Finance and accounting interviews test accuracy and speed with reconciliations, schedules and reports.
Common questions
How do you reconcile two lists?
Use VLOOKUP or XLOOKUP to find each item of list A in list B, and the reverse. Items that return #N/A are the differences. Then compare amounts for matched items.
How do you total expenses by category?
SUMIFS or a PivotTable on the ledger data.
How do you calculate a loan EMI?
=PMT(rate/12, years*12, -loan).
What is NPV?
Net present value: the value today of future cash flows, using =NPV(rate, flows) plus any initial investment.
How do you build an ageing report?
Calculate days overdue with =TODAY()-due_date, group into bands with IFS or an approximate lookup, and summarise with a PivotTable.
How do you stop formulas being changed?
Lock the formula cells and protect the sheet, leaving input cells unlocked.
How do you avoid errors in large workbooks?
Separate inputs, calculations and outputs, use consistent formulas, and add check cells that must equal zero.
Tips for the test
- Always show your checks, such as totals agreeing to the source.
- Keep number formats consistent (thousands separators, decimals).
Sample answer: reconcile two lists
Interviewers often ask how you would match bank entries to ledger entries. A strong answer: put both lists side by side, use =COUNTIF(ledger,A2) or XLOOKUP to flag matches, then review the unmatched rows and any amount differences with a PivotTable.
Common mistakes in interviews
- Only naming functions without saying when you would use them.
- Forgetting to mention checks, such as totals that must agree.
- Using hard-coded numbers in formulas.
Frequently asked questions
Which Excel functions are most asked for finance roles?
SUMIFS, VLOOKUP or XLOOKUP, IF, PMT, NPV, ROUND and PivotTables.
Do I need macros?
Rarely for entry roles. Good formulas, PivotTables and clean layouts matter more.
How do I prepare quickly?
Practise on real sample data, such as a trial balance and a bank statement.
Practice this online, free
Reading is only half of learning Excel. Cellgrids is a free place for online Excel practice: solve Excel formula exercises in a live spreadsheet, prepare for Excel interview questions, and work through business case studies built for data analytics and business analytics roles.
Practice these formulas: VLOOKUP, SUMIFS, PMT, NPV.
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