The practice spreadsheet
Click any cell and type. Start a formula with =, for example =SUM(B2:B6). Results compute live; mistakes get plain-English hints.
Five guided lessons
Each lesson has a short explainer, a diagram, and a challenge you complete in the grid above.
10-question quiz
Instant feedback with a short explanation for every answer.
Cheat sheet: 10 most-used formulas
Print it or copy it as text to keep beside your keyboard.
| Formula | What it does |
|---|
Beginner questions, answered
What is a cell reference?
A cell reference like B2 is the address of one box in the grid: column B, row 2. Formulas use references so results update automatically when data changes.
Why does my formula show #NAME?
#NAME? means the spreadsheet does not recognize a word in your formula, usually a misspelled function like SUMM instead of SUM.
What is the difference between A1 and $A$1?
A1 is relative: it shifts when you copy the formula. $A$1 is absolute: the dollar signs lock it, so it always points to the same cell.
When should I use VLOOKUP?
Use VLOOKUP to find a value in the first column of a table and return something from the same row, like looking up a product to get its price.