Excel · Lesson 1 of 8

Excel introduction

Workbooks, sheets, cells, ranges and entering your first formula.

Excel is used in nearly every office role — accounts, HR, operations, sales, data analysis. Employers ask for it in job posts as “MS Excel”, “advanced Excel” or “MIS reporting”.

A workbook is the file; it contains sheets (tabs).
A cell is addressed by column letter + row number: B3.
A range is a block of cells: B2:B6.
Every formula starts with =. Operators: + - * / ^ and & to join text.

Time-saving keys

Ctrl+Arrow jumps to the edge of data, Ctrl+Shift+Arrow selects it, Ctrl+D fills down, F2 edits a cell, Ctrl+T makes a table.

Sample sheet & formulas

Type these in Excel or Google Sheets

     A            B         C
1    Item         Qty       Rate
2    Notebook     10        45
3    Pen          25        12
4    Stapler      2         180

D2:  =B2*C2            (then fill down to D4)
D5:  =D2+D3+D4
A6:  ="Total items: "&(B2+B3+B4)

Results

D2 = 450   D3 = 300   D4 = 360
D5 = 1110
A6 = Total items: 37

Works in Microsoft Excel 365/2021 and, for almost every formula, in Google Sheets. Data is fictional.

Key points

Formulas start with =.
Cells are column+row (B3); ranges use a colon (B2:B6).
& joins text.

Quick check

What does every Excel formula begin with?

+ = # @

Practice task

Make a 5-row shopping list with Qty and Rate, add an Amount column with a formula, and a grand total at the bottom.

Interview corner

What's the difference between a formula and a function?

A formula is anything starting with = (e.g. =B2*C2). A function is a built-in named operation used inside formulas, such as SUM or IF.

Name three Excel shortcuts you use daily.

For example Ctrl+Shift+L to toggle filters, Ctrl+T to create a table and Ctrl+Arrow to jump across data.