Microsoft Excel Basics for Beginners

Learn the fundamentals of Excel: entering data, basic formulas, sorting, and creating simple charts.

At a Glance

Understanding the layout

~15s

Excel is organized into cells arranged in rows (numbered 1, 2, 3...) and columns (lettered A, B, C...). Each cell has an address like A1, B3, or C10. Click a cell to select it and start typing.

Entering data

~15s

Click a cell and type your data. Press Tab to move right, Enter to move down. Type numbers, text, or dates. Excel automatically recognizes dates and numbers and formats them.

Basic formulas

~15s

Start any formula with = (equals sign). Type =A1+A2 to add two cells. Use - for subtract, * for multiply, / for divide. Press Enter and Excel calculates the result automatically.

SUM and AVERAGE

~15s

=SUM(A1:A10) adds all numbers from A1 through A10. =AVERAGE(A1:A10) calculates the average. These are the most commonly used Excel functions.

Sorting data

~15s

Click any cell in the column you want to sort by. Go to Data > Sort A to Z (or Z to A). You can also sort numbers from smallest to largest or by date.

Auto-fill

~15s

Type a value, then drag the small square at the bottom-right of the cell. Excel fills in a pattern: days of the week, months, sequential numbers, or copies your formula for each row.

Create a simple chart

~15s

Select your data including headers. Go to Insert > Chart. Choose a chart type (bar, line, pie). Excel creates a visual chart of your data. Drag to resize or move it.

Save and share

~15s

Ctrl+S saves your file. Save as .xlsx for Excel format. You can also save to OneDrive for cloud access and sharing with others who can edit simultaneously.

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