{"id":2686,"date":"2026-08-10T10:10:48","date_gmt":"2026-08-10T00:10:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/?p=2686"},"modified":"2026-08-10T10:44:37","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T00:44:37","slug":"complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel","title":{"rendered":"Microsoft Excel: The Complete Guide for Beginners"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Microsoft Excel is the world\u2019s most widely used spreadsheet program. It stores data in a grid of rows and columns, and lets you calculate, analyse and chart that data using formulas and functions. People use it for everything from budgets and invoices to reporting and data analysis. This guide covers the essentials, from cells to PivotTables.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Excel can feel enormous because it does so much. But almost everything useful is built on a handful of core ideas, and once those click, the rest follows. This guide walks through them in plain English and points you to deeper guides for each major topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-dominant-color=\"1b2f3d\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #1b2f3d;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"538\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/microsoft-excel-complete-guide-hero-1024x538.png\" alt=\"Microsoft Excel: The Complete Guide - hub diagram linking Excel to formulas, functions, PivotTables, charts and shortcuts\" class=\"wp-image-2687 not-transparent\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/microsoft-excel-complete-guide-hero-1024x538.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/microsoft-excel-complete-guide-hero-300x158.png 300w, https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/microsoft-excel-complete-guide-hero.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-is-microsoft-excel\" class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-4-font-size\">What is Microsoft Excel?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet application: software for storing, calculating and analysing data in a grid. That grid is made of cells arranged in rows and columns, and each cell can hold a number, some text, a date, or a formula that calculates a result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Excel is part of the Microsoft 365 suite (alongside Word, Outlook and PowerPoint) and runs on Windows, Mac, the web and mobile. It is used in virtually every industry, because almost any information that fits in a table, financial, operational, or personal, can be managed in Excel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-is-excel-used-for\" class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-4-font-size\">What is Excel used for?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">At its simplest, Excel is used to keep lists and do sums. In practice, people use it for a huge range of tasks:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list has-normal-font-size\">\n<li>Budgets, cash flow and financial models.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Invoices, quotes and expense tracking.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reporting and dashboards.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Data analysis, summarising thousands of records into insights.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Scheduling, planning and simple databases.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The common thread is structured data: anything you can organise into rows and columns, Excel can calculate on and summarise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-how-is-an-excel-workbook-structured\" class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-4-font-size\">How is an Excel workbook structured?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Four terms cover the whole structure:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list has-normal-font-size\">\n<li><strong>Workbook:<\/strong> the Excel file itself (a .xlsx file).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Worksheet (or sheet):<\/strong> a single tabbed page inside the workbook. One workbook can hold many sheets.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cell:<\/strong> a single box in the grid, identified by its column letter and row number, for example A1 (column A, row 1). The cell you have selected is the \u201cactive cell.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Rows and columns:<\/strong> rows run horizontally and are numbered (1, 2, 3); columns run vertically and are lettered (A, B, C). Where a row and column meet is a cell.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Understanding cell references like <code>A1<\/code> or <code>B2:B10<\/code> (a range) is the foundation for everything else, because formulas work by referring to cells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-how-do-formulas-and-functions-work-in-excel\" class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-4-font-size\">How do formulas and functions work in Excel?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">A <strong>formula<\/strong> is an instruction that calculates a result. Every formula starts with an equals sign. Type <code>=2+2<\/code> into a cell and Excel shows 4. More usefully, formulas refer to cells: <code>=A1+A2<\/code> adds whatever is in those two cells and updates automatically when they change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">A <strong>function<\/strong> is a built-in shortcut for a common calculation. Instead of <code>=A1+A2+A3+A4<\/code>, you write <code>=SUM(A1:A4)<\/code>. Functions always take the form <code>=NAME(arguments)<\/code>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">One concept worth learning early is <strong>absolute references<\/strong>. Normally, copying a formula shifts its cell references. Putting dollar signs in, like <code>=A1*$B$1<\/code>, locks the <code>$B$1<\/code> part so it stays fixed when you copy the formula down a column. It is the difference between a formula that breaks when copied and one that works everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">For looking up values across tables, Excel has dedicated functions. See our guides to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/xlookup-explained\">XLOOKUP<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/vlookup-vs-xlookup-vs-index-match\">VLOOKUP vs XLOOKUP vs INDEX\/MATCH<\/a> for the most important ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-are-the-most-useful-excel-functions-to-learn-first\" class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-4-font-size\">What are the most useful Excel functions to learn first?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">You do not need hundreds of functions. A small set covers most everyday work:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list has-normal-font-size\">\n<li><strong>SUM<\/strong> adds a range of numbers: <code>=SUM(B2:B20)<\/code>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>AVERAGE<\/strong> finds the mean: <code>=AVERAGE(B2:B20)<\/code>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>COUNT \/ COUNTA<\/strong> count numbers \/ non-empty cells.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>IF returns one thing or another based on a test: <code>=IF(B2&gt;100,\"Over\",\"Under\")<\/code>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>SUMIF \/ COUNTIF<\/strong> add or count only the cells that meet a condition.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>XLOOKUP<\/strong> finds a value in one column and returns a matching value from another.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>TODAY \/ NOW<\/strong> insert the current date or time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Master those and you can handle the large majority of business spreadsheets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-everyday-excel-tasks-should-every-beginner-know\" class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-4-font-size\">What everyday Excel tasks should every beginner know?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Beyond formulas, a handful of practical skills make Excel far less frustrating:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list has-normal-font-size\">\n<li><strong>Freeze panes<\/strong> (View &gt; Freeze Panes) to keep your headings visible as you scroll.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sort and filter<\/strong> (Data tab) to reorder and narrow a list.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Remove duplicates<\/strong> (Data &gt; Remove Duplicates) to clean a list.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Create a drop-down list<\/strong> (Data &gt; Data Validation) to control what can be typed in a cell.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Format as a Table<\/strong> (Ctrl+T) so your data is easier to filter, reference and feed into PivotTables.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Merge and centre<\/strong>, wrap text, and number formatting to make sheets readable.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Each of these is a two-minute skill that saves hours over time. (We are publishing step-by-step guides to these tasks; see the internal-links note.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-how-do-you-create-a-chart-in-excel\" class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-4-font-size\">How do you create a chart in Excel?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">To turn numbers into a chart, select your data (including the headings) and go to <strong>Insert &gt; Charts<\/strong>, then pick a type: a column chart for comparisons, a line chart for trends over time, or a pie chart for parts of a whole. Excel creates the chart instantly, and it updates automatically when the underlying data changes. From there you can add titles, labels and colours from the Chart Design tab.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-is-a-pivottable\" class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-4-font-size\">What is a PivotTable?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">A PivotTable is Excel\u2019s tool for summarising a large list of data into a compact, interactive report, totals by category, counts, averages, all without formulas. It is one of the highest-value skills in Excel for anyone who works with data. Our full walkthrough is in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/excel-pivot-tables-beginners-guide\">Excel Pivot Tables: A Beginner\u2019s Guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-how-can-you-work-faster-in-excel\" class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-4-font-size\">How can you work faster in Excel?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Speed in Excel comes from three habits: using keyboard shortcuts, formatting your data as Tables, and letting functions do the work instead of manual editing. Shortcuts alone (like Ctrl+C\/V, Ctrl+Z, Ctrl+Arrow to jump across data, and Alt+= to autosum) save hours over a week. AI can help too: Copilot in Excel can suggest formulas, build charts and create PivotTables from a prompt; see our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/microsoft-365-copilot-guide\">Microsoft 365 Copilot guide<\/a>. It works best when you already understand the fundamentals, so you can check its output.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-are-the-excel-skill-levels-and-how-good-do-you-need-to-be\" class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-4-font-size\">What are the Excel skill levels, and how good do you need to be?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">It helps to think of Excel skills in tiers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list has-normal-font-size\">\n<li><strong>Beginner:<\/strong> navigating sheets, entering and formatting data, basic formulas (SUM, AVERAGE), and simple charts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Intermediate:<\/strong> logical and date functions, filtering, conditional formatting, and working across multiple sheets.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Advanced:<\/strong> lookup functions, PivotTables, data consolidation, and an introduction to automation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Data analysis \/ expert:<\/strong> Power Query, Power Pivot, and large-dataset modelling.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">How far you need to go depends on your role. Most office professionals are well served by solid intermediate skills; anyone working with reporting or data benefits from advanced and PivotTable skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-how-do-you-learn-microsoft-excel\" class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-4-font-size\">How do you learn Microsoft Excel?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">You can learn a lot from guides like this one, but structured, hands-on training is the fastest way to become genuinely confident, especially with a trainer who can answer your questions on your own data. Dynamic Web Training runs instructor-led Excel courses across Australia, in Sydney, Melbourne and Online Live, at every level:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list has-normal-font-size\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/microsoft-excel-training-courses\/beginner-excel-course\">Excel Beginner<\/a> for the foundations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/microsoft-excel-training-courses\/intermediate-excel-course\">Excel Intermediate<\/a> for functions, charts and data tools.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/microsoft-excel-training-courses\/advanced-excel-course\">Excel Advanced<\/a> for lookups, PivotTables and automation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/microsoft-excel-training-courses\/excel-data-analysis-course\">Excel for Data Analysis<\/a> for Power Query and Power Pivot.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Every course is led by Microsoft Certified Trainers in small groups, and includes free re-sits. Browse all levels and dates on our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/microsoft-excel-training-courses\">Microsoft Excel training courses<\/a> page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-frequently-asked-questions\" class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-4-font-size\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block has-normal-font-size\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1786320299969\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">What is Microsoft Excel used for?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Microsoft Excel is used to store, calculate and analyse data in a grid of rows and columns. Common uses include budgets, invoices, reporting, scheduling and data analysis, essentially anything that can be organised into a table and calculated or summarised.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1786320354582\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Is Excel hard to learn?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">No. Excel is built on a few core ideas, cells and references, formulas and functions, and tables, and once those click, the rest builds on them. Most people become confident with everyday tasks after a beginner course or a few hours of focused practice.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1786320371523\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">What are the most important Excel functions for beginners?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Start with SUM, AVERAGE, COUNT, IF, SUMIF and a lookup function like XLOOKUP. These handle the large majority of everyday business spreadsheets. You do not need to learn hundreds of functions to be effective.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1786320390541\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">What is the difference between a formula and a function in Excel?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">A formula is any calculation you write starting with an equals sign, such as =A1+A2. A function is a built-in shortcut for a common calculation, such as =SUM(A1:A10). Functions are used inside formulas to save time.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1786320409830\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Is Microsoft Excel free?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Excel for the web is available free with a Microsoft account, with limited features. The full desktop version requires a Microsoft 365 subscription or a one-time Office purchase. Many workplaces provide Excel as part of their Microsoft 365 plan.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1786320419909\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">How long does it take to learn Excel?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">You can learn the basics in a day. A one-day beginner course covers navigating sheets, formatting, basic formulas and charts. Building intermediate and advanced skills, functions, PivotTables and analysis, typically comes with further training and practice over the following weeks.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Microsoft Excel is the world\u2019s most widely used spreadsheet program. It stores data in a grid of rows and columns, and lets you calculate, analyse and chart that data using formulas and functions. People use it for everything from budgets and invoices to reporting and data analysis. This guide covers the essentials, from cells to&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2686","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-microsoft-excel"],"yoast_head":"<title>Microsoft Excel: The Complete Guide 2026<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"View and Share Dynamic Web Training Blog Archives. This is a great source of articles and posts on Computer and IT training, tutorials and insights\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Microsoft Excel: The Complete Guide for Beginners\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A complete beginner\u2019s guide to Microsoft Excel: what it is, how formulas, functions, charts and PivotTables work, and how to build real skills.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Dynamic Web Training Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DynamicWebTraining\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DynamicWebTraining\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-08-10T00:10:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-10T00:44:37+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/microsoft-excel-complete-guide-hero.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"630\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Dynamic Web Training\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@dynamicwebtrain\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@dynamicwebtrain\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Dynamic Web Training\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Dynamic Web Training\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/c94653aed4a6decc8e357af0a1082233\"},\"headline\":\"Microsoft Excel: The Complete Guide for Beginners\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-10T00:10:48+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-10T00:44:37+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel\"},\"wordCount\":1492,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/microsoft-excel-complete-guide-hero-1024x538.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"Microsoft Excel\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"},{\"@type\":[\"WebPage\",\"FAQPage\"],\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel\",\"name\":\"Microsoft Excel: The Complete Guide 2026\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/microsoft-excel-complete-guide-hero-1024x538.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-10T00:10:48+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-10T00:44:37+00:00\",\"description\":\"A complete beginner\u2019s guide to Microsoft Excel: what it is, how formulas, functions, charts and PivotTables work, and how to build real skills.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#breadcrumb\"},\"mainEntity\":[{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320299969\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320354582\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320371523\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320390541\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320409830\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320419909\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/microsoft-excel-complete-guide-hero.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/microsoft-excel-complete-guide-hero.png\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":630},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Training Blog\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Training\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/category\\\/training\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Microsoft Excel\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/category\\\/training\\\/microsoft-excel\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"Microsoft Excel: The Complete Guide for Beginners\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"Dynamic Web Training Blog\",\"description\":\"The Ultimate Training Experience.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Dynamic Web Training\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2016\\\/02\\\/logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2016\\\/02\\\/logo.png\",\"width\":361,\"height\":109,\"caption\":\"Dynamic Web Training\",\"name\":\"Dynamic Web Training Logo\",\"description\":\"Dynamic Web Training official site logo asset\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/DynamicWebTraining\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/dynamicwebtrain\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/c94653aed4a6decc8e357af0a1082233\",\"name\":\"Dynamic Web Training\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/0a14e92e62ad4eee0843f5cf7da3a00e1df4c9763922d4d20ba3ed2402a6896d?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/0a14e92e62ad4eee0843f5cf7da3a00e1df4c9763922d4d20ba3ed2402a6896d?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/0a14e92e62ad4eee0843f5cf7da3a00e1df4c9763922d4d20ba3ed2402a6896d?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Dynamic Web Training\"},\"description\":\"This article is written by a senior writer at Dynamic Web Training. Our specialist writers are either Microsoft Certified Trainers, Adobe Certified Professionals or Certified Xero Advisors.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/DynamicWebTraining\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/dynamicwebtraining\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/dynamic-web-training\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/dynamicwebtrain\",\"www.youtube.com\\\/@dynamicwebtraining8740\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320299969\",\"position\":1,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320299969\",\"name\":\"What is Microsoft Excel used for?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Microsoft Excel is used to store, calculate and analyse data in a grid of rows and columns. Common uses include budgets, invoices, reporting, scheduling and data analysis, essentially anything that can be organised into a table and calculated or summarised.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320354582\",\"position\":2,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320354582\",\"name\":\"Is Excel hard to learn?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"No. Excel is built on a few core ideas, cells and references, formulas and functions, and tables, and once those click, the rest builds on them. Most people become confident with everyday tasks after a beginner course or a few hours of focused practice.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320371523\",\"position\":3,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320371523\",\"name\":\"What are the most important Excel functions for beginners?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Start with SUM, AVERAGE, COUNT, IF, SUMIF and a lookup function like XLOOKUP. These handle the large majority of everyday business spreadsheets. You do not need to learn hundreds of functions to be effective.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320390541\",\"position\":4,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320390541\",\"name\":\"What is the difference between a formula and a function in Excel?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"A formula is any calculation you write starting with an equals sign, such as =A1+A2. A function is a built-in shortcut for a common calculation, such as =SUM(A1:A10). Functions are used inside formulas to save time.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320409830\",\"position\":5,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320409830\",\"name\":\"Is Microsoft Excel free?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Excel for the web is available free with a Microsoft account, with limited features. The full desktop version requires a Microsoft 365 subscription or a one-time Office purchase. Many workplaces provide Excel as part of their Microsoft 365 plan.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320419909\",\"position\":6,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\\\/blog\\\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320419909\",\"name\":\"How long does it take to learn Excel?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"You can learn the basics in a day. A one-day beginner course covers navigating sheets, formatting, basic formulas and charts. Building intermediate and advanced skills, functions, PivotTables and analysis, typically comes with further training and practice over the following weeks.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"}]}<\/script>","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Microsoft Excel: The Complete Guide 2026","description":"View and Share Dynamic Web Training Blog Archives. This is a great source of articles and posts on Computer and IT training, tutorials and insights","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Microsoft Excel: The Complete Guide for Beginners","og_description":"A complete beginner\u2019s guide to Microsoft Excel: what it is, how formulas, functions, charts and PivotTables work, and how to build real skills.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel","og_site_name":"Dynamic Web Training Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DynamicWebTraining\/","article_author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DynamicWebTraining\/","article_published_time":"2026-08-10T00:10:48+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-08-10T00:44:37+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":630,"url":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/microsoft-excel-complete-guide-hero.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Dynamic Web Training","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@dynamicwebtrain","twitter_site":"@dynamicwebtrain","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Dynamic Web Training","Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel"},"author":{"name":"Dynamic Web Training","@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/c94653aed4a6decc8e357af0a1082233"},"headline":"Microsoft Excel: The Complete Guide for Beginners","datePublished":"2026-08-10T00:10:48+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-10T00:44:37+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel"},"wordCount":1492,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/microsoft-excel-complete-guide-hero-1024x538.png","articleSection":["Microsoft Excel"],"inLanguage":"en-AU"},{"@type":["WebPage","FAQPage"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel","url":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel","name":"Microsoft Excel: The Complete Guide 2026","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/microsoft-excel-complete-guide-hero-1024x538.png","datePublished":"2026-08-10T00:10:48+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-10T00:44:37+00:00","description":"A complete beginner\u2019s guide to Microsoft Excel: what it is, how formulas, functions, charts and PivotTables work, and how to build real skills.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#breadcrumb"},"mainEntity":[{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320299969"},{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320354582"},{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320371523"},{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320390541"},{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320409830"},{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320419909"}],"inLanguage":"en-AU","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-AU","@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/microsoft-excel-complete-guide-hero.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/microsoft-excel-complete-guide-hero.png","width":1200,"height":630},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Training Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Training","item":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/category\/training"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Microsoft Excel","item":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/category\/training\/microsoft-excel"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Microsoft Excel: The Complete Guide for Beginners"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/","name":"Dynamic Web Training Blog","description":"The Ultimate Training Experience.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-AU"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/#organization","name":"Dynamic Web Training","url":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-AU","@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/logo.png","width":361,"height":109,"caption":"Dynamic Web Training","name":"Dynamic Web Training Logo","description":"Dynamic Web Training official site logo asset"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DynamicWebTraining\/","https:\/\/x.com\/dynamicwebtrain"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/c94653aed4a6decc8e357af0a1082233","name":"Dynamic Web Training","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-AU","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0a14e92e62ad4eee0843f5cf7da3a00e1df4c9763922d4d20ba3ed2402a6896d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0a14e92e62ad4eee0843f5cf7da3a00e1df4c9763922d4d20ba3ed2402a6896d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0a14e92e62ad4eee0843f5cf7da3a00e1df4c9763922d4d20ba3ed2402a6896d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Dynamic Web Training"},"description":"This article is written by a senior writer at Dynamic Web Training. Our specialist writers are either Microsoft Certified Trainers, Adobe Certified Professionals or Certified Xero Advisors.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DynamicWebTraining\/","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/dynamicwebtraining\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/dynamic-web-training","https:\/\/x.com\/dynamicwebtrain","www.youtube.com\/@dynamicwebtraining8740"],"url":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320299969","position":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320299969","name":"What is Microsoft Excel used for?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Microsoft Excel is used to store, calculate and analyse data in a grid of rows and columns. Common uses include budgets, invoices, reporting, scheduling and data analysis, essentially anything that can be organised into a table and calculated or summarised.","inLanguage":"en-AU"},"inLanguage":"en-AU"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320354582","position":2,"url":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320354582","name":"Is Excel hard to learn?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No. Excel is built on a few core ideas, cells and references, formulas and functions, and tables, and once those click, the rest builds on them. Most people become confident with everyday tasks after a beginner course or a few hours of focused practice.","inLanguage":"en-AU"},"inLanguage":"en-AU"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320371523","position":3,"url":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320371523","name":"What are the most important Excel functions for beginners?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Start with SUM, AVERAGE, COUNT, IF, SUMIF and a lookup function like XLOOKUP. These handle the large majority of everyday business spreadsheets. You do not need to learn hundreds of functions to be effective.","inLanguage":"en-AU"},"inLanguage":"en-AU"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320390541","position":4,"url":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320390541","name":"What is the difference between a formula and a function in Excel?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"A formula is any calculation you write starting with an equals sign, such as =A1+A2. A function is a built-in shortcut for a common calculation, such as =SUM(A1:A10). Functions are used inside formulas to save time.","inLanguage":"en-AU"},"inLanguage":"en-AU"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320409830","position":5,"url":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320409830","name":"Is Microsoft Excel free?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Excel for the web is available free with a Microsoft account, with limited features. The full desktop version requires a Microsoft 365 subscription or a one-time Office purchase. Many workplaces provide Excel as part of their Microsoft 365 plan.","inLanguage":"en-AU"},"inLanguage":"en-AU"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320419909","position":6,"url":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/complete-guide-to-microsoft-excel#faq-question-1786320419909","name":"How long does it take to learn Excel?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"You can learn the basics in a day. A one-day beginner course covers navigating sheets, formatting, basic formulas and charts. Building intermediate and advanced skills, functions, PivotTables and analysis, typically comes with further training and practice over the following weeks.","inLanguage":"en-AU"},"inLanguage":"en-AU"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2686","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2686"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2686\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2691,"href":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2686\/revisions\/2691"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2686"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2686"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2686"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}