Advanced Excel Interview Questions and Answers

Advanced Excel interview questions and answers are available at SLA Jobs. This article dives into the specifics, walking you through the basic functions and computations that spreadsheets can do. It covers everything and more, from creating pivot charts to comprehending pivot table columns. You may be confident that these frequently asked advanced Excel questions and answers for MS Excel interviews will greatly improve your chances of getting hired. These are the advanced Excel interview questions and answers are probably asked frequently. Get started with our advanced Excel training syllabus at SLA Jobs.

What does Excel’s data validation mean?

Data validation restricts the allowed input to specific cells or cell ranges. Users can choose the desired form of validation by going to the ‘Data’ tab and choosing ‘Data Validation’ under ‘Data Tools’. If data validation is used in the ‘Name’ column, for example, to only allow text entries, any non-text value provided will result in an error. Additionally, the user has the option to display the input message when a cell is clicked and any error messages that may appear if incorrect data is supplied. The error message type may be informational, a warning, or an indication that additional action is required.

How does one go about making an Excel pivot chart?

To make a pivot chart from a pivot table, follow these steps:

  • Start with a pivot table, then click on any cell to expand it.
  • Go to the tab marked “Insert.”.
  • Select the ‘Pivot Chart’ option.
  • Choose a suitable chart type to illustrate the information obtained from the pivot table.
  • As an alternative, Analyze tab → Tools → Pivot chart

How may a pivot table be updated to include a computed field?

Use these procedures to add calculated fields to a pivot table:

  • Make sure you have chosen your pivot table. If you haven’t previously, create a pivot table from your dataset.
  • Open the Excel ribbon and select the “Analyze” or “Options” tab (the tab name may differ based on your Excel version).
  • Find the “Formulas” or “Fields, Items, and Sets” button in the “Calculations” or “Tools” group. This button will display a drop-down menu when clicked.
  • The drop-down option will appear; choose “Calculated Field.” This will cause a dialogue window to open.
  • Give your computed field a name in the “Name” section of the dialogue box. The pivot table field list will utilize this name as the field name.
  • In the “Formula” field, enter the formula you’ll be using to calculate this. The fields that are present in your pivot table should be the basis for creating the formula.
  • To add the calculated field to your pivot table, click “OK.”. The calculated values will now be shown in line with the field’s appearance in the field list of your pivot table.
  • You can quickly add calculated fields to your pivot table and do custom calculations and analysis on your data by following these instructions.

What is the purpose of an Excel slicer?

An Excel slicer’s main function is to quickly and efficiently filter tables and pivot tables. Use the procedures listed below to access the feature in Excel: Choose the Analyze tab, -> Filter section, → Insert slicer for a pivot table. Design tab → Tools → Insert slicer for the table.

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What distinguishes an Excel VLOOKUP function from a pivot table? 

  • A pivot table is a flexible tool that may be used for data reporting, analysis, and summarising. It effectively organizes and condenses enormous datasets, yielding dynamic reports and insightful information. In contrast, the VLOOKUP function concentrates on looking for particular data using a key or set of criteria. For example, it can pull related data from a dataset, such as a price connected to a product code. It should be remembered that the lookup value must always be in the dataset’s leftmost column.
  • Pivot tables facilitate data organization by generating structured tables with rows, columns, and values. This allows for data grouping and summation along several dimensions.
  • Pivot tables provide extensive choices for grouping, filtering, and computing within the table itself when it comes to data manipulation. The VLOOKUP function, on the other hand, is best for retrieving specific values depending on lookup conditions.
  • Pivot tables are used in the output stage to create aggregated representations of the data, which are then presented in dynamic, interactive reports with organized categories and summarised statistics. However, based on lookup criteria, the VLOOKUP function returns solitary values for calculations or display.

What does an Excel-nested IF statement mean?

When more than one condition needs to be evaluated within the context of the IF() function, nested IF statements are used. Another IF function can be used in place of the original one in situations where more testing is necessary to get the true or false value.

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In Excel, how are nested IF explanations used?

The capabilities of the IF() function become apparent when it comes to a variety of conditions that need to be met. When an IF function is used to replace the original IF statement in situations where it produces a false result, the testing procedure is expanded. For true results as well, the same procedure applies. Nested IF refers to the process of applying a condition or conditions using IF functions inside of an IF function. Through the use of nested IF statements, we can classify the results based on the associated marks.

What are errors in Excel?

This is a list of Excel errors that can occur: 

  • #DIV/0
  • #NAME?
  • #N/A
  • #NUM!
  • #NULL!
  • #VALUE!
  • #REF!
  • ####
  • Circular reference

How can the “data source” of a pivot table with dynamic range be provided?

As pivot tables use a dynamic range in their data source, they are more flexible and can easily add new data as they automatically refresh.

You can make a named table to define this dynamic range. Click the “Insert” tab and select “Table.” Give the table the name that it needs in the Properties section under the table name using the “Table Design” options. 

Which Excel wildcards are available for use? 

The asterisk (*), question mark (? ), and tilde (~) are the three primary wildcards available in Excel.

Asterisk (*): It represents one or more characters. “Excel,” “expertise,” and any other word that begins with “ex” and is followed by any number of characters, for example, would match “ex*.”.

Question Mark (?): It represents any single character. For example, the character “R” would stand for either “pain” or “pines,” and any character in that position would be interpreted as a question mark.

Tilde (~): A wildcard character can be treated as a literal character or used as an escape. For example, you would use “*” to specify that the asterisk should not be considered a wildcard if you wanted to search for a real asterisk in your data.

In conclusion, these wildcards offer strong capabilities for pattern matching and searching within Excel data.

What aspect of the SUBTOTAL function is significant?

This function should not be used with horizontal data; it is meant to work with vertical columns of data. It’s crucial to stress that hiding a row after using the SUBTOTAL function won’t affect the procedure as a whole. Based on the dataset’s filtered data, it enables the user to generate unique totals.

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In Excel, how can you freeze panes? 

Excel has a function called “freeze panes” that lets you scroll through a worksheet while keeping some rows and/or columns visible. To use freeze panes, take the following actions:

  • Locate the “Freeze Panes” option under the “Window” group by selecting the “View” tab from the Excel ribbon.
  • Choose the cell in the third column first if you want to freeze the first two columns of your data. 
  • Next, select ‘Freeze Panes’. A noticeable grey border will appear to show that this activity has been completed.

Using freeze panes will help you keep your selected rows and columns visible as you move about your worksheet, which will increase clarity when working with large datasets.

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What does Excel VBA’s UDF mean?

You can create customized functions in Excel by creating a User Defined Function (UDF) in VBA, which is also referred to as a custom function. Through the use of VBA, you may create custom functions (UDFs) that perform similarly to conventional functions and are easily integrated into workbooks.

This is especially helpful when the range of built-in Excel capabilities is insufficient. Under such circumstances, you have the flexibility to create custom UDFs that are specifically designed to meet your unique needs.

What does it imply in Excel to hide a sheet?

A sheet vanishes from view in your sheet navigation when you “hide” it. Even though it’s hidden, the sheet is still there and usable until further precautions are taken to keep the workbook safe. This function is useful for hiding or “archiving” older material even when it’s still there in the file. In the worksheet tabs, right-click on the name of the sheet to hide it, then select hide.

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What is the purpose of Excel’s “Go to Special” option?

Depending on the selected criteria, the “Go To Special” function makes it easier and faster to navigate to certain cells or cell ranges within a worksheet. Go to the Home Tab ➜ Editing ➜ Find and Select ➜ Go To Special to access this option.

In Excel, what does “merge” mean?

To merge is to combine several cells into one single cell for formatting purposes. To create a title, for example, you can combine all the cells in a row.

In the pivot table, how are dates grouped by month? 

To arrange dates in the pivot table by month, follow these steps: 

  • In the date column, select any cell.
  • Select the cell with a right-click, then select the “Group” option.
  • This will cause a pop-up window devoted to date grouping to appear.
  • Click the OK button after selecting “Month” as the grouping criteria in this window.

You may use the same procedures to organize dates in a pivot table according to days, quarters, and years.

How does Excel’s INDEX MATCH function?

A potent fusion of the INDEX and MATCH operations is INDEX MATCH. This combination uses the strengths of both roles to produce value. It’s crucial to understand that MATCH finds a cell’s location, whereas INDEX obtains a value based on the provided column and row numbers. The combination of these functionalities enables Excel to get data quickly and effortlessly. The INDEX function will get the output of the MATCH function as its argument.

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How can dates in Excel be ungrouped?

With the help of the “ungroup” option, you can retrieve your dates or separate dates.

  • Choose one of the data column’s cells.
  • Click with the right mouse button.

Choose “Un-Group.” Any data can be ungrouped using the same procedures.

How can I use Excel’s transpose function? 

To apply the transposition function to particular cells, use the following actions:

Choose the cell range that needs to provide the desired result.

Make sure you’ve chosen the exact number of cells to hold the transposed data because transpose is an array formula.

In the formula bar, type “=TRANSPOSE(A1:F5)” and modify the range as necessary.

Hit Ctrl, Shift, and Enter all at once. This indicates that the formula you are entering is an array.

You will see the transformation in the chosen cells once the data has been transposed appropriately.

What makes cross-tabulation in Excel useful? 

Often abbreviated as “cross-tab,” cross-tabulation is a statistical method used in quantitative analysis that facilitates data comprehension. This technique is very useful for condensing large datasets and extracting relevant information from dense data. By facilitating the investigation of connections between various variables, cross-tabulation provides information on the linkages, interactions, and associations between them. Through a systematic tabular arrangement of data, cross-tabulation offers an organized structure for understanding patterns and trends in the data. The intricacy of large datasets would otherwise hide significant information; thus, this strategy is particularly effective for making connections and bringing them to light.

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Conclusion

Advanced Excel Interview Questions and Answers are a useful resource for assessing and improving one’s proficiency with Excel data management and analysis. These advance Excel questions and answers are essential for identifying areas that require improvement for individuals and organizations. They also make it easier for them to achieve their data management and analytical goals. Hone your skills with our best advanced Excel and VBA training in Chennai at SLA Jobs.