The 7 Best Excel Books To Get For Beginners & Advanced Users
Written by co-founder Kasper Langmann, Microsoft Office Specialist.
Learning and using Excel can be a very daunting task, especially to beginners.
It can make you stare at your screen for hours and not do something.
But luckily, some books shorten your learning curve and make mastering Excel a lot easier..
Spoiler alert: The “Excel 2019 Bible“ is my favorite Excel book. It’s written by the world’s 3 greatest Excel experts and basically teaches you everything worth knowing.
In this list, I’ve handpicked the 7 best Excel-books available right now🤓
Kasper Langmann, Co-founder of SpreadsheetoWhether you are a total beginner, intermediate, or even accountant-level, you can find something valuable on the titles listed below.
Let’s go!
Full disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. That means if you decide to click on one of our links and buy a book, we get a small commission. Thank you for that!
Books Reviewed
This list was last updated on January 4th, 2022.
Excel All-in-one for Dummies 2019
(Greg Harvey)
If you are a total stranger to an Excel spreadsheet, you might want to start with this very basic, easy-to-digest book written in a simple language (which makes it perfect for beginners).
Harvey’s Excel All-in-one for Dummies 2019 has 8 subtopics that cover topics like:
- Basic formatting
- Creating worksheets and design
- Charts and graphics
- Setting up formulas
- Importing data
- And even macros and VBA
If you’re new to Excel and want to start off right, there’s no better book than Greg Harvey’s Excel for dummies.
Kasper Langmann, Co-founder of SpreadsheetoGreg’s book is a whopping 815-pages (literally 8 books in one), and worth every $.
Slaying the Excel Dragon:
A Beginners Guide to Conquering Excel’s Frustrations and Making Excel Fun
(Mike Girvin and Bill Jelen)
This interesting title catches attention because of how it speaks for all of us.
We are all, at certain points in our lives, had been frustrated (or still is) by the amazing but equally confusing world of Excel.
This book provides a rather unique way of teaching us Excel that will get you hooked and probably really enjoy Excel.
Kasper Langmann, Co-founder of SpreadsheetoAlso included in this volume is their 43 Excel Efficiency Rules. With these and some one-thousand plus screenshot images, you can have a solid foundation of Excel.
Excel Basics In 30 Minutes (3rd Edition):
The Quick Guide to Excel and Google Sheets
(Ian Lamont)
If you are looking for a quick read for Excel mastery, this one’s for you.
With only 110 pages, with some of those filled with screenshots for examples, you’ll get a good grip of Excel basics.
Kasper Langmann, Co-founder of SpreadsheetoReading this will feel like a friend helping you work around Excel.
If you want to start on your project right away but need a quick tutor in one sitting, you might want to get “Excel Basics In 30 Minutes” on Amazon.
But if you’re looking for a more advanced guide in the Excel realm, continue reading the next suggestions.
Excel VBA Programming For Dummies
(John Walkenbach, Michael Alexander)
Although some beginners might find this helpful, this is the best read for intermediate level looking to add more into their Excel arsenal.
Within its 416 pages, Excel VBA programming for Dummies will take you into a step-by-step approach in detail.
Walkenbach’s genius is always simplifying complex spreadsheet ideas into something you will be excited to do.
Kasper Langmann, Co-founder of SpreadsheetoWhether as a reference book or reading it cover to cover, you will find this helpful in upgrading your Excel knowledge.
If you want to level up your Excel and VBA game, make sure to check out Excel VBA Programming For Dummies!
Excel Charts
(John Walkenbach)
If you are canvassing for an Excel book or bought one in the past, John “Mr. Spreadsheet” Walkenbach should be a familiar name.
In his Excel Charts, Walkenbach will show you that there’s more to Excel than you already know.
If you are looking to advance your Excel game, this one is a must-have.
Kasper Langmann, Co-founder of SpreadsheetoExpect to tackle topics like:
- Basic and advanced charting features
- Master trend lines
- Pivot charts
- AutoShaped
Name it, they got it.
Although this one is a little bit outdated, this is still one of the classics and still valuable even up to this day.
If you are interested in having this classic, get it here.
Microsoft Excel 2019 VBA and Macros [Business Skills] (Bill Jelen, Tracy Syrstad)
This one is dedicated to taking your Excel skills into a more serious business scale.
Coming from the two most authoritative names in Excel space, take your Excel-ing to another level.
With the good progression of difficulty, building from the previous lesson to the next, it will help you grasp the skills faster.
Kasper Langmann, Co-founder of SpreadsheetoAlso, with the variety of examples and projects to try to make the discussions within its 624 pages very actionable.
This is a worth-every-penny resource for advancing your Excel skills.
Excel 2019 Bible
( John Walkenbach, Michael Alexander, Dick Kusleika)
I saved the best for last!
The trifecta of how-to Excel books came together and put up the Bible of Excel.
You can never go wrong with any of these three.
Now, imagine Mr. Spreadsheet collaborating with the two next best minds in Excel. Their expertise is what you’re getting out if this book.
This the ultimate Excel Book — fitting for its cover title: Excel 2019 Bible.
Kasper Langmann, Co-founder of SpreadsheetoThey have covered almost everything:
- Visualizing your data using conditional formatting
- Integrating graphics into your sheet
- Making visually stunning charts and multifunctional dashboards
- Importing data and creating a functional spreadsheet.
- And a lot more!
They got it all covered in this all-encompassing resource for Excel enthusiasts.
With this upgraded and up to date 1120-page book, you couldn’t ask for more.
If you get ANY book on this list, make it the “Excel 2019 Bible”!
Wrapping things up…
Although there are thousands of Excel books out there, getting the best ones will be your first task.
Getting the right one for your needs will greatly impact your understanding and frustration learning excel.
Just be sure you are aware of what you need and what you are looking for.
So whether you still find Excel as an intimidating task, or wanting to step your Excel game or just looking for a good gift for your friend in the next cubicle at your office, this is a good list for you.
Amazon has every single one of the titles mentioned above and we linked to all of them for you! 😊
Kasper Langmann, Co-founder of SpreadsheetoIf you’re up for something different than a book, consider learning Excel on an online course.
Our flagship course is “Zero to Hero” where you go from beginner to Excel-superuser in 14 hours.
Learn all about Zero to Hero here!
Or, try my free Excel training right below 🙂