Excel for Business Guide

Microsoft Excel is industry-standard software for organizing data and running repeated mathematical calculations. Its capabilities expand into data visualization, analysis, and automation while plugins enable advanced features including programmatic Bloomberg data access. This guide is designed to help introduce you to typical Excel features. Use the tabs to navigate through the guide.

Excel is available at all public library computer stations and available to full-time Penn faculty, staff, and students at participating Schools and Centers as part of the Microsoft Office suite. 

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This guide is optimized for the installable Windows edition of Excel, which is standard in business and offers the most features and navigation options. Where Excel for Mac navigation differs, this guide attempts to note alternate controls. Mobile and web-based editions tend to share the overall layout of installable editions but dramatically limit keyboard navigation among other capabilities.