Excel test practice
Practise the Excel test before the real one.
Finance, accounting, HR, operations and graduate roles often screen with a hands-on Excel test: a spreadsheet, a list of tasks and a timer. Here's what it checks, and a place to practise it the same way.
Try it now
Three interview-style questions.
A live spreadsheet, graded as you go. No account needed.
Step 1 of 3
In F2, total North revenue excluding Lamps. One formula, pointing at the data.
What an Excel test for a job looks like
Most are not multiple choice. Interactive simulations that behave like Excel are the most common format: you complete tasks in a spreadsheet and the test checks the result in each cell (Psychometric Success). Providers such as SHL run timed versions; the full SHL interactive test allows 35 minutes for up to 30 questions.
Many employers skip the providers and send their own file instead: a sales extract, a budget, a staff list. The tasks are the same few skills applied to their data, and graduate programmes often add a time limit so speed counts as much as accuracy.
The 8 skills Excel tests check most
| Skill | Typical task | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Absolute references | Apply one rate or target to every row without the formula breaking when filled down. | =C2*$F$6 |
| Conditional totals | Total, count or average only the rows that meet one or more conditions. | =SUMIFS(C:C, A:A, "North") |
| Lookups | Pull a value from another table by ID, and handle IDs that don't exist. | =XLOOKUP(E2, A:A, C:C, "Not found") |
| Logic | Flag rows by a rule: eligible, over budget, bonus tier. | =IF(AND(B2>=3, C2="Yes"), "Eligible", "No") |
| Percentages | Growth, share of total and variance to budget. | =(C2-B2)/B2 |
| Error handling | Keep a report clean when a division or lookup can fail. | =IFERROR(C2/B2, 0) |
| Dates | Days between dates, month ends, invoice ageing. | =EOMONTH(A2, 0) |
| Sort, filter, format | Order the result, filter it and format it so a manager can read it. | Data → Sort, Filter; Ctrl+Shift+% |
Want worked examples? See 10 Excel interview questions with answers.
How to prepare in a week
Find your gaps first
Take a short hands-on test before studying. Practise the skills you miss, not the ones you already know.
Type every formula
Watching tutorials builds recognition; the test measures recall. Write each formula yourself on realistic data.
Practise against a clock
Most tests are timed. Aim to finish a basic task in under two minutes, including checking the result.
Check your own answers
Reasonableness checks catch most errors: does the total match, does the formula still work when filled down?
Formula Quest is built for exactly this. The free Fundamentals Check is 8 hands-on tasks in 15 minutes, graded on our servers, with a score for each skill. The free foundations course covers the basics, and role tracks and workplace projects go deeper for finance, accounting and HR tests.
Excel test FAQ
How long is a typical Excel test for a job?
Most run 15 to 45 minutes. Third-party interactive tests are timed; SHL's full interactive version allows 35 minutes for up to 30 questions. Employer-made files usually come with a deadline of an hour or less.
Is an Excel interview test multiple choice?
Some are, but interactive simulations that behave like Excel are the most common format. You complete tasks in a spreadsheet and the test checks the result in each cell.
Which Excel functions should I practise first?
SUMIFS and COUNTIFS, a lookup (XLOOKUP or INDEX/MATCH, including the not-found case), IF with AND/OR, IFERROR, percent change, and absolute references so formulas fill down correctly.
Can I practise without Excel installed?
Yes. Formula Quest runs a learning spreadsheet in your browser that uses the same formula syntax, so what you practise transfers to Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets.
Is Formula Quest affiliated with SHL, Kenexa or Microsoft?
No. Formula Quest is independent. The practice test is modelled on the skills these tests check, not copied from any provider.