{"id":269180,"date":"2025-07-02T06:00:56","date_gmt":"2025-07-02T06:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/imarticus.org\/blog\/?p=269180"},"modified":"2025-07-02T06:00:57","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T06:00:57","slug":"mastering-excel-formulas-a-guide-for-beginners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/imarticus.org\/blog\/mastering-excel-formulas-a-guide-for-beginners\/","title":{"rendered":"Mastering Excel Formulas: A Guide for Beginners\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Do You Struggle with Excel Formulas?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have you ever opened Excel, stared at all those cells, and felt like shutting your laptop? You\u2019re not alone. Many beginners in finance and business roles feel stuck.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might\u2019ve searched \u201cExcel formulas for beginners<\/strong>\u201d or even signed up for a course, but everything looked too complex or jumped too fast. Some formulas made no sense. Others seemed to work only for people with coding backgrounds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And yet, knowing Excel is no longer optional. Whether you\u2019re managing data, analysing numbers, or preparing for a financial analysis course, Excel is the core skill everyone expects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Are Excel Formulas for Beginners? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Microsoft Excel<\/a> includes tools for calculations, graphing, pivot tables, & a macro programming language called Visual Basic for Applications. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Let\u2019s get one thing straight: Excel is not just for accountants. It\u2019s for everyone dealing with numbers, lists, sales, or analysis. And the first step in becoming confident is to understand the core difference between formulas and functions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7         Formulas<\/strong> are equations you write yourself, like =A1+A2. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7         Functions<\/strong> are built-in helpers like =SUM() or =VLOOKUP(). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you learn how they work, Excel becomes less scary and more like a helpful assistant. If you\u2019re taking a financial analysis course<\/strong> or doing reporting at work, this is where your speed and accuracy improve.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Example<\/strong>:
To calculate total expenses in a column from A1 to A10: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

=SUM(A1:A10) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s a formula using a function, and you\u2019ll use it every single day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Must-Know Excel Formulas for Beginners (With Examples) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Excel Industries<\/a> reported combined quarterly figures with Net Sales rising to \u20b9247.84 crore in March 2025, marking a 6.13% increase from \u20b9233.54 crore in March 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is a handy table that shows the most used <\/em>Excel formula tutorial for beginners<\/em><\/strong> and what they do. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Excel Formulas and Functions for Beginners<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Formula<\/strong> <\/td>Function<\/strong> <\/td>Example<\/strong> <\/td><\/tr>
SUM <\/td>Adds numbers in a range <\/td>=SUM(B2:B6) <\/td><\/tr>
AVERAGE <\/td>Calculates the average of numbers <\/td>=AVERAGE(C2:C10) <\/td><\/tr>
IF <\/td>Returns value based on condition (if true, then do this, else do that) <\/td>=IF(D2>5000, “High”, “Low”) <\/td><\/tr>
VLOOKUP <\/td>Searches for a value in a table and returns the matching result <\/td>=VLOOKUP(101, A2:C10, 2, FALSE) <\/td><\/tr>
INDEX <\/td>Returns value from a specific row and column <\/td>=INDEX(A2:C6, 2, 3) <\/td><\/tr>
MATCH <\/td>Returns the position of a value in a range <\/td>=MATCH(500, A1:A10, 0) <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Applying Excel Formulas to Real-World Jobs <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, how do these apply to your job or that internship you\u2019re eyeing? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s say your manager asks for average revenue in Q1. Do you manually add each month? No. You write: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

AVERAGE(B2:B4) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Need to find a customer\u2019s name using their ID? Use: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

VLOOKUP(104, A2:C20, 2, FALSE) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doing all this by hand wastes hours and increases errors. That\u2019s why Excel formulas for beginners<\/strong> are taught early in every financial analysis course,<\/strong> and they help you focus on the insight, not the math. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transition tip: As you practice more, you\u2019ll start recognising formula patterns. You\u2019ll know exactly when to use IF and when to switch to INDEX, as well as how to combine them to solve complex tasks in seconds.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Excel Skills Matter in Financial Analysis <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re taking a financial analysis course or want to join a finance team, Excel isn\u2019t optional; it\u2019s your daily tool. You\u2019ll use formulas to: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7         Build financial models <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7         Forecast profits and losses <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7         Calculate ratios <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7         Compare investments <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7         Create dashboards <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Most entry-level roles now test Excel skills during hiring. If you master SUMIF, VLOOKUP, IF, and INDEX-MATCH, you stand out immediately. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Even mid-level professionals often return to basics because Excel formulas and functions for beginners<\/strong> are the building blocks of every advanced task. There\u2019s no shame in starting here; it\u2019s smart. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Biggest Mistakes Beginners Make<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s talk about a few traps beginners fall into: <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 1. Forgetting to Lock Cells with $<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ever dragged a formula and got strange results? It\u2019s because you didn\u2019t lock the cell reference. Use $ to fix it: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A$2+B2 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Using VLOOKUP Instead of INDEX\/MATCH<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

VLOOKUP can break if you change the table structure. INDEX\/MATCH is more flexible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

INDEX(B2:B10, MATCH(104, A2:A10, 0)) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Mixing Up COUNT and COUNTA<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7         COUNT: only numbers <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7         COUNTA: numbers + text <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Avoiding these mistakes will make your work faster and error-free. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Building Speed with Practice: Learn by Doing <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best way to get better is to practise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Start with: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7         Sales data <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7         Monthly expense sheets <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7         Class mark sheets <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Try writing formulas to total marks, calculate averages, highlight top scorers, and so on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 If you\u2019re in a financial analysis course<\/strong>, you\u2019ll also practise balance sheets and income statements and use Excel to build real models. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Tip: Practice every day for 10 minutes. It\u2019s better than doing everything in one go.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Learn Excel Now? A Message for Beginners <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many people wait till they get stuck in a job to learn Excel. But the truth is if you start now, you\u2019ll save time, reduce frustration, and build real confidence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n