Excel Glossary A to Z — Excel

Excel glossary — 119 definitions

Every term defined across the 28 sections of the guide, in alphabetical order.
Tip: press Ctrl + F to search for a term on the page.

.csv: A text file where values are separated by commas or semicolons: universal, but with no formatting, no formulas and a single sheet.
.xlsm: Workbook format WITH macros. An .xlsx cannot hold any: Excel offers to convert on save.
.xlsx: The standard Excel workbook format since 2007: light, reliable, no macros.
#N/A: The "not found" error: the looked-up value does not exist in the table (or has different spelling/spaces).
#SPILL!: The "it overflows" error: occupied cells block the spill. Clear the area below/to the right of the formula.
3-layer architecture: Data sheet (raw) → Calculations sheet (pivots, measures) → Dashboard sheet (display only). Never mixed.
Absolute reference ($B$2): Fully locked: it stays $B$2 whatever the direction of the copy.
Active cell: The currently selected cell, outlined with a green border: it is the one that receives your input.
AGGREGATE: =AGGREGATE(function_no;options;range): 19 functions (sum, average, max…) with options to ignore errors, hidden rows and subtotals.
AND / OR: AND(cond1;cond2;…) is TRUE if all conditions hold; OR is TRUE if at least one does. Used inside the IF test.
Applied steps: The list, on the right of the editor, of all your transformations — click a step to see/edit that moment of the cleaning.
Autofill: The small green handle at the bottom-right of a selection: drag it to copy or extend a series.
AutoFilter: The little header arrows that let you show only certain values, with search and numeric/date filters.
Cell: The intersection of a column and a row (e.g. B4). The smallest unit: it holds a value or a formula.
Cell format: The visual styling of a value (€, %, decimals, short/long date…). Shortcut: Ctrl + Shift + 1 or right-click → Format Cells.
Center across selection: The clean alternative to merging for a title: text is visually centered without merging (Format Cells → Alignment).
Certiport: The body that runs the MOS exams: registration, test centers, official practice (GMetrix).
CALCULATE: The flagship DAX function: it computes a measure while changing the filter. E.g. Paris Sales := CALCULATE([Total Sales];Sales[City]="Paris").
Chart data labels: The values shown directly on the bars/points — often more readable than an axis.
CONCAT / &: Join text: =CONCAT(A1;" ";B1) or =A1&" "&B1 give "Marie DUPONT".
Combo chart: Two chart types combined (e.g. bars for revenue + line for margin), optionally with a secondary axis.
Comparison operators: = equal, <> not equal, > greater, >= greater or equal, < less, <= less or equal.
Conditional formatting: Format (color, font, icon) applied automatically when a condition is met. Home → Conditional Formatting.
Constraint: A limit imposed on Solver: budget ≤ 50,000, whole quantities, minimum share per product…
Co-authoring: Several people editing the same file at once on OneDrive/SharePoint — colleagues' cursors are visible live.
Criteria: "Paris" (equality), ">1000" (comparison, in quotes), "*south*" (contains "south"), B1 or ">"&B1 (cell reference).
Custom list: A user-defined list (e.g. your branches, your teams) the fill handle can roll out (Options → Advanced → Custom Lists).
Data bars: Mini horizontal bars drawn inside cells, proportional to the values: a chart inside the table.
Data model: The set of tables loaded in memory and their relationships, on which pivot tables can draw (tick "Add to Data Model").
Data validation: Input rules for a cell: Data → Data Validation (list, number, date, text length, custom formula).
DATEDIF: =DATEDIF(start;end;"y") in years, "m" in months, "d" in days. Absent from the wizard but fully functional.
DAX measure: A named calculation, written in DAX, evaluated by the pivot context: Total Sales := SUM(Sales[Amount]).
Dependent lists: A second list filtered by the first choice (Region → Cities), classically built with named ranges and INDIRECT.
Dashboard: A dedicated sheet that assembles pivots, charts and slicers for one-screen decision reading.
Formula: An expression starting with = that computes a result (=B2*C2, =A1+A2-A3…).
Formula bar: The zone to the right of the Name Box: it shows the cell's real content (the formula), even when the cell displays the result.
Function: A predefined calculation: NAME(arguments). E.g. =SUM(A1:A10). Excel offers over 450.
F4 key: When editing a formula, F4 cycles the selected reference: B2 → $B$2 → B$2 → $B2 → B2.
FILTER / SORT / UNIQUE: =FILTER(range;condition) extracts rows; =SORT(range) orders; =UNIQUE(range) de-duplicates — all combinable.
Fill handle: The small green square at the bottom-right of the cell: drag it (or double-click) to copy the formula onto neighbouring rows.
Flash Fill (Ctrl + E): Excel detects a pattern from 1-2 typed examples and fills the whole column the same way.
Free Excel for the web: Free version of Excel in the browser (office.com), tied to OneDrive. Covers the essentials, without VBA or Power Pivot.
Goal Seek: Data → What-If Analysis → Goal Seek: "set cell X to value V by changing cell Y". One unknown, one equation.
Group (dates): Right-click a date in the pivot → Group: by month, quarter or year, without changing the source.
IF: =IF(test;if_true;if_false). Evaluates a condition and returns one of two values. E.g. =IF(B2>=10;"Pass";"Fail").
IFS: Chains condition/result pairs without nesting: =IFS(B2>=16;"A";B2>=14;"B";B2>=10;"C";TRUE;"Fail").
INDEX + MATCH: MATCH finds the position of a value; INDEX returns the cell at that position: =INDEX(results;MATCH(value;keys;0)).
INDIRECT: Turns text into a reference: =INDIRECT("'"&A1&"'!B2") reads cell B2 of the sheet named in A1.
Input message / error alert: Help shown when the cell is selected / a blocking or warning message on invalid input.
KPI (key indicator): The measure that drives the decision: revenue, margin, conversion rate, average delay… 4 to 6 KPIs max per dashboard.
KPI card: Big value + label + change vs previous period, at the top of the dashboard — often a cell linked to a pivot measure.
LAMBDA: Create your own function: =LAMBDA(x;y;x*y) then named via the Name Manager to be called like a built-in function.
LEFT / RIGHT / MID: Extract characters: =LEFT(A1;3) takes the first 3; =MID(A1;4;2) takes 2 characters from the 4th.
Macro: A sequence of actions recorded then replayable (View → Macros, or the Developer tab). Stored as VBA.
Macro security: Macros may contain malicious code: Excel blocks them by default on downloaded files — only enable them if the source is trusted.
Merge cells: Combine several cells into one. Handy visually, but breaks sorting, filters and pivots — avoid in data tables.
Microsoft 365: Subscription plan (monthly or yearly) including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, 1 TB OneDrive and continuous updates.
MIN / MAX: Return the smallest / largest value of a range.
Mixed reference (B$2 or $B2): Locks only the row (B$2) or only the column ($B2). Essential for two-way tables.
MOS (Microsoft Office Specialist): Microsoft's official Office certification program, run by Certiport in approved centers.
MOS Excel Associate: Core certification: sheet management, common formulas and functions, tables, charts. Exam MO-200/MO-210 depending on version.
MOS Excel Expert: Advanced certification: complex logical and lookup functions, advanced pivots, macros, validation. Exam MO-201/MO-211.
Name Box: Small box on the left below the ribbon: it shows the active cell's address and lets you type an address to jump there.
OneDrive: Microsoft's online storage: your workbooks are saved there automatically and reachable anywhere.
Operators: + (add), − (subtract), * (multiply), / (divide), ^ (power), % (percent).
Operator priority: Execution order: parentheses → powers → multiplication/division → addition/subtraction.
Password encryption: File → Info → Protect Workbook → Encrypt: without the password, the file is unreadable. Unrecoverable if forgotten.
Perpetual license: One-off purchase of a fixed version (e.g. Office 2024): no subscription, but no new features afterwards.
Pivot chart: A chart linked to a pivot table: the pivot's filters and groupings reflect on it live.
Pivot table: An interactive summary tool that aggregates large lists by category (Insert → PivotTable).
Pivot areas: Rows and Columns = analysis axes; Values = the calculation (sum, count, average…); Filters = global restriction.
Power Query: Excel's data import and transformation module (Data → Get Data). Also called "Get & Transform".
Protect sheet: Review → Protect Sheet: locks cells (except those unlocked beforehand via Format Cells → Protection).
Protect workbook: Prevents adding, deleting, renaming or moving sheets — the structure becomes untouchable.
Query: A recorded chain: source → transformations → load. Editable and replayable at will.
Range: A rectangular set of cells, written "first:last" (e.g. A1:C10 = 30 cells).
Recommended chart: Insert → Recommended Charts: Excel analyses your data and suggests the most suitable types.
Reference: The "address" of a cell (A1) or a range of cells (A1:C10), used in formulas.
Refresh: A pivot works on a snapshot of the data: right-click → Refresh (or Ctrl + Alt + F5) to bring in source changes.
Refresh All: Data → Refresh All: reloads Power Query then the pivots — the whole dashboard updates in one gesture.
Relationship: A link between two tables via a common column (e.g. Sales[ProductCode] → Products[Code]): "many" side to "one" side.
Relative reference (B2): Adapts to the copy: shifted one row down, it becomes B3. The default behaviour.
Relative references (recorder): A recorder option: gestures are recorded relative to the active cell, not in absolute positions.
Report connections: Right-click a slicer → Report Connections: tick all the pivots this slicer should drive.
Ribbon: The command bar at the top of the screen, organised in tabs (Home, Insert, Page Layout, Formulas, Data, Review, View).
Rules Manager: The window that lists, edits, orders and deletes rules (Conditional Formatting → Manage Rules).
Rule by formula: A rule whose condition is a formula returning TRUE/FALSE — the most powerful mode, e.g. =$E2="Late".
Scenario Manager: Saves several sets of values for the same changing cells and generates a comparative summary table.
Serial number (date): A date's real value: 01/01/2025 equals 45,658, because Excel counts days from 01/01/1900.
Slicer: A panel of buttons that filters a pivot with one click (Insert → Slicer, or from the pivot's Analyze tab).
Solver: An optimisation add-in: maximises/minimises a target cell by varying several cells under constraints (File → Options → Add-ins to enable).
Spill (#): A formula typed in ONE cell spills onto its neighbours to show all its results, framed in blue. A2# refers to the whole spilled range.
Spill reference: A2# denotes the entire spilled range from A2: downstream formulas follow the result's size.
Spreadsheet: Software that organises data in rows and columns and automates calculations (Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice Calc).
Structured reference: Syntax Name[Column]: =SUM(Sales[Amount]) stays correct even as the table grows.
Structured table: A range turned into a "smart" object (Ctrl + T or Insert → Table): filters, styles, totals and auto-extension built in.
SUBTOTAL: Aggregations that respect filters: =SUBTOTAL(9;range) sums only the visible rows.
SUM / AVERAGE: Adds / averages a range: =SUM(B2:B50), =AVERAGE(B2:B50).
SUMIFS: =SUMIFS(sum_range;crit_range1;crit1;crit_range2;crit2;…): adds the rows meeting ALL the criteria.
COUNTIFS / AVERAGEIFS: Same logic to count / average under conditions.
COUNT and COUNTA: COUNT counts cells containing numbers; COUNTA counts all non-empty cells (text included).
Timeline: A slicer specialised for dates: an interactive slider by years, quarters, months or days.
TODAY(): Returns today's date, recalculated on each open. =TODAY()-A1 gives a number of elapsed days.
Totals row: An optional row at the bottom of a table (checkbox in the Design tab) with sum, average, count… per column.
Multi-level sort: Sorting on several ordered criteria (e.g. by City, then by Name) via Data → Sort.
Unpivot: Turn month columns (Jan, Feb, Mar…) into two Month/Value columns: THE transformation that makes data analysable in a pivot.
VBA: The programming language built into Office. Editor: Alt + F11. A macro = a Sub … End Sub procedure.
Version history: File → Info → Version History: view and restore an earlier state of the workbook.
VLOOKUP: =VLOOKUP(value;table;col_no;FALSE): searches the value in the table's 1st column and returns column no. FALSE = exact match.
Volatile function: Recalculated on EVERY change to the workbook (OFFSET, INDIRECT, TODAY…): to be limited in very large files.
WORKDAYS (NETWORKDAYS): Counts working days (Mon-Fri) between two dates, excluding a list of holidays if needed.
Workbook: The Excel file itself (.xlsx extension). It can contain one or several sheets.
Worksheet: A "page" of the workbook, made of columns (A, B, C…) and rows (1, 2, 3…). Add one with the + button.
OFFSET: =OFFSET(start;rows;cols;[height];[width]): returns a range shifted/sized dynamically from a starting point.
XLOOKUP: =XLOOKUP(value;lookup_column;result_column;[if_not_found]): searches any column, returns any other, handles absence cleanly.
Wildcards: * replaces a run of characters, ? a single character: "P*" = everything starting with P.