Overview
Preparing for an Exam
This exam validates the skills needed to be proficient in Excel 2021.
Audience Profile
The Core-level Microsoft Office Excel 2021 User should be able to navigate Microsoft Office Excel 2021 software at the feature and functionality level. They should be familiar with and know how to use at least 80% of the features and capabilities of Microsoft Office Excel 2021. The core-level user should be able to use Microsoft Office Excel 2021 to create and edit professional-looking spreadsheets for a variety of purposes and situations. Users would include people from a wide variety of job roles from almost all areas of professional, student, and personal life. Some of the roles users might take on include, but are not limited to:
- Accountants
• Clerical, Office professionals
• Consultants
• Executives/Managers
• Help desk personnel
• Instructors/Trainers
• Program/Project Managers
• Sales
• Students
• Other members of the general population
Tasks that might be undertaken or work products created by members of the Microsoft Excel 2021 Core-level User Target Audience might include, but would not be limited to:
• Charting
• Create analytical, financial, etc. reports
• Data entry
• Family budget
• Format numerical (financial, statistical, etc.) reports
• Forms
• Graphing
• Process data
• Reporting
• Technical support
• Trending
Skills Measured
Skills Being Measured This exam measures your ability to accomplish the technical tasks listed below. The percentages indicate the relative weight of each major topic area on the exam. The higher the percentage, the more questions you are likely to see on that content area on the exam.
The information after “This objective may include but is not limited to” is intended to further define or scope the objective by describing the types of skills and topics that may be tested for the objective. However, it is not an exhaustive list of skills and topics that could be included on the exam for a given skill area. You may be tested on other skills and topics related to the objective that are not explicitly listed here.
Pivot Tables
- Creating and Using a Pivot Table
- Filtering and Sorting Data within a Pivot Table
- Automatically Grouping Data in a Pivot Table and Renaming Groups
- Manually Grouping Data in a Pivot Table and Renaming Groups
Input Tables
- One-Input Data Tables
- Two-Input Data Tables
Charts
- Creating a Combined Line and Column Chart
- Adding a Secondary Axis to a Chart
- Changing the Chart Type for a Particular Data Series
- Adding a Data Series to a Chart
- Removing a Data Series from a Chart
- Re-Positioning Chart Title
- Re-Positioning the Chart Legend
- Moving and Formatting Chart Data Labels
- Modifying Chart Axis Scales
- Formatting an Axis to Display Using Commas
- Inserting Images into Chart Columns
- Inserting Images to Chart Bars
- Formatting the Chart Plot Area Using a Picture
- Formatting the Chart Area Using a Picture
Hyperlinks
- Inserting a Hyperlink
- Editing a Hyperlink
- Removing a Hyperlink
Linking & Embedding
- What Is Embedding and Linking?
- Linking Data within a Worksheet
- Linking Cells between Worksheets within a Workbook
- Linking Data between Workbooks
- Linking Data from Excel to a Word Document
- Linking an Excel Chart to a Word Document
- Updating, Locking and Breaking Links
Importing Text Files
- What Is a Delimited Text File?
- Importing a Delimited Text File
Sorting and Filtering Data
- Sorting Data by Multiple Columns at the Same Time
- Applying a Pre-Installed Custom Sort
- Creating a Customized List and Performing a Custom Sort
- Removing a Customised List
- Using AutoFilter
- Using AutoFilter to Perform Multiple Queries
- Top 10 AutoFilter
- Removing All AutoFilters from a Worksheet
- Advanced Filter Criteria
- Sub-Totalling
- Removing Subtotals
- Expanding and Collapsing Outline Detail Levels
Tracking and Reviewing Changes
- Enabling or Disabling the ‘Track Changes’ Feature
- Sharing, Comparing and Merging Worksheets
Scenarios
- Scenario Manager
- Scenario Summary Reports
Validating
- Data Validation – Whole Number
- Data Validation – Decimal Number
- Data Validation – List
- Data Validation – Date
- Data Validation – Time
- Data Validation – Text Length
- Customising a Validation Input Message and Error Alert
- Removing Data Validation
Auditing
- Tracing Precedent Cells
- Tracing Dependent Cells
- Cells with Missing Dependents
- Showing All Formulas in a Worksheet
- Inserting and Viewing Comments
- Editing and Deleting Comments
- Showing and Hiding Comments
Macros
- Macro to Change the Page Set-Up
- Macro to Apply a Custom Number Format
- Macro to Format a Cell Range
- Macro to Insert Fields into the Header or Footer
- Assigning a Macro to a Button on the Quick Access Toolbar
- Deleting Macros
Passwords & Security Issues
- Adding ‘Open’ Password Protection to a Workbook
- Adding ‘Modify’ Password Protection to a Workbook
- Removing an ‘Open’ Password from a Workbook
- Removing a ‘Modify’ Password from a Workbook
- Password Protecting Cells and Worksheets
- Hiding Formulas
- Un-Hiding Formulas