Excel resources

Everything we'd point you to in one place: free practice and references here on Spreadsheet Center, plus a few outside tools we trust for your next step.

Practice by goal

Structured tracks that build the exact skills employers test for. Pick the one that matches where you're headed.

Data or analytics role

Finance or FP&A role

Accounting role

Excel fundamentals

Browse all tracks All exercises

Function reference

Clear, example-led docs for every Excel function, each with a live spreadsheet you can edit. Start with the ones people look up most:

VLOOKUP XLOOKUP INDEX MATCH SUMIFS IF IFS DATEDIF AVERAGE ROUND
See the full function reference →

Guides & articles

Walkthroughs and explainers for the tasks that trip people up, from cleaning messy data to building your first model.

Read the Excel guides →

Tools we recommend next

Once you're comfortable in Excel, these are the partners we trust for the step after. Some are affiliate links, which help support the site at no extra cost to you. See our disclosure .

Going for a data or analytics role?

Two next steps, depending on whether you want more hands-on practice or a credential.

Keep building your data skills

If you've got the Excel side down, DataCamp is a natural next step. It's hands-on like the exercises here, and it goes where Excel stops: into SQL and Python. Start free. The first lesson of every track is open.

Heads up: this is an affiliate link, so a purchase helps support the site.

Explore DataCamp career tracks(affiliate link)

Want a recognized data credential?

If you're aiming for a data role, the Google Data Analytics Certificate is a solid on-ramp. It's beginner-friendly, employer-recognized, and self-paced. You can audit the courses for free, or apply for financial aid.

This is an affiliate link, so a purchase helps support the site.

Get the Google Data Analytics Certificate(affiliate link)

Going for a finance role?

One credential, recognized across finance and FP&A.

Ready to get certified in finance?

Once you've put the modeling work in, the FMVA from CFI makes it official. It's the credential finance and FP&A teams actually recognize, and it's hands-on, not just theory.

This is an affiliate link. A purchase helps support the site.

Explore the FMVA program(affiliate link)

Other useful references

Handy references to keep close while you practice.