01
VLOOKUP vs INDEX-MATCH vs XLOOKUP?
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VLOOKUP only looks to the right and breaks when columns are inserted. INDEX-MATCH looks in any direction and is robust. XLOOKUP is the modern option with exact match by default and left lookups.
Excel Interview Questions for Data Analyst
5 Excel questions with answers for data analyst roles. Tick what you have solved to track your progress.
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02
What is a pivot table and when do you use it?
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A pivot table summarises large data by dragging fields into rows, columns, values and filters — for example total sales by region and month — without writing formulas.
03
SUMIFS vs COUNTIFS?
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SUMIFS adds values that meet several conditions; COUNTIFS counts rows that meet several conditions.
Example: =SUMIFS(Sales, Region, "North", Month, "Jan")
04
How do you remove duplicates in Excel but keep the latest record?
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Sort by date (newest first), then Data → Remove Duplicates on the key column — Excel keeps the first occurrence. Or use UNIQUE / a COUNTIFS helper column.
05
What is data validation in Excel?
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Data → Data Validation restricts what can be entered in a cell (lists, number ranges, dates), reducing manual entry errors in shared sheets.