You don't need a job, or expensive courses, to build solid Excel confidence — free tutorials, your own personal finances, and realistic practice scenarios can get you most of the way there.
Free and low-cost ways to practice Excel
Use Microsoft's own free Excel learning resources to cover formula basics.
Track your own personal finances or budget in a spreadsheet you build yourself.
Watch YouTube videos and follow the steps alongside in your own spreadsheet to see how it works.
Use Hey Monika's scenarios (read on to find out how to try it free for 30 days), which include real spreadsheet tasks within realistic bookkeeping situations.
Why context matters more than isolated tutorials
Practising Excel formulas in isolation teaches mechanics, but practising them within a realistic accounting task teaches judgement about when and why to use each one — which is what employers actually care about.
Hey Monika Excel Scenarios
In Hey Monika we have several scenarios that involve excel skills, have a look at Fred Socials and Eco Orange. Freddie runs Fred Socials and can supply his customer and sales data so that you can prepare analysis of his sales activity.
Olly runs Eco Orange and needs your help to understand his sales trends across regions. Each scenario allows you to practice formulas like SUMIF and VLOOKUP as well as building charts and pivot tables. Keep reading to find out how to do these scenarios for free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to pay for an Excel course?
Not necessarily - free official tutorials plus realistic practice scenarios cover most of what's needed for a first accounting role.
How do I make practice feel less artificial?
Apply Excel to a real or realistic situation, such as your own budget or a Hey Monika scenario, rather than isolated drills.
Get started
Put your Excel practice into a realistic context with Hey Monika's scenario-based spreadsheet tasks rather than isolated drills. Try it free for 30 days with code FREEBIE at heymonika.com