Excel tutorials

The only Excel books you will ever need

  • The only constantly updated Excel 365 titles more…
  • Thoroughly covers Power Pivot and Power Query more…
  • Covers business intelligence and OLAP features more…
  • Simple, easy, understandable, 2-page lessons more…
  • Available as both printed books and e-Books more…
  • Used by schools, colleges and universities  more…
  • Available for 365, 2021, 2019, 2016 and Mac versions more…

Author: Mike Smart

Excel protected view warning

Excel protected view: Be careful – files from the Internet can contain viruses. Unless you need to edit it’s safer to stay in Protected View. This article explains what this error message means.

VLOOKUP inexact match illustration (chicken and egg).

VLOOKUP inexact match

VLOOKUP lesson with sample file that will teach you everything there is to know when creating a VLOOKUP inexact match Excel function.

VLOOKUP exact match

Simple VLOOKUP tutorial with sample file that will teach you everything there is to know when creating a VLOOKUP function with an exact match.

Microsoft Office update channels

Microsoft Office update channels are explained in this article. Beta, Current, Monthly Enterprise and Semi-annual enterprise are all covered.

x-lookup-tutorial-part-one

Excel XLOOKUP function (part two)

This is the second of a two-part series of XLOOKUP lessons.  If you haven’t already done so I recommend that you begin with part one by clicking this link. Excel

x-lookup-tutorial-part-one

Excel XLOOKUP function (part one)

The new Excel XLOOKUP function was introduced in the July 2020 Excel 365 semi-annual update.  It isn’t available in older versions (Excel 2019 and earlier).  The July 2020 update was

excel-sequence-function-tutorial

Excel SEQUENCE Function

This tutorial uses a single Excel SEQUENCE function to create a perpetual calendar. Includes sample files and a step-by-step guide.

Understand modern data analysis

Excel modern data analysis

This article describes a new way of working with Excel called “modern data analysis” enabled by the new Get & Transform and Power Pivot tools.

Understand OLAP Pivot Tables

Excel OLAP pivot tables

This article explains the difference between a regular Excel pivot table and the new OLAP pivot table used by Power Pivot.

Understand the Power Pivot window

Excel Power Pivot window

This lesson discusses the Power Pivot window and how it differs from the regular Excel window. A sample file is included.

Understand Get & Transform and ETL

Excel Get & Transform overview

Get & Transform (or Power Query) is an advanced ETL tool. ETL is an acronym for Extract, Transform and Load. This article simply explains this amazing tool.

OLAP Star Schema

Excel data model Design

A Power Pivot data model is an OLAP database. OLAP databases can be modeled as a Snowflake or Star schema. This article explains both designs.

OLTP database example

Understand OLTP database design

A Power Pivot data model is an OLAP database. Business databases are OLTP databases. This article discusses how OLTP databases are structured.

Excel CUBEVALUE function

This lesson shows how to use the CUBEVALUE function to make an OLAP pivot table directly access the data model. Includes sample file.

Star Schema data model

Excel 3D Maps data model

3D Maps (previously called Power Maps) enables an elegant visualization of data residing in a data model.This article explains how data models are utilized.

Kindle e=book format features

Kindle e-book format features

Our e-books are now published in Kindle e-book print replica format. This article explains why this e-book format is optimal for learning and includes screen grabs from the Kindle PC reader application.

Refreshing slicers in Excel

Refreshing Slicers in Excel

This article explains how to change Excel’s Slicer settings to stop displaying items that have been deleted from the data source.

Missing field list in Pivot table

Missing Field List – Pivot Table

This article explains how to bring back the Pivot Table Field List if it has been closed or moved and explains a bug that can prevent it from appearing.

Calculating loan payment dates

Calculating Loan Payment Dates

This article shows how to calculate loan payment dates in Excel, using a formula that can calculate loans of any length and number of periods.

Adding images to tables

Adding images to tables

This article explains how to insert pictures into Excel workbooks and Excel’s current image features, including cell backgrounds.

A cell won't let me enter data

A cell won’t let me enter data

This article explains several reasons why Excel may not allow you to enter data into cells, along with solutions that will enable you to fix the problem.

Table tools design tools group

Table Tools, Design Tools Group

This article explains the Table Tools > Design tab on the Excel Ribbon, how to access it and how to reset the Ribbon if the tab has been disabled.

Dice used to illustrate how to use factorial in Excel

How to use factorial (!) in Excel

This article shows how to calculate factorials and other combinatorials in Excel, showing how to calculate the probability of winning the lottery.

Working with HEX values in Excel

Working with HEX values in Excel

This article explains the Hexadecimal counting system and how to work with it in Excel, as well as the four different counting systems supported by Excel.

VLOOKUP using text strings

VLOOKUP using text strings

How to use VLOOKUP to search for a piece of text and return a matching value. This article also explains what VLOOKUP is and when to use it.

Separating text and numbers in Excel

Separating text and numbers in Excel

This article shows three different ways of separating text and numbers in Excel. You’ll see how to do this using Flash Fill, Text to Columns and formulas.

Adding VAT to a vaile in Excel

Adding VAT to a value in Excel

This article shows how percentages are handled in Excel workbooks and how to add 20% VAT to a value in Excel, along with an example.

Subtracting percentages in Excel

Subtracting percentages in Excel

This article explains how Excel handles percentages and shows you how to subtract a percentage from a number in Excel using two different methods.

Excel versions explained

Excel Versions Explained

This article describes the history of Microsoft Excel, from its earliest versions to the most recent, and the best ways to learn how to use each version.

Office 365 update history

Office 365 Updates

This article describes the new features added to Excel 365 for each new semi-annual version.

Which tutorial do you need?