# PreVisor Excel test



## Will17 (May 27, 2011)

I need to take this before a job interview next Friday.  What can I expect?  My Excel skills have improved dramatically in the last 3 or 4 months.  I'm confident I won't have an issue with it, but just curious about what's on it.


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## alansidman (May 27, 2011)

Will--
found this on line



> <DT class="menu-row selected">Microsoft Excel 2007</DT><DD style="DISPLAY: block" class=closed>You will be asked to perform in a simulated environment that resembles the actual application.
> *Description*: Microsoft Excel 2007 is the spreadsheet component of the Microsoft Office 2007 suite. The Excel 2007 - Essentials assessment contains only basic and intermediate questions. This assessment evaluates the candidate's experience in sorting and filtering data, entering basic formulas, modifying cell formatting and content, inserting and labeling charts, using templates, saving workbooks for earlier versions of Excel, viewing and printing workbooks, and managing workbooks and worksheets. You will have 25 minutes to complete 20 questions.
> </DD><DD style="DISPLAY: block" class=closed>


</DD><DD style="DISPLAY: block" class=closed>Alan
</DD>


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## Smitty (May 28, 2011)

Welcome to the Board!

If you goto Office online, they have some Excel training classes up for free.  Pretty basic, but it might help.

Looking at the criteria for the test that Alan posted, I'd think that you'll be able to handle it.  Just go find your areas of weakness per what he posted and study up on them at Office online.

HTH,


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## Will17 (May 28, 2011)

Thanks guys.  That seems pretty easy.  I've taken the ProveIt Intermediate (or is it "normal"?)  test and that was pretty easy (and that was before my Excel skills improved so much).  They said this will have some basic, intermediate, and advanced stuff on it, so I was just curious about what they mean by "advanced".


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## SydneyGeek (May 30, 2011)

"Advanced" is a matter of degree. A lot of 'Advanced' Excel courses cover VLOOKUP, IF, and maybe SUMIF / COUNTIF 
They don't go near INDEX, MATCH, LOOKUP, SUMPRODUCT (although some skim through SUMIFS). 
Pivot tables are also commonly part of an 'Advanced' course, along with using Solver. And near the end, there is often a very brief section on recorded macros 

Denis


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## MrKowz (May 31, 2011)

SydneyGeek said:


> "Advanced" is a matter of degree. A lot of 'Advanced' Excel courses cover VLOOKUP, IF, and maybe SUMIF / COUNTIF
> They don't go near INDEX, MATCH, LOOKUP, SUMPRODUCT (although some skim through SUMIFS).
> Pivot tables are also commonly part of an 'Advanced' course, along with using Solver. And near the end, there is often a very brief section on recorded macros
> 
> Denis


 
If that is considered "advanced", it just makes me wonder what level we here, on the forums, have attained...


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## sous2817 (May 31, 2011)

At my last job they had an Excel proficiency test that I barely passed...they asked questions like "Without using the mouse, how would you go to the last used cell".  They were looking for the specific key combination to do it.  I argued that there are a lot of ways, and the way I did it (using F5 -> Special -> Last Cell) was just as correct as pressing Ctrl+End.  I guess my point is a lot of these tests don't really test more than "this is how the tester would do it".

It may not hurt to also have a portfolio of things that you have done so if given the chance you can show off your skills more than just what the test limits you to.


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## Jon von der Heyden (May 31, 2011)

MrKowz said:


> If that is considered "advanced", it just makes me wonder what level we here, on the forums, have attained...



The final stage: 'obsessed'


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## MrKowz (May 31, 2011)

sous2817 said:


> It may not hurt to also have a portfolio of things that you have done so if given the chance you can show off your skills more than just what the test limits you to.


 
Good point.  Possibly the biggest reason I landed this job is because I demonstrated expert excel skills by explaining the program I developed for the company I left.  I don't think an employer is too interested in how "effecient" you can make code, or even what the code itself is.  They are generally more interested in the end result and what kind of accuracy/time improvements you can make.

That being said, most employers will be confused if you try to even remotely explain what an array-entered formula is.  If you say the words "VLOOKUP", "Pivot Tables", "IF-Then Statements", and "Formatting", you are already one large step ahead of most competition.


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## sous2817 (May 31, 2011)

MrKowz said:


> Good point.  Possibly the biggest reason I landed this job is because I demonstrated expert excel skills by explaining the program I developed for the company I left.  I don't think an employer is too interested in how "effecient" you can make code, or even what the code itself is.  They are generally more interested in the end result and what kind of accuracy/time improvements you can make.



This is more of what I meant.  I've learned that my manager(s) don't really care how efficient and reusable the code is behind the scenes, they just care how pretty it is.   So even if you can show / explain something like "I took  200k rows of data, summerized it like this [Flashy graph / dashboard], and allow the end user to change the reports by moving slider bars and adjusting the values in dropdown boxes", probably wouldn't hurt.


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## MrKowz (May 31, 2011)

sous2817 said:


> This is more of what I meant. I've learned that my manager(s) don't really care how efficient and reusable the code is behind the scenes, they just care how pretty it is. So even if you can show / explain something like "I took 200k rows of data, summerized it like this [Flashy graph / dashboard], and allow the end user to change the reports by moving slider bars and adjusting the values in dropdown boxes", probably wouldn't hurt.


 
Or, my favorite one to tell managers:

"Press this button and your weekly report that normally takes you 2 hours to set up will be generated and formatted.  After you review, press the button right below it and it will be printed and e-mailed to your manager."

Managers LOVE to hear the words "saves time and money", especially when it directly impacts them.


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## Will17 (Jun 1, 2011)

Ha...  I took it today.  There was nothing advanced about it.  Unlike the "ProveIt" tests, this one didn't give a score when you finished.  I'm pretty sure it's going to say I did horrible on it though.  There were so many ways to do some of the things it asked, but it still told me "incorrect" on many of them.  

I've got a very good collection of things I can show them where I saved a lot of time at my current job.  Before I took over some of the duties at my current job, they literally did a control + find to look for plan numbers and manually calculate how much money the plan had paid up to this point in the year....  I gave them 3 ways Excel would do that for them.  They were spending 30 minutes doing that each time.  

Not too worried about it.  Might actually turn out to be a good thing because it will make me talk more about what I've accomplished.


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## SydneyGeek (Jun 1, 2011)

Yeah, those tests are often very narrow. 
Like you said, a great opportunity to discuss what you can really do. Good luck!

Denis


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## Will17 (Jun 3, 2011)

Ended up they sent me the version without the advanced portion, so I had to take it again.  Pretty sure I darn near got every one right the 2nd time.. 

Interview went well I think.  Wasn't the longest I've had, but they really liked my Excel skills, and they said that was the reason they brought me in (my college degree means nothing?).  I explained a lot of stuff I've done which made it clear I knew more than a basic vlookup, if, and pivot table.  They seemed to really respond well.  They also introduced me to the 2 people I would be working with (who happened to be 2 very attractive young ladies..), so that's always a good sign.  I should find out early next week.  This is a position I really want and with a great company with superb benefits, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.  Trying to temper the expectations though.


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## diddi (Jun 3, 2011)

MrKowz said:


> Managers LOVE to hear the words "saves time and money", especially when it directly impacts them.



isnt that so true.  i look at old code i wrote years ago and shudder at the lack of sofistocation but the bosses have been delighted all that time. they never see it and have less than a modicum of understanding of how it works.

when i do a rewrite, i say that new features have become available in excel, so i am speeding it up etc.  and then you are the golden haired one again for being vigilent and keeping up to date. all good.


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## Auracle (Jun 13, 2011)

MrKowz said:


> If that is considered "advanced", it just makes me wonder what level we here, on the forums, have attained...


 
Yeah, no kidding!  I thought I was pretty darn good with Excel, as I've always tested at the 'Advanced' level when I've taken tests.. but reading this and other message boards, and starting to dip my toes into VBA and more complex formulas than SUM and VLOOKUP, I realize how much I don't know yet!  

But I'm learning! ^_^


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