7 Excel interview exercises to practise with fictional data

An Excel interview exercise is a chance to show that you can produce a correct, understandable answer from a small dataset. Practise checking the input and explaining the result, not just remembering function names. The seven exercises below use fictional records and can be repeated without exposing employer information.

Create columns A to D named Order, Team, Units and Status. Enter four rows: A01, East, 2, Complete; A02, West, 3, Pending; A03, East, 4, Complete; A04, West, 1, Complete. Keep an untouched copy. These are practice records, not real orders or performance figures.

1. Check the dataset before calculating

Identify the unit of one row: here it is one order. Confirm that the four order identifiers are distinct, Units contains numbers and Status uses consistent labels. State any assumption you cannot verify.

Expected check: four records and ten total units. If you add a blank Units cell for practice, flag it rather than silently deciding it means zero. Explain to the interviewer what information you would need to resolve it. A formula can be correct while the underlying input remains uncertain.

2. Sort without separating related cells

Sort the complete table by Units from largest to smallest. Keep each order identifier attached to its team and status. Expected order: A03, A02, A01, A04. Check the first and last records after sorting.

The point is record integrity. Sorting only one selected column can detach values from their records. If the interface asks whether to expand the selection, understand what range belongs together. Practise on the copy so you can compare the result with the original.

3. Filter for a clearly stated question

Show only completed East orders. The expected records are A01 and A03. Explain both conditions before applying the filter and check that no Pending or West row remains visible.

A filter changes what is displayed; do not assume every total formula automatically measures only visible rows. State whether the requested answer concerns all records or the displayed subset. Microsoft’s filtering guide explains filtering a range or table.

4. Calculate a conditional total

Calculate units for completed orders using the stated condition. In this layout, =SUMIF(D2:D5,"Complete",C2:C5) returns 7. Check it manually: 2 plus 4 plus 1. Explain which range contains the condition and which contains the values to add.

Then change A04 to Pending and confirm the answer becomes 6. This small deliberate change checks whether the formula responds to the intended condition. Do not leave a hard-coded answer where the task asks for a reusable calculation.

5. Identify a repeated identifier

Add a copy of A03 to the practice sheet. Use a duplicate check on the Order field, then investigate what the repeated identifier means. In the fictional exercise it is an accidental copied record, but real datasets may have legitimate repeated order identifiers across line items.

Do not delete rows merely because some values match. Explain the counting unit and the rule that makes a record a duplicate. Keep a note of any correction so another person can follow what changed.

6. Summarise by team and reconcile

Return to the original four rows and make a summary of units by Team, using an appropriate formula or PivotTable supported by your version. Expected totals: East 6 and West 4. Their sum should reconcile to 10.

Label the measure Units, not Orders: East has two orders but six units. This is a useful interview distinction because a polished summary can still answer the wrong question. Explain how you would refresh or extend the summary when new records arrive.

7. Present one conclusion with its limitation

Write a short explanation: “In these four fictional records, East accounts for six of ten units. This sample does not establish a longer-term pattern.” If you add a chart, label the measure and keep the categories readable.

Avoid inventing a business recommendation from a tiny exercise. The interviewer should be able to see how the displayed result connects to the source rows. Keep the workbook organised with the original data, working calculations and final answer clearly distinguishable.

A practical rehearsal

Give yourself a practice task: identify completed units, summarise units by team and explain one data-quality check. Work through it once without a timer. Then repeat with a different status value and verify that the results change correctly. This is an editorial practice routine, not an employer’s assessment format.

Before the actual assessment

• Confirm the Excel version, permitted functions and whether internet or AI assistance is allowed.
• Ask whether the employer expects formulas, a presentation or both.
• Save the requested file format and check that formulas remain intact.
• Explain unfinished work honestly rather than hiding errors.

Do I need advanced formulas?

Follow the role requirements. A simple correct method you can explain is better evidence than an advanced formula you cannot check.

Can I include this in my application?

You can describe it as a practice exercise. Do not present it as commercial reporting experience. Use the data analyst interview guide to prepare the reasoning behind your work.