How to prepare for an Excel skills test at work

Expect a workbook, not a trivia quiz

Many Excel tests ask you to complete a small piece of work: calculate values, clean a list, summarise results, or produce a chart. The assessor is usually looking for accurate work and sensible judgement, not the longest possible formula.

Read every instruction before editing. Note the required outputs, file naming rules, and any restrictions on functions or tools.

Practise the highest-value skills first

Focus on reliable everyday work before advanced features. You should be comfortable referencing cells, copying formulas, using common functions, sorting and filtering safely, and checking totals.

• SUM, AVERAGE, MIN, MAX, IF, and COUNTIF.
• Absolute and relative references.
• XLOOKUP or VLOOKUP for matching records.
• Tables, filters, PivotTables, and basic charts.
• Finding errors and explaining what a result means.

Reserve time for a final audit

Check that formulas cover the full range, totals reconcile, headings are clear, and numbers use appropriate formats. Scan for error values and unusually large or small results.

A correct, readable workbook is more persuasive than a rushed file filled with decorative formatting.