Excel for beginners: questions and answers

Starting with Excel can feel overwhelming. Where do you even begin with such a powerful program?

Official guides and help sites are great, but the sheer volume of information can leave you lost. You’re left wondering: what skills do I actually need for my daily work?

This guide cuts through the noise. It’s structured into logical sections, making it perfect if you’re using this site as your personal Excel tutor.

As you master simple tasks, you’ll naturally discover how to tackle more complex ones. For those advanced challenges, my Excel add-in can be a huge help, which is why you’ll see it mentioned throughout.

Getting Started with Excel

1. The Excel Interface: Your New Workspace
2. Functions vs. Procedures: What’s the Difference?
3. Relative vs. Absolute Cell References: The Core Concept
4. Excel Keyboard Shortcuts to Work Faster
5. Navigating Between Sheets
6. Cell Formatting: Making Data Look Good
7. Data Types: Text, Numbers, and Dates

Excel Functions & Formulas

Nested Functions: Formulas Inside Formulas

Array Formulas

Custom Functions

The Personal Macro Workbook (PERSONAL.XLSB)

Named Functions

Essential Excel Functions with Examples

Ready to dive deep? Explore my complete Excel function reference with brief descriptions and detailed examples.

Below are the most commonly used functions organized by category:

Essential Excel Procedures

Here are the most vital Excel procedures, organized by their ribbon tabs:

Excel FAQ

This section is constantly growing with answers to the most frequently asked questions about Excel.

Freezing Panes: Rows and Columns

Line Breaks in Cells: Insert and Remove

All Special Characters in Excel – The Complete Guide

How to Find, Replace and Delete Asterisks in Excel

How to Capitalize the First Letter in a Cell

How to Generate the Alphabet in Excel

How to Count Sheets in a Workbook

How to Count Days in a Month

This post is also available in RU.