Introduction to MS Excel

Since its first release in 1985, Microsoft Excel has received various updates and nowadays it is one of the most used spreadsheet programs. It is part of the Microsoft Office suite and offers a useful grid system to organize and analyze data easily.

Here are some key features of Excel:

• Features a grid of 1,048,576 rows and 16,384 columns (Excel 2007 and newer).
• Each intersection of a row and column forms a cell which identified by references like A1 or D2.
• Cells allow users to store data, perform calculations and link information.
• Supports creation of charts and reports.
• Helps to automate repetitive tasks and analyze trends.
• Suitable for tasks like budgeting, inventory management and data analysis.

In this article, we will see the core features of Microsoft Excel which help us to get started or enhance our skills.

Latest Version of Microsoft Excel

As of May 2025, the latest version of Microsoft Excel is Excel 2024 for both Windows and Mac. It is included in the Microsoft 365 suite and offers new features, performance improvements and enhanced integration with cloud services.

Excel Specifications and Limits

Understanding the Excel Interface

Microsoft Excel’s interface is designed to help us work efficiently with data. Here are the main parts we should know:

• Ribbon: The toolbar at the top of Excel which is divided into tabs that group related tools and commands.
• Formula Bar: Displays the contents or formulas of the active cell and allows editing.
• Worksheet Area: The grid where we enter and manipulate our data and it is made up of rows and columns.
• Navigation Tools: It includes sheet tabs at the bottom, scroll bars and zoom controls for easy movement within our workbook.

All Tabs in Excel Ribbon

Ribbon is divided into several tabs and each serving different purposes:

• Home Tab: The most commonly used tab for everyday tasks. It includes formatting options (font, alignment, colors), number formatting, table styles, cell editing and basic tools like AutoSum and Sort & Filter.
• Insert Tab: Lets us add tables, charts, images, shapes, hyperlinks, text boxes, symbols and sparklines to make our worksheet more visual and interactive.
• Page Layout Tab: Controls how our worksheet looks when printed. Adjust themes, margins, page orientation, size, print area and background here.
• Formulas Tab: The central place to create and manage formulas it includes the Function Library for logical, text, date, math and financial functions, plus named ranges and formula auditing tools.
• Data Tab: Helps us import, organize and analyze data. Key features include Get & Transform (Power Query), Sort & Filter, Data Validation, Flash Fill, Text to Columns and Forecast tools.
• Review Tab: Contains proofreading and collaboration tools like spell check, accessibility checker, comments, translation and options to protect worksheets or workbooks.
• View Tab: Controls how we view our workbook. Options include different view modes (Normal, Page Layout), zoom controls, freezing panes, toggling gridlines, and managing macros.

Understanding the Worksheet

A Microsoft Excel worksheet is organized like a table made up of rows and columns. Where a row and column intersect, they form a cell which is the basic unit where we enter and store data. Here we will learn the structure of the worksheet.

What is a Cell?

• A cell is a rectangular box formed by the intersection of a row (horizontal) and a column (vertical).
• Each cell can hold data such as numbers, text, formulas or functions.
• For example, cell A1 is where column A and row 1 intersect.

What is Cell Address or Cell Reference?

• A cell reference is the name or address of a cell or range of cells.
• It tells Excel exactly which cell’s data to use in calculations or formulas.
• Cell references are important for linking data within a worksheet or across worksheets.

Types of Cell References in Excel 

1. Relative Reference: Changes automatically when copied to another cell (e.g A1).
2. Absolute Reference: Remains fixed when copied, marked with dollar signs (e.g $A$1).
3. Mixed Reference: Either the row or column is fixed (e.g $A1 or A$1).

Key Features of Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Excel offers various features that make it a top choice for data analysis, automation and professional reporting. Here are some of its capabilities:

1. Advanced Formulas and Functions

Excel supports a wide range of functions for financial, logical, text and statistical calculations. Common functions include:

• SUM(), AVERAGE(), IF(), VLOOKUP(), XLOOKUP(), INDEX-MATCH
• Excel 365 exclusive: FILTER(), UNIQUE(), SORTBY() and LAMBDA() for dynamic arrays and custom reusable functions.

These functions helps in real-time insights, automation and improved data manipulation.

2. Pivot Tables and Charts

Pivot Tables let us quickly to summarize and analyze large datasets by:

• Creating dynamic, customizable reports
• Sorting and filtering data easily
• Using Slicers and Timelines for interactive dashboards
• Add visual context with Pivot Charts

3. Power Query and Power Pivot (Excel Exclusive)

Power Query allows us to import and transform massive datasets from various sources like databases, CSV, the web, SharePoint and more.

Power Pivot helps us:

• Build data models with multiple related tables
• Perform high-performance calculations using DAX (Data Analysis Expressions)
• Handle millions of rows without slowing down our spreadsheet

Note: These features are unique to Excel and are not available in Google Sheets or most other alternatives.

4. VBA Macros for Automation

Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) lets us automate repetitive tasks such as:

• Generating reports
• Cleaning data
• Sending automated emails
• Building custom user forms and tools

This deep level of automation is a key strength of Excel.

5. Data Analysis Tools

Excel provides specialized tools for optimization and scenario planning:

• Goal Seek: Find the input needed to achieve a specific result
• Scenario Manager: Create multiple scenarios and compare outcomes
• Solver Add-In: Optimize decision-making under constraints used in operations, finance and logistics

6. Professional Data Visualization

Excel offers many customizable chart types and formatting options including:

• Line, bar, pie, scatter and combo charts
• Heatmaps and data bars with conditional formatting
• Sparklines for in-cell trend analysis
• Templates for dashboards and reports

How to Create a New Spreadsheet?

In Excel 3 sheets are already opened by default, now to add a new sheet :

• In the lowermost pane in Excel, we can find a button.
• Click on that button to add a new sheet.

• We can also achieve the same by Right-clicking on the sheet number before which we want to insert the sheet.
• Click on Insert.

• Select Worksheet. Click OK.

How to Open an Existing Worksheet?

At the bottom of the Excel window, we'll see tabs with the names of all sheets in the current workbook. To open a different sheet:

• Simply click on the sheet tab we want to open.
• For example, if we are currently on Sheet4 and want to switch to Sheet2, just click on the Sheet2 tab.
• The selected sheet will open within the same workbook.

This lets us quickly navigate between different worksheets without leaving Excel.

Managing the Spreadsheets

We can easily manage the spreadsheets in Excel simply by :

• Simply navigating between the sheets.

• Right-clicking on the sheet name or number on the pane.
• Choose among the various options available like, move, copy, rename, add, delete etc.
• We can move/copy our sheet to other workbooks as well just by selecting the workbook in the To workbook and the sheet before we want to insert the sheet in Before sheet.

How to Save the Workbook?

Follow the below steps if we want to save our Workbook:

1. Click on the Office Button or the File tab.
2. Click on Save As option.
3. Write the desired name of our file.
4. Click OK.

How to Share our Workbook?

If we want to share we Excel workbook, then follow the below steps:

• Click on the Review tab on the Ribbon.
• Click on the share workbook (under Changes group).
• If we want to protect our workbook and then make it available for another user then click on Protect and Share Workbook option.
• Now check the option "Allow changes by more than one user at the same time. This also allows workbook merging" in the Share Workbook dialog box.
• Many other options are also available in the Advanced like track, update changes.
• Click OK.

MS Excel Shortcuts

Using keyboard shortcuts can speed up our work in Excel and make everyday tasks easier. Learning a few key shortcuts helps us navigate, format and manage data without constantly reaching for the mouse.

Read our Excel Shortcuts to learn the most useful ones.

Mastering Excel opens up endless possibilities to turn data into meaningful insights and smart decisions.