Introduction to Excel

By the Syncfusion DevTutorials team · Last updated October 20, 2026

What Excel is, what it can do, where it's used, and why it's worth learning. Then create your first workbook with a formula that updates itself.

Have you ever used a notebook to track expenses, create a timetable, or record scores? Excel takes those simple lists and turns them into powerful spreadsheets that can perform calculations, organize information, and create charts automatically. In this lesson, you'll learn what Excel is, where it is used, and why it is one of the most valuable digital skills to have. You'll also create your first workbook and enter your first formula.

What is Excel?

Excel is a spreadsheet application used to store, organize, calculate, and analyze data.

A spreadsheet consists of a large grid made up of rows and columns. The box where a row and column meet is called a cell. You can enter text, numbers, dates, and formulas into these cells.

Think of Excel as an intelligent digital worksheet. Instead of recalculating everything manually, Excel updates results automatically whenever the source data changes.

An Excel file is known as a workbook and is usually saved with the .xlsx file extension, such as SalesReport.xlsx. Each workbook can contain multiple worksheets, allowing related information to be organized in separate sheets within the same file.

Features of Excel

Excel provides a wide range of tools that help you work with information efficiently.

Common Uses of Excel

People use Excel for many everyday and professional tasks, including:

• Budget planning for tracking income and expenses
• Managing lists such as contacts, inventory, and tasks
• Student records including marks, grades, and attendance
• Sales tracking and order management
• Scheduling activities, shifts, and project timelines
• Creating reports with summaries and charts

Why Learn Excel?

1. Excel Is Widely Used

Businesses, schools, government offices, hospitals, and many other organizations rely on spreadsheets every day.

2. Excel Skills Are Valuable

Many employers expect candidates to have at least basic spreadsheet skills because Excel is commonly used in the workplace.

3. Excel Saves Time

Instead of performing calculations manually, you can use formulas to complete repetitive work quickly and accurately.

4. Excel Helps You Understand Data

Features such as sorting, filtering, calculations, and charts make it easier to identify trends and patterns in information.

5. Excel Skills Transfer Easily

Many spreadsheet applications, including Google Sheets and LibreOffice Calc, use similar concepts. Learning Excel makes it easier to work with those tools as well.

Applications of Excel

Creating Your First Workbook

Let's create a simple workbook using the Excel sandbox.

Understanding the Workspace

When the workbook opens, you'll see several important parts of the Excel window:

• The Ribbon, which contains commands organized into tabs such as Home, Insert, and Formulas
• The Formula Bar, which displays the contents of the currently selected cell
• The Worksheet Grid, made up of rows and columns
• The Sheet Tabs at the bottom, where worksheets are listed

You will learn about each of these areas in detail later. For now, focus on the worksheet grid.

Entering Data

Each cell has a unique location called a cell address.

Cell addresses use:

• A column letter
• Followed by a row number

For example, the top-left cell is A1.

1. Select cell A1 and type Fruit, then press Enter.

2. In the cells below, enter:

   • Apples
   • Bananas
   • Cherries
3. Select cell B1 and type Price.

4. In cells B2, B3, and B4, enter:

   • 3
   • 2
   • 5

Notice that:

• Text is usually aligned to the left
• Numbers are usually aligned to the right

This helps you quickly identify how Excel is interpreting the data.

Creating Your First Formula

Now you'll create a simple calculation.

1. Click cell A5 and type Total.
2. Click cell B5 and enter:

=B2+B3+B4

1. Press Enter.

Excel displays the result:

10

Select cell B5 again and look at the Formula Bar.

You'll notice:

• The cell shows the result (10)
• The Formula Bar shows the actual formula (=B2+B3+B4)

Now change the value in B2 from: 3 to 6

The result in B5 automatically changes from: 10 to 13

This automatic updating is one of the most important features of spreadsheets.

Saving Your Workbook

In the Excel sandbox:

• Save draft stores your work within the lesson.
• Save downloads a real Excel workbook (.xlsx).

In Microsoft Excel:

1. Press Ctrl + S
2. Choose a save location
3. Enter a file name
4. Click Save

Common mistakes

Exercise

Complete the following activities in the Excel sandbox. Click Reset before starting if you want a blank worksheet.

What to Remember

• Excel is a spreadsheet program used to organize and calculate data.
• Worksheets consist of rows, columns, and cells.
• Excel files are called workbooks and use the .xlsx extension.
• Every cell has a unique cell address, such as A1 or C4.
• Text is usually aligned to the left, while numbers are aligned to the right.
• Formulas always begin with =.
• Formula results update automatically when the referenced values change.
• Enter moves down, Tab moves right, and Ctrl + Z undoes your last action.

In the next lesson, you'll explore the Excel interface in more detail, including the Ribbon, Formula Bar, Name Box, and Sheet Tabs.