--- description: Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet program that is used to record and analyse numerical data.Think of a spreadsheet as a collection of columns and rows that form a table. title: MS Excel Notes 101 for Beginners image: https://www.guru99.com/images/introduction-to-microsoft-excel-1.png --- [Skip to content](#main) **⚡ Smart Summary** Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet program for recording, analysing, and visualising numerical data through a grid of cells, formulas, charts, and pivot tables. It runs on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and the web, and remains the standard tool for budgets and reporting. * 📊 **Learn the basics first:** Understand cells, rows, columns, sheets, and workbooks before moving on to formulas and charts. * 🎀 **Master the Ribbon:** Tabs group commands such as formatting, alignment, and data tools so the right action is always one click away. * ⚙️ **Customise the environment:** Add or hide ribbon tabs, change the colour theme, and adjust formula, proofing, and save options to match how you work. * ⌨️ **Use keyboard shortcuts:** Ctrl + N, Ctrl + S, Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V, and Shift + F3 cut routine clicks dramatically. * 🤖 **Use AI inside Excel:** Copilot and AI assistants generate formulas, summarise data, write VBA, and explain pivot tables in plain English. [ Read More ](javascript:void%280%29;) ![Introduction to Microsoft Excel ]() This tutorial introduces the basics of Microsoft Excel so beginners can quickly become comfortable with the program and the concepts every Excel user relies on every day. ## What is Microsoft Excel? **Microsoft Excel** is a spreadsheet program used to record, analyse, and visualise numerical and statistical data. It provides a rich set of features — calculations, pivot tables, chart tools, macro programming, and now AI-assisted analysis — and is available on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and the web. An Excel spreadsheet is a grid of columns and rows. Columns are labelled with letters and rows with numbers. The intersection of a column and a row is called a **cell**, and its address is the column letter followed by the row number (for example, `A1`, `B12`). ### Why should I learn Microsoft Excel? Most of us deal with numbers every day — income, expenses, prices, deadlines. Excel makes it easy to record, calculate, and analyse that data, then visualise it through charts and dashboards. The illustration below shows a simple monthly budget set up in Excel. [](https://www.guru99.com/images/5-2015/050215%5F0636%5FArticle01In1.png) ### Where can I get Microsoft Excel? Excel is part of the Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) suite. You can subscribe to Microsoft 365 directly from [microsoft.com](https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365), buy a perpetual licence (Office Home & Business), or use the free browser-based **Excel for the web** through a Microsoft account. ## How to Open Microsoft Excel Opening Excel works like opening any other Windows application. On modern Windows 10 or 11 the steps are: * Click the **Start** button. * Type “Excel” — matching apps appear as soon as you start typing. * Click **Microsoft Excel** in the results. You can also pin Excel to the taskbar or the Start menu, or open it from a desktop shortcut. [](https://www.guru99.com/images/5-2015/050215%5F0659%5FLearningMic1.png) ## Understanding the Ribbon The **Ribbon** is the strip of tabs and icons at the top of the Excel window. It groups commands by task so you can find the right action quickly. A command is any action you perform — creating a new document, printing a file, applying a chart, and so on. [](https://www.guru99.com/images/5-2015/050215%5F0659%5FLearningMic2.png) ### Ribbon components explained * **File menu (start button):** opens commands such as New, Open, Save, Print, and Options to customise Excel. * **Ribbon tabs:** group related commands. The _Home_ tab covers formatting, sorting, and finding data. * **Ribbon groups:** sub-sections inside each tab. For example, the _Alignment_ group on the Home tab gathers every command that aligns cell content. ## Understanding the Worksheet — Rows, Columns, Sheets, and Workbooks A **worksheet** is a single grid of rows and columns. Where a row meets a column you get a **cell**, and each cell has a unique address such as `C5`. Columns are labelled with letters (A, B, C, …) and rows with numbers (1, 2, 3, …). A **workbook** is the file that contains one or more worksheets. New workbooks open with a single sheet by default, but you can add or delete sheets as you need. Sheets are named _Sheet1_, _Sheet2_, and so on; rename them to something meaningful such as _Monthly Budget_ or _Daily Expenses_. [](https://www.guru99.com/images/5-2015/050215%5F0659%5FLearningMic3.png) ## Customising the Microsoft Excel Environment Personal tastes vary — you may prefer a dark theme, want extra tabs such as _Developer_, or hide tabs you never use. Everything can be customised through **File > Options**. This section covers: * Customising the Ribbon. * Setting the colour theme. * Formula settings. * Proofing settings. * Save settings. ### Customising the Ribbon [](https://www.guru99.com/images/5-2015/050215%5F0659%5FLearningMic4.png) Open **File > Options > Customize Ribbon** to hide, add, or rearrange tabs. * On the right-hand panel, untick the tabs you want to hide — for example, Page Layout, Review, and View. * Click **OK**. [](https://www.guru99.com/images/5-2015/050215%5F0659%5FLearningMic5.png) The Ribbon now looks like this: [](https://www.guru99.com/images/5-2015/050215%5F0659%5FLearningMic6.png) ### Adding a custom tab to the Ribbon You can also create your own tab, name it, and assign commands to it. The example below adds a tab called _Guru99_. [](https://www.guru99.com/images/5-2015/Guru99%5FCustom%5FTab.gif) 1. Right-click the Ribbon and choose **Customize the Ribbon**. 2. Click **New Tab**. 3. Select the newly created tab. 4. Click **Rename** and call it _Guru99_. 5. Select the new group inside the tab. 6. Click **Rename** and call it _My Commands_. 7. From the centre panel, select a command such as **All Chart Types**. 8. Click **Add**, then **OK**. The Ribbon now contains your custom Guru99 tab: [](https://www.guru99.com/images/5-2015/050215%5F0659%5FLearningMic8.png) ### Setting the colour theme To change the Excel colour theme, open **File > Options** and follow the steps below. [](https://www.guru99.com/images/5-2015/050215%5F0659%5FLearningMic9.png) 1. The _General_ tab on the left is selected by default. 2. Find **Office Theme** (older versions: Color scheme) under _Personalize your copy of Microsoft Office_. 3. Pick the desired theme from the drop-down. 4. Click **OK**. ### RELATED ARTICLES * [How to Open & Convert XML File to Excel ](https://www.guru99.com/connecting-microsoft-excel-to-external-data-sources.html "How to Open & Convert XML File to Excel") * [How to Create Pivot Table in Excel: Beginners Tutorial ](https://www.guru99.com/pivot-tables-in-excel-beginner-s-guide.html "How to Create Pivot Table in Excel: Beginners Tutorial") * [Excel VLOOKUP Tutorial for Beginners ](https://www.guru99.com/excel-vlookup-tutorial.html "Excel VLOOKUP Tutorial for Beginners") * [How to Convert CSV File to Excel ](https://www.guru99.com/import-csv-data-excel.html "How to Convert CSV File to Excel") ### Settings for formulas The Formulas tab controls how Excel behaves when you work with formulas — autocomplete, calculation mode, cell-reference style (A1 vs R1C1), and error checking. [](https://www.guru99.com/images/5-2015/050215%5F0659%5FLearningMic10.png) Tick a box to activate an option and untick it to disable. The same panel is reached through **File > Options > Formulas**. ### Proofing settings The Proofing tab controls how Excel handles text you enter — dictionary language, AutoCorrect, spelling suggestions, and so on. [](https://www.guru99.com/images/5-2015/050215%5F0659%5FLearningMic11.png) ### Save settings The Save tab lets you set the default file format, the AutoRecover interval, and the location used for AutoRecover files. Use it to make sure work is never lost to an unexpected reboot. [](https://www.guru99.com/images/5-2015/050215%5F0659%5FLearningMic12.png) ## Important Excel Shortcuts The shortcuts below speed up everyday tasks. | Shortcut | What it does | | --------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- | | **Ctrl + P** | Opens the print dialog. | | **Ctrl + N** | Creates a new workbook. | | **Ctrl + S** | Saves the current workbook. | | **Ctrl + C** | Copies the selected cells. | | **Ctrl + V** | Pastes from the clipboard. | | **Ctrl + Z** | Undoes the last action. | | **Ctrl + F** | Opens Find & Replace. | | **Shift + F3** | Opens the Insert Function dialog. | | **Shift + F11** | Creates a new worksheet. | | **F2** | Edits the active cell and shows the formula’s cell range. | ## Best Practices When Working with Microsoft Excel 1. **Save in a current format:** use the modern `.xlsx` format unless you must share with someone on Excel 2003 or earlier. 2. **Use descriptive names** for columns, sheets, and named ranges. 3. **Avoid mega-formulas:** break complex calculations into intermediate helper cells you can verify step by step. 4. **Use built-in functions** such as `SUMIF`, `XLOOKUP`, and `FILTER` before writing custom logic. 5. **Lock and protect** critical formulas so collaborators don’t overwrite them. 6. **Back up and version:** save copies to OneDrive or SharePoint so version history is automatic. ## Microsoft Excel vs Google Sheets If you are choosing a spreadsheet tool, the table below summarises the key differences between Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. | Capability | Microsoft Excel | Google Sheets | | -------------- | --------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- | | Installation | Desktop app and web; Microsoft 365 subscription. | Browser-only; free with a Google account. | | Offline use | Full desktop functionality. | Limited via the Chrome extension. | | Collaboration | Real-time co-authoring through OneDrive/SharePoint. | Real-time co-authoring built in. | | Power features | Power Query, Power Pivot, VBA macros, Copilot. | Apps Script, BigQuery connector, Gemini in Sheets. | | Best for | Heavy modelling, large datasets, finance. | Lightweight collaboration and form-driven data. | ## FAQs ⚡ What is Microsoft Excel used for? Microsoft Excel is used to record, analyse, and visualise numerical data. Common tasks include budgeting, accounting, reporting, statistical analysis, modelling, dashboards, and automating routine work with macros or AI-assisted prompts. 🚀 What is the difference between a worksheet and a workbook? A worksheet is a single grid of rows and columns. A workbook is the Excel file (.xlsx) that contains one or many worksheets. Sheets share workbook-level settings such as named ranges and macros. 💡 How many rows and columns does an Excel worksheet have? An Excel worksheet has 1,048,576 rows and 16,384 columns (A through XFD). Most users only ever touch a tiny fraction of that grid, but the limits are useful when importing large datasets. 🔒 How do I get Excel for free? Excel for the web is free with any Microsoft account at office.com. It is browser-based and lacks some advanced features such as Power Pivot and VBA, but it covers most everyday workbook tasks. 📐 What is the Ribbon in Excel? The Ribbon is the band of tabs and icons at the top of the Excel window. It groups commands by purpose — Home, Insert, Page Layout, Formulas, Data, Review, View — so you can find an action without hunting through menus. ⏱️ How do I undo a change in Excel? Press Ctrl + Z to undo the last action and Ctrl + Y (or Ctrl + Shift + Z) to redo. Excel keeps a stack of recent actions, so you can step back through several edits in one session. 🤖 How does AI help inside Excel? Copilot in Excel and AI add-ins generate formulas, summarise tables, identify trends, build pivot tables, and write VBA. They cut the time it takes to turn raw data into insight, especially for beginners. ✍️ Can AI write Excel formulas from plain English? Yes. AI tools turn a description such as “average sales by region for last quarter” into a working AVERAGEIFS or FILTER formula and explain each argument so you can verify the result before pressing Enter. #### Summarize this post with: ChatGPT Perplexity Grok Google AI **Stay Updated on AI** **Get Weekly AI Skills, Trends, Actionable Advice.** ##### Sign up for the newsletter Subscribe for Free You have successfully subscribed. Please check your inbox. ![AI-Newsletter]() Chosen by over **350,000+** professionals [Scroll to top ](#wrapper)Scroll to top × Toggle Menu Close Search for: Search ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.guru99.com/#organization","name":"Guru99","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/Guru99Official","https://twitter.com/guru99com"],"logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://www.guru99.com/#logo","url":"https://www.guru99.com/images/guru99-logo-v1-150x59.png","contentUrl":"https://www.guru99.com/images/guru99-logo-v1-150x59.png","caption":"Guru99","inLanguage":"en-US"}},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://www.guru99.com/#website","url":"https://www.guru99.com","name":"Guru99","publisher":{"@id":"https://www.guru99.com/#organization"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://www.guru99.com/images/introduction-to-microsoft-excel-1.png","url":"https://www.guru99.com/images/introduction-to-microsoft-excel-1.png","width":"650","height":"250","inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.guru99.com/introduction-to-microsoft-excel.html#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":"1","item":{"@id":"https://www.guru99.com","name":"Home"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":"2","item":{"@id":"https://www.guru99.com/excel","name":"Excel"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":"3","item":{"@id":"https://www.guru99.com/introduction-to-microsoft-excel.html","name":"MS Excel Notes 101 for Beginners"}}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.guru99.com/introduction-to-microsoft-excel.html#webpage","url":"https://www.guru99.com/introduction-to-microsoft-excel.html","name":"MS Excel Notes 101 for Beginners","dateModified":"2026-06-02T19:29:55+05:30","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://www.guru99.com/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://www.guru99.com/images/introduction-to-microsoft-excel-1.png"},"inLanguage":"en-US","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.guru99.com/introduction-to-microsoft-excel.html#breadcrumb"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https://www.guru99.com/author/charlotte","name":"Charlotte Miller","description":"I am Charlotte Miller, an Excel VBA Developer with over a decade of first-hand experience.","url":"https://www.guru99.com/author/charlotte","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://www.guru99.com/images/charlotte-miller-author.png","url":"https://www.guru99.com/images/charlotte-miller-author.png","caption":"Charlotte Miller","inLanguage":"en-US"},"worksFor":{"@id":"https://www.guru99.com/#organization"}},{"articleSection":"Excel","headline":"MS Excel Notes 101 for Beginners","description":"Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet program that is used to record and analyse numerical data.Think of a spreadsheet as a collection of columns and rows that form a table.","keywords":"excel","speakable":{"@type":"SpeakableSpecification","cssSelector":[".entry-title",".summary"]},"@type":"Article","author":{"@id":"https://www.guru99.com/author/charlotte","name":"Charlotte Miller"},"dateModified":"2026-06-02T19:29:55+05:30","image":{"@id":"https://www.guru99.com/images/introduction-to-microsoft-excel-1.png"},"copyrightYear":"2026","name":"MS Excel Notes 101 for Beginners","subjectOf":[{"@type":"FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What is Microsoft Excel used for?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Microsoft Excel is used to record, analyse, and visualise numerical data. 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