Excel tests for job interviews

What an Excel interview test looks like

There is no single standard test. Each employer writes its own or buys one, and the format varies:

• A timed online assessment. Questions in the browser with a clock running: multiple choice about formulas and features, plus small tasks in a spreadsheet. These are often bought from a testing company and used for many roles, which is why the same test can turn up for an admin job and an analyst job.
• A take-home workbook. A file with a raw table and a few questions, sent back by a deadline. Whoever marks it can click any cell and see your formula, not just the number.
• A live task. You share your screen or sit at a laptop and work through a small table while someone watches and asks why you chose that formula.
• Questions out loud. "What's the difference between COUNT and COUNTA?" These often come before or instead of a sheet task. Common questions, with short answers.

Some online tests run in a simulated Excel rather than the real thing. A simulation may expect a particular button, menu or function, so a different method that gets the same answer might not count. Read each instruction, and if it names a function or a menu, use that one.

Basic, intermediate or advanced?

Job ads and test invitations often name a level. The labels aren't standard, but roughly (the basic and advanced pages each have a timed test):

Basic

Entering data, SUM, AVERAGE, filling a formula down, formatting, sorting and filtering. Typical for admin and office roles.

Intermediate

IF, COUNTIFS and SUMIFS, VLOOKUP or XLOOKUP, references with $, percentages, and simple pivot tables. Typical for analyst, finance and accounting roles.

Advanced

INDEX and MATCH, nested logic, dynamic arrays, pivot tables with calculated fields, and sometimes Power Query, macros or a modelling case. This site covers the formulas, not Power Query or macros.

Tests from testing companies

Many employers don't write their own test. They buy one from a company that sells pre-employment assessments, and send you a link. You usually can't see the questions in advance, and practice material sold under a test's name isn't the real test either. What helps is being quick and accurate at the skills above.

What the bigger testing companies say in public about their Excel tests, with the sources and the date we checked:

• The TestGorilla Excel test: two short tests, General and Advanced, each with a free preview.
• The SHL Excel test: tasks in a simulated Excel, per SHL's own (now archived) catalogue pages.
• The Criteria Excel test: 12 multiple-choice questions in 5 to 7 minutes, with an interactive version that adds simulations.
• The Indeed Excel assessment: retired: Indeed discontinued its skills assessments in late 2024.

How to prepare

• Ask what to expect. The format, the time limit and the Excel version are fair questions for the recruiter.
• Learn each move on a small table. Six or twelve rows are enough to see whether a formula is right. The course puts the challenges in order.
• Take a timed test, then redo what went wrong. A few days later, from an empty cell, without looking.
• Write formulas, not numbers. A total typed in by hand looks right until the data changes, and markers check.
• Check one answer by hand. Filter the table and count the rows. It catches a range that stops one row short.
• Practise on a keyboard. Timed tests reward people who can select, copy and fill without the mouse.

FAQ

What is an Excel assessment test?

A test an employer uses to check your Excel skills before hiring. It is usually taken online with a time limit, and mixes multiple-choice questions with tasks in a real or simulated spreadsheet. Some employers send a file to complete instead, or set a task at the interview.

What is on an Excel test for an interview?

Most check formulas with conditions (SUMIFS, COUNTIFS), lookups (VLOOKUP, XLOOKUP or INDEX and MATCH), references with $, IF, percentages and cleaning messy data. Admin tests lean on the basics; analyst and finance tests go further. The exact mix depends on the employer and the role.

How long is an Excel assessment test?

It depends on the test. The invitation or the first screen usually says. The practice tests on this site take 25 minutes each, and the quick quiz 10.

What score do I need to pass an Excel test?

There is no standard pass mark. Each employer decides what score it needs for the role, and may not say. Aim to finish every task with a formula that keeps working when the data changes.

Is there a free Excel practice test?

Yes. The timed tests on this page (data analyst, finance, accounting, admin, basic and advanced, and a ten-minute quiz) are free, with no sign-up. You get your score at the end. The task-by-task report comes with Pro.

Which version of Excel do the tests use?

It varies. If the test runs in an older version or a simulation of one, XLOOKUP may not be there, so know VLOOKUP or INDEX and MATCH as well. If you are not sure, ask the recruiter.

Is this an official Excel certification?

No. Microsoft's own certification is Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS), a separate paid exam. Hands-On Excel is not affiliated with Microsoft or with any employer or testing company.