: XLOOKUP, VLOOKUP and INDEX/MATCH Formulas › Lookup & Reference 40 min
10 Text and Date Functions Formulas › Text and Date & Time 40 min
11 Dynamic Arrays, LET, LAMBDA and Financial Functions Formulas › Lookup & Reference, Logical and Financial 40 min
12 Finding and Fixing Formula Errors Formulas › Formula Auditing group 30 min
13 Sort, Filter, Clean and Validate Data Data tab › Sort & Filter and Data Tools groups 35 min
14 Conditional Formatting Home › Conditional Formatting 30 min
15 Charts and Sparklines Insert › Charts group, then the Chart Design and Format tabs 40 min
16 PivotTables, Slicers and PivotCharts Insert › PivotTable, then the PivotTable Analyze and Design tabs 45 min
17 What-If Analysis, Forecasting and Power Query Data › What-If Analysis, Data › Forecast Sheet and Data › Get & Transform Data 45 min
18 Protecting, Sharing and Co-authoring Review tab, File › Info and the Share button 30 min
19 Macros, Office Scripts and Copilot View › Macros, Developer tab, Automate tab and Home › Copilot 40 min