14 Basic Skills For Excel Users

If you use Excel at work, or list it on your résumé, what tasks should you be able to do? Are there basic skills for Excel users that office workers should be able to perform with little or no help?

Basic Skills for Excel Users

I’m sure your list is different, but here’s mine. Would any of these make your list? There are videos for some of these skills below, and Excel courses that you can take, to improve your skills quickly.

01) Sum or Count cells, based on one criterion or multiple criteria

02) Build a Pivot Table to summarize date

03) Write a formula with absolute and relative references

04) Create a drop down list of options in a cell, for easier data entry

05) Sort a list of text and/or numbers without messing up the data

06) Create a worksheet formula to look up a specific value in a table

07) Record and modify a simple Excel macro and use it to save time

08) Design and build a simple worksheet template, such as an order form

09) Create an Excel chart from worksheet data

10) Apply conditional formatting that uses a formula as its rule

11) Nest two or more functions in a formula

12) Insert and protect worksheets (and understand the limits of Excel’s worksheet protection)

13) Create formulas for simple date and time arithmetic

14) Filter unique items from a list

Basic Skills for Excel Users – 1

This video shows skill number 1 in my list – how to sum numbers based on multiple criteria. This example uses the SUMIFS function to get the total.

Basic Skills for Excel Users – 2

This video shows skill number 2 in my list – how to create a pivot table to summarize data in Excel.

Basic Skills for Excel Users – 4

This video shows skill number 4 in my list – how to create a drop down list in a worksheet cell, with data validation. This makes is easier for people to enter valid information in worksheets

Basic Skills for Excel Users – 6

This video shows skill number 6 in my list – look up a specific value in a table. This example uses the VLOOKUP function to return a price for the selected product.

Basic Skills for Excel Users – 14

This video shows one of the basic skills for Excel users that you should have. It’s skill number 14 in my list – how to filter unique items from a list.

More Excel Resources

Excel Topics

Find more Excel tutorials, for these popular topics, on the Contextures website

Pivot Tables — Use Excel Pivot Tables to quickly summarize data from a list or Excel table. See how to get started, then learn more about the power of pivot tables!

FormulasUse Excel formulas and functions to summarize data, return values from a lookup table, do mathematical calculations, and much more!

Data Validation — Use the Excel data validation feature to create drop down lists on a worksheet. Or, use data validation rules to control what can be entered into worksheet cells.

Macros — Use Excel macros to automate routine tasks, so you can save time while you work. Record and edit your own macros, or use code that you find here on my Contextures site.

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