Microsoft Excel Fundamentals Certification

The Microsoft Excel Fundamentals Certification is a free 10-minute skill test from Science of Apps. It tests core Excel skills — cell references, essential formulas, sorting and filtering, tables, basic charts, conditional formatting and PivotTables. Score 70% or more on its 10 questions to earn a verifiable Microsoft Excel Fundamentals certificate (SOA-XLF). Every question is based on published standards and research — including Excel functions (alphabetical) (Microsoft Support), Overview of PivotTables and PivotCharts (Microsoft Support), Storytelling with Data (Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic) — and each answer is explained with its source.

Read the two skill areas on this page, then take the 10-minute test online — no fee, course or sign-up. You see every answer explained when you finish. Score 70% or more and you get a Microsoft Excel Fundamentals certificate straight away, on screen, as a PDF and by email, with a credential ID anyone can verify.

Yes. The questions are original scenarios written by Science of Apps, and each one is based on a public source you can read: Excel functions (alphabetical) (Microsoft Support); Overview of PivotTables and PivotCharts (Microsoft Support); Storytelling with Data (Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic). The source is shown under each question and linked in the answer review. Science of Apps doesn't copy questions from other tests.

Two skill areas with five questions each, drawn from a bank of 10 per area so a retake brings new questions: Formulas and references (Relative and absolute references, SUM, AVERAGE, IF and Counting and text functions); Working with data (Sorting, filtering and tables, Charts and formatting and PivotTables). Every question is an original scenario based on a published standard, official documentation or research, named under the question.

Office administrator, Analyst, Accountant, Student and Operations coordinator. It suits anyone who wants a quick, verifiable way to show Microsoft Excel Fundamentals skills, from students and career switchers to experienced professionals.

Yes. The test is online, in English and free everywhere — people take it from India, the US, the UK, Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Your certificate is dated with your own local date and can be verified from anywhere at scienceofapps.com/certification/verify/.

10 questions — 5 from each of 2 skill areas — with a 10-minute limit. You need 70% (7 of 10) to pass and 90% for distinction.

We rate it Beginner: no experience needed: fundamentals and clear reasoning. It has 10 scenario questions — 5 from each of 2 skill areas — and a 10-minute limit. You need 70% (7 of 10) to pass and 90% for distinction.

Most office, operations, finance and analyst jobs in 2027 expect core Excel: correct relative and absolute references, SUM, AVERAGE, IF, COUNTIFS and SUMIFS, a lookup (XLOOKUP or VLOOKUP), sorting, filtering, tables, simple charts, conditional formatting and PivotTables. Employers test it with timed practical tests or a live task on a messy sheet. Practise on realistic data, fix the reference and lookup traps, and prove it with a verified test. Our full career guide covers the hiring process, interview loop, pay and a prep plan: scienceofapps.com/blog/excel-fundamentals-career-guide/

Nothing. There is no fee to take a test, to receive the certificate, to have it emailed or to verify it, and no sign-up.

On our server, not in your browser. The answers never reach the page until you submit, so a certificate can only be earned by passing. Each certificate gets a unique credential ID stored by Science of Apps.

You see your score for each area and every question with the correct answer and why, with the published source behind it. You can retake after 30 minutes, and the retake draws questions you haven't seen yet.

No. Every certificate is dated, so it always shows when you passed. Retake a test any time for a newer date or a higher score.

Yes. After you pass, Add to LinkedIn opens the Licenses & certifications form with the certificate name, Science of Apps as the issuer, the issue date, your credential ID and the verification link filled in. You can also download it as a PDF or PNG, and it's emailed to you as a PDF.

Every certificate has a credential ID and a QR code. Scanning it, or entering the ID at scienceofapps.com/certification/verify/, shows the holder's name, the certification, the score and the issue date from our records.

No. They are Science of Apps' own assessments of applied skill. They aren't issued by a university or standards body, and they work best alongside a portfolio that shows the skills in real work.