Answer: Functions like SORT, UNIQUE, and FILTER thet automatically’ fill multiple cells based on a single formula. 19, How can you protect an Excel worksheet? Answer: Go to Review tab + Protect Sheet —> Add a password. 20. How do you insert charts? Answer: Select data + Insert tab + Choose chart type (e.g., Column, Line, Pie). 21. What is the difference between a Cl art and a PivotChart? Answer: A Chart visualizes normal data, A PivotChart is linked to a PivotTable and updates with it. 22. What is a Slicer? Answer: A visual filter for PivotTables and PivotCharts. It allows quick and interactive filtering 23. What steps do you take before building a dashboard? Answer: Clean data, create PivotTables, insert charts, add slicers or filters, and arrange visuals clearly. 24, What is Power Query? Answer: A tool to import, clean, and transform data. Automates steps like removing columns, filtering, or merging data. 25. What is Power Pivot? Answer: A data model tool that handles large datasets and enables relationships between multiple tables. 26. How do you transpose data? Answer: Copy data —> Right-click + Paste Special + Transpose, 27, How do you apply filters? Answer: Select data + Data tab — Click Filter. 28. How do you highlight top 10 values? Answer: Home —> Conditional Formatting —+ Top/Bottom Rules — Top 10 Items.Top 50 Excel Interview Questions and Answers for Data Analyst Roles 1, What is Excel and why important for data analysts? Answer: Excel is a spreadsheet tool used to organize, clean, analyze, and visualize data. It’s widely used in data analysis for tasks like reporting, data cleaning, and building dashboards. 2. What's the difference between a Workbook and a Worksheet? Answer: A Workbook is the Excel file, while a Worksheet is a single page (tab) within the file, 3. What are relati ve, absolute, and mixed cell references? Answer: + Relative: Al — adjusts when copied + Absolute: SASI — remains fixed + Mixed: SA1 or ASI — either row or column stays fixed 4. How does VLOOKUP work? Answer: It searches for a value in the first column of a table and returns a value from a specified column in the same row. 5. What's the difference between VLOOKUP and XLOOKUP? Answer: XLOOKUP is newer and more flexible. It can search left, right, return multiple values, and handle errors better. 6. What is a PivotTable? Answer: A PivotTable summarizes large datasets by grouping and calculating totals, averages, counts, ete., without formulas. 7. How do you remove duplicate values? Answer: Select your data —» Data tab -» Remove Duplicates. 8, What does the TRIM function do? Answer: It removes extra spaces from text, which is useful when cleaning data. 9. What’s the difference between COUNT, COUNTA, and COUNTBLANK?+ Ctrl + ;: Insert Date + F2: Edit cell 38. How do you work efficiently with large da Answer: Use Power Query, turn off auto-cale, use Tables and PivotTables, and avoid volatile functions. 39, What is a Data Table used for? Answer: For what-if analysis with different inputs to see how they affect outcomes. 40. What is a Histogram? Answer: A chart that shows frequency distribution. Found under Insert + Charts — Statistical. 41. What are the common Exeel file types? ‘Answer: + xlsx default + .xls— older + .¢sv plain text + _.xlsm — supports macros 42. HLOOKUP vs. VLOOKUP? Answer: IILOOKUP searches horizontally, VLOOKUP searches vertically. 43. What does CHOOSE do? Answer: Retums a value based on index number. Example: =CHOOSE(2, "Red", "Green", "Bluc") —+ returns "Green" 44, How do you handle blank cells? Answer: Use COUNTBLANK, filter blanks, or IP(ISBLANK()) logic to fill or flag them. 45. How do you lock a cell? Answer: Select cell + Format Cells + Protection + Lock —> Then Protect Sheet.46. Formula vs Function? Answer: A formula is user-created (e.g., ~AI+B1). A function is built-in (e.g, =SUM(). 47. What's an Excel Dashboard? Answer: A visual display of data insights using charts, tables, KPIs, slicers—all in one sheet. 48. Excel Limitations? Answer: Can slow down with large data, lacks version control. Better tools for advanced analyties: SQL, Python, Power BI 49. How can Excel be used for forecasting? Answer: Use Forecast Sheet, TREND, or add trendlines to charts for future predictions ‘50, What soft skills should a data analyst show in interviews? Answer: Explaining data logic clearly, giving examples, staying calm, and adapting solutions based on feedbackAnswer: + COUNT: Numeric cells + COUNTA: Non-empty cells + COUNTBLANK: Empty cells 10. Exp! in the IF and Nested IF functions with an exampl Answer: IF allows logic-based decisions. Example: =IF(A1>60, "Pass", "Fail"). Nested IFs: =IF(A1>80, "A", IF(A1>60, "B", "C")) 11. What's Conditional Formatting used for? Answer: It highlights cells based on rules (¢.g., values > 100 turn green). Great for spotting trends or outliers. 12. How do you split data in a single column into multiple columns? Answer: Use Text to Columns under the Data tab. Choose Delimited or Fixed Width depending on how the data is separated. 13. How do you combine first and last nam Answer: =A2 & "" & B2 or =TEXTIJOIN(" ", TRUE, A2, B2) 14. What is Flash Answer: A feature that auto-fills data when it detects a pattern. Trigger it with Ctrl +E. 15. What are Named Ranges? Answer: Assigns a name to a group of cells so you can refer to them easily in formulas. 16. What is an Array Formula? Answer: Performs multiple calculations on data ranges. In Excel 365, these spill automatically. Example: =SUM(AI:A5*BL:B5) 17, How does Data Validation help? Answer: Restricts user input (e.g., dropdowns, date ranges) to prevent incorrect data, 18. What are Dynamic Arrays?29, What is Goal Seek? Answer: A tool that finds input needed to reach a specific result. Found under Data —> What-If Analysis. 30, What is INDEX MATCH and why is it better than VLOOKUP? Answer: INDEX returns a value, MATCH finds a position. Together they are ‘more flexible and faster than VLOOKUP. 31. What does SUMIFS do? Answer: Adds values based on multiple conditions. Example: Region, "East", Product, "A") SUMIFS(Sales, 32. What is INDIRECT used for? Answer: Tums a text string into a cell reference. Useful for dynamic sheet references 33. How do you sort data dynamically? Answer: Use SORT function or create helper columns + filters in older Excel versions, 34. What is the LET function? Answer: Assigns names to expressions inside formulas, making long formulas easier to read. 35. What are Macros? Answer: Recorded steps that automate repetitive tasks. Found in the View or Developer tab. 36. How do you replace values quickly? Answer: Ctrl ~ H opens the Find & Replace dialog, 37. What keyboard shortcuts should you know? Answer: + Ctrl +S: Save + Ctrl +Z: Undo + Ctrl + Shift +L: Toggle Filter