Free ebooks
Read offline with our free ebooks
Structured, chapter-length guides on formulas, beginner skills, intermediate techniques, and lookups — read online or download the PDF for offline learning.
Browse free ebooksFree Excel articles & tutorials
59 tutorials written here, plus 1073 pages pointing at public Excel videos from other channels.
Original tutorials
Written and worked through here, with the example workbooks and formulas in full.
Ablebits vs Kutools: which Excel add-in suite should you buy?
A practical comparison of Ablebits Ultimate Suite and Kutools for Excel to help you choose the right add-in for your work.
Claude for Excel vs Microsoft Copilot: which AI tool should you use?
A practical look at using Claude and Microsoft Copilot for Excel work — where each one helps, where each one falls short, and how to combine them.
Combo charts and dynamic chart ranges in Excel
Two chart techniques that come up in almost every real report: combining two chart types on a secondary axis, and building a chart that grows on its own as new data arrives.
Coursera vs Udemy for Excel courses: what's the difference?
Compare Coursera and Udemy for learning Excel — structured certificates vs flexible one-time purchases.
DataCamp vs LinkedIn Learning for Excel: which is worth the subscription?
Compare DataCamp and LinkedIn Learning for learning Excel — interactive, skill-tracked courses vs broad video-based training.
Excel Campus vs Chandoo: which learning site is right for you?
Comparing Excel Campus and Chandoo.org as Excel learning resources — content style, course depth, and who each one serves best.
Excel Copilot vs Formula Bot: which AI formula tool is worth it?
A practical comparison of Microsoft Copilot for Excel and the third-party Formula Bot add-in — licensing, what each one sees, and where each one helps most.
Excel desktop vs Excel Online: key differences that matter in practice
What Excel Online can and cannot do compared with the desktop app — the gaps that matter for everyday work and the ones that don't.
Excel Tables vs named ranges: which should you use?
A practical comparison of Excel Tables and named ranges — when each one is the right tool and when to use both together.
Excel vs Google Sheets formulas: what actually translates?
A practical comparison of Excel and Google Sheets formulas — which functions match exactly, which don't exist in the other tool, and what breaks when you move a file between them.
Excel vs Google Sheets for small teams: which one to use?
A practical comparison for small teams deciding between Excel and Google Sheets — where each tool wins, and the one question that usually decides it.
Google Apps Script vs Excel VBA: the Sheets-side equivalent to VBA
How Google Apps Script and Excel VBA differ in language, execution environment, and capability, for anyone moving between Sheets and Excel automation.
Build a one-page KPI dashboard in Excel
A worked layout for a scannable, one-page Excel dashboard — headline KPI cards, a supporting trend chart, and the design decisions that keep it readable instead of busy.
MrExcel vs ExcelJet: which reference site should you use?
A side-by-side look at MrExcel.com and ExcelJet.net — what each one does well, where to start for a formula question, and when to use both.
Notion vs Excel for databases: which fits your tracker or CRM?
Comparing Notion's database views and Excel's formulas and pivot tables for lightweight use cases like task trackers, simple CRMs, and content calendars.
Pivot tables vs formulas for summarising data: which to use?
When a pivot table is faster and more flexible than a formula-based summary, and when formulas are the better fit — a practical guide.
Power BI vs Excel dashboards: has your workbook outgrown Excel?
A practical guide to knowing when a dashboard workbook still belongs in Excel and when the data volume or audience means it's time to move to Power BI.
Power Query vs Excel formulas for data cleaning: when to use each
A practical guide to choosing between Power Query and worksheet formulas when you need to clean, reshape, or transform data in Excel.
Power Query vs VBA for data cleanup: how to choose
When to use Power Query and when to use VBA for recurring data cleanup tasks in Excel.
Preparing Excel data for a clean Power BI handoff
You don't need to learn Power BI to make your Excel data ready for it. The shape your data needs to be in, and what to fix in Excel before anyone connects a report to it.
SUMIFS vs SUMPRODUCT: when each formula is the right choice
A practical comparison of SUMIFS and SUMPRODUCT for conditional aggregation — when SUMIFS is simpler, when SUMPRODUCT is more flexible, and when neither is enough.
VBA snippets you'll reuse constantly
Ten short, copy-pasteable VBA snippets for the tasks that come up in almost every macro — last row, folder loops, error handling, and more.
VBA editor basics: modules, Subs, and the Immediate window
A tour of the VBA editor for anyone past recorded macros — Project Explorer, modules, Sub vs Function, running code, and Option Explicit.
VBA error handling and debugging
On Error Goto vs Resume Next, using breakpoints and Step Into to watch code run, and a clean pattern for handling errors without leaving a mess behind.
VBA loops and conditions: For Each, Do While, and If/Select Case
How to repeat actions and branch logic in VBA, with worked examples looping over a range and renaming every worksheet in a workbook.
VBA vs Power Automate: which one should automate your Excel task?
A practical comparison of VBA macros and Power Automate for automating Excel work — desktop scripting vs cloud workflow automation.
Workbook and worksheet events in VBA
How to run code automatically on Workbook_Open, Worksheet_Change, and Worksheet_SelectionChange, where that code has to live, and the infinite-loop gotcha that trips up nearly every beginner.
XLOOKUP vs INDEX/MATCH: which lookup formula should you use?
A practical comparison of XLOOKUP and INDEX/MATCH — what each can do, where they differ, and when the older formula is still the better choice.
Zapier vs Power Automate: which one should automate your Excel workflow?
Comparing Zapier and Microsoft Power Automate for Excel-adjacent automation — broad third-party app support versus native Microsoft 365 integration.
AI extensions for Excel and what each one actually does
Sidebar assistants, worksheet functions that call a model, and formula generators — what each kind is for, and where each one fails.
Make an Excel workbook easier to read and use
Improve workbook usability with clear labels, readable colors, keyboard-friendly layouts, and accessible chart choices.
How to clean a customer list in Excel
Clean names, emails, phone numbers, duplicates, blanks, and inconsistent categories before using a customer list.
Use conditional formatting for KPI flags
Create clear red, amber, and green KPI signals in Excel without making dashboards noisy.
Clean data before building a pivot table
Check headers, blanks, duplicates, dates, and totals before creating pivot tables from spreadsheet data.
Create better dropdown lists in Excel
Use data validation dropdowns to reduce typing mistakes and keep spreadsheets easier to summarize.
Excel Copilot prompt ideas for spreadsheet work
Use clear prompts for formulas, cleanup, summaries, and review checks while keeping control of the workbook.
Workbook review checklist before sending an Excel file
Check formulas, hidden sheets, filters, links, print settings, and sensitive data before sharing a workbook.
Excel Table vs normal range
Know when to convert a range into an Excel Table and why tables make formulas, filters, pivots, and reports safer.
Excel formula audit checklist
A practical checklist for reviewing formulas before a workbook is shared with managers, clients, or teammates.
Clean a bank statement export in Excel
Import bank CSV files, preserve important fields, clean descriptions, and prepare transactions for reconciliation.
Inventory reorder point tracker in Excel
Use Excel to flag low-stock items with reorder points, lead times, and simple inventory checks.
Build a simple invoice tracker in Excel
Create an invoice tracker for due dates, payment status, overdue balances, and monthly cash collection.
Monthly sales report checklist for Excel
A practical checklist for building a monthly sales report that managers can scan, trust, and reuse.
When to use named ranges in Excel models
Use named ranges for assumptions, key inputs, and formulas that need to stay readable.
Pivot table report for managers
Design a pivot table report that answers manager questions without overwhelming them with fields and filters.
Power Query refresh checklist
Check source files, column names, data types, errors, and load settings before trusting a Power Query refresh.
Prepare an Excel dashboard for PDF export
Set print areas, page scaling, headers, and layout checks so an Excel dashboard exports cleanly to PDF.
Create a simple project tracker in Excel
Build a lightweight Excel project tracker with owners, due dates, status, priorities, and a simple timeline view.
Design a reusable Excel budget template
Build a budget template with clear inputs, assumptions, monthly sections, checks, and review notes.
Variance analysis in Excel for budget reviews
Compare actuals to budget with variance amount, variance percent, comments, and simple management flags.
Create a simple formatting system for Excel workbooks
Use consistent colors, number formats, sheet names, and cell styles so workbooks feel professional and easier to maintain.
How to create a chart in Excel (and pick the right one)
A beginner's guide to inserting a chart in Excel and choosing the right chart type for your data — bar, line, pie, and when to avoid each.
20 Excel keyboard shortcuts that actually save time
The keyboard shortcuts worth memorizing for navigation, selection, editing, and formulas — grouped by what they're for, not just an alphabetical dump.
How to create a pivot table in Excel (step-by-step)
A beginner's guide to building your first pivot table: preparing your data, choosing rows and values, and the mistakes that trip up almost everyone.
Getting started with Power Query: import and clean data automatically
How to pull data into Excel with Power Query, apply repeatable cleaning steps, and load the result — without touching a single formula.
Excel's Quick Analysis tool: instant totals, charts, and formatting
A one-click way to total, chart, and format a selection without building anything manually — how to use Excel's most overlooked analysis shortcut.
Record your first macro in Excel (no coding required)
How to turn on the Developer tab, record a macro of repetitive steps, and run it again with one click — no VBA knowledge needed.
3 ways to remove duplicates in Excel
Remove duplicate rows using the built-in button, UNIQUE, or Power Query — and how to pick the right one.
How to use VLOOKUP in Excel (with examples)
A plain-English guide to VLOOKUP: the syntax, a worked example, the most common errors, and when to use XLOOKUP instead.
Video resources
Excel videos published by other channels, filed by topic so you can find one fast. We did not make these — the page gives you the video, its level, and what to practise afterwards. Newest 24 of 1073; every topic link above lists its full set.
Sources we reference — not partners
26 places we cite for accuracy. We link to them; none has reviewed, endorsed, or collaborated on this site.
Official documentation
Educators and channels
- Chandoo (opens in a new tab)
ExcelJet (opens in a new tab)- MrExcel (opens in a new tab)
- Contextures (opens in a new tab)
MyOnlineTrainingHub (opens in a new tab)
XelPlus (opens in a new tab)
Excel Campus (opens in a new tab)
Wise Owl (opens in a new tab)- Simon Sez IT (opens in a new tab)
Teacher's Tech (opens in a new tab)
YouTube (opens in a new tab)- Edureka (opens in a new tab)
Course platforms
