Top 9 Books on Excel and Power BI

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Unlock data skills with top Excel and BI books—analyze, visualize, and decide smarter..

Master Excel—one formula at a time.
In Excel Formulas and Functions 2020, Adam Ramirez makes Excel simple with a practical, no-fluff guide designed to help you build real skills fast. Whether you're new to spreadsheets or looking to sharpen your data skills, this book walks you through step-by-step examples so you can confidently use Excel’s most powerful tools.

🛠️ Learning Approach:
Hands-on and example-driven—you’ll learn by doing, not just reading. Each chapter covers real-world use cases and formulas you can apply immediately in work or school.

🎯 Audience Level:
Perfect for beginners to intermediate users who want to get comfortable with formulas like VLOOKUP, IF, INDEX & MATCH, SUMIFS, and more.

✨ Unique Benefits:
Includes practical walkthroughs, tips to avoid common mistakes, and guidance on how to automate tasks and analyze data effectively—without needing to be a tech expert.

If you want to boost your Excel skills and become more confident with data, this guide is the perfect place to start.

2. Microsoft Excel 365 Bible By M. Alexander

Your all-in-one guide to mastering Excel—no matter your skill level.
Microsoft Excel 365 Bible by Michael Alexander is the ultimate resource for anyone who wants to go from beginner to power user. Whether you're using Excel for school, business, finance, or data analysis, this comprehensive guide walks you through everything—from the basics to advanced features.

🛠️ Learning Approach:
This book takes a hands-on, reference-style approach with step-by-step tutorials, real-world examples, and clear explanations. It covers formulas, functions, charts, pivot tables, macros, and more.

🎯 Audience Level:
Perfect for beginners, intermediate users, and even advanced Excel users looking to get the most out of Microsoft 365’s latest Excel features.

✨ Unique Benefits:
With over 1,000 pages of in-depth instruction, this book acts like a personal Excel coach—helping you solve problems, automate tasks, and master complex data projects with confidence.

Whether you're crunching numbers or building dashboards, Excel 365 Bible will quickly become your go-to reference for all things Excel.

3. Excel 2019 All-in-One For Dummies By Greg Harvey

Your shortcut to mastering Excel—without the jargon.
Excel 2019 All-in-One For Dummies by Greg Harvey simplifies the powerful features of Excel 2019 into easy-to-follow lessons, making it ideal for anyone who wants to boost their productivity with spreadsheets.

🛠️ Learning Approach:
This book is built for hands-on learners, offering project-based examples, helpful illustrations, and step-by-step guidance. Whether you're organizing data, creating charts, or using functions, it walks you through it all in plain English.

🎯 Audience Level:
Great for beginners to intermediate users—especially if you're new to Excel or need a refresher with the 2019 version.

✨ Unique Benefits:
Covers nine books in one, including topics like formulas, data analysis, pivot tables, macros, and VBA—giving you a comprehensive toolkit in one volume.

If Excel overwhelms you, this book breaks it down into bite-sized pieces so you can learn at your own pace and start using Excel like a pro.

4. Power Pivot and Power Bi The Excel User's Guide to Dax, Power Query, Power Bi & Power Pivot in Excel 2010-2016 By Avichal Singh and Rob Collie

Turn your Excel skills into business intelligence superpowers.
Power Pivot and Power BI by Avi Singh and Rob Collie is a game-changing guide that bridges the gap between Excel users and data analytics. With a focus on real-world problem-solving, this book teaches you how to use Excel’s most powerful tools—Power Pivot, Power Query, and DAX—to create dynamic, insightful reports and dashboards.

🛠️ Learning Approach:
Designed to be hands-on and project-based, it walks you through examples and scenarios that mimic real data challenges, making even complex concepts easy to grasp.

🎯 Audience Level:
Perfect for Excel users (beginner to intermediate) who want to level up and dive into self-service BI, data modeling, and analytics—no coding background required.

✨ Unique Benefits:
It demystifies Power BI and DAX with a fun, conversational tone, helping you go from "just Excel" to data storytelling and business intelligence.

If you’ve ever felt limited by Excel formulas or pivot tables, this book shows you how to unleash Excel’s hidden power for advanced data insights.

5. Microsoft Power BI For Dummies By Jack A Hyamm

Visualize your data. Empower your decisions.
Microsoft Power BI For Dummies by Jack A. Hyman is the perfect beginner’s guide to one of today’s most powerful data visualization tools. Whether you're new to Power BI or just looking for a user-friendly reference, this book helps you transform raw data into clear, actionable insights—without getting overwhelmed.

🛠️ Learning Approach:
This is a hands-on, example-rich guide that covers everything from connecting data sources to building stunning dashboards. It breaks down complex features into easy-to-understand steps, even if you’re not from a tech background.

🎯 Audience Level:
Ideal for beginners and Excel users looking to step into data analytics and business intelligence with minimal setup and maximum impact.

✨ Unique Benefits:
With a focus on real-world applications, this book teaches you how to make data work for you—whether you're building reports for a team, making business decisions, or just exploring data trends on your own.

If you're ready to upgrade from spreadsheets to smarter data insights, this is your gateway into the world of Power BI.

6. Excel Dashboards and Reports:  (Mr. Spreadsheet's Bookshelf) By John Walkenbach and Micheal Alexander

From raw data to sleek dashboards—make Excel work for you.
Excel Dashboards and Reports by John Walkenbach and Michael Alexander is a practical guide for turning your spreadsheets into interactive, visually compelling dashboards. If you’re tired of static tables and want to communicate data in a more impactful way, this book walks you through the tools and techniques to make it happen.

🛠️ Learning Approach:
It’s hands-on and highly visual, packed with real examples and tips that help you design dashboards that not only look great but also communicate insights clearly and efficiently.

🎯 Audience Level:
Great for intermediate to advanced Excel users, especially professionals in business, finance, or analytics roles who want to elevate their reporting game.

✨ Unique Benefits:
You’ll learn how to use charts, pivot tables, conditional formatting, and formulas to create dashboards that update automatically and tell a compelling data story.

If you want to wow your boss or clients with polished, dynamic Excel dashboards, this book gives you the tools and techniques to do it like a pro.

7. Microsoft Excel Data Analysis and Business Modeling (Office 2021 and Microsoft 365) by Wayne Winston

Make smarter decisions with Excel—no data science degree required.
Microsoft Excel Data Analysis and Business Modeling by Wayne Winston is your go-to guide for using Excel to solve real business problems. Whether you're forecasting sales, optimizing inventory, or analyzing customer trends, this book teaches you how to apply data-driven decision-making using Excel’s most powerful tools.

🛠️ Learning Approach:
This book takes a hands-on, example-driven approach, featuring real-world business scenarios and step-by-step instructions for using tools like Solver, PivotTables, regression, forecasting, and What-If Analysis.

🎯 Audience Level:
Perfect for business analysts, finance professionals, students, and Excel power users who want to learn practical modeling and analysis skills—no programming required.

✨ Unique Benefits:
Written by a respected professor and Excel expert, this book doesn’t just teach formulas—it teaches you how to think analytically, helping you become the Excel “go-to” in your workplace.

If you're ready to use Excel as a business intelligence tool—not just a spreadsheet—this book will show you how.

Tame the beast of Excel—once and for all.
Slaying Excel Dragons by Mike Girvin and Bill Jelen is not your typical Excel manual. It’s a fun, beginner-friendly guide that helps you finally make sense of Excel’s quirks and features—without boring you to sleep. Think of it as Excel school with a sense of humor and a clear path to mastery.

🛠️ Learning Approach:
This book is hands-on and cumulative—each chapter builds on the last, helping you learn not just what to click, but why it matters. You'll master formulas, data structures, and core Excel logic through real exercises and plenty of “aha” moments.

🎯 Audience Level:
Ideal for beginners or self-taught users who feel stuck or frustrated with Excel and want to finally feel in control.

✨ Unique Benefits:
What makes it special? It explains how Excel really thinks—and teaches you to think like Excel, too. With its clear tone and practical examples, this book makes learning Excel fun, not frustrating.

If Excel has ever made you want to throw your laptop, this book is your sword and shield. Time to slay those dragons.

9. Excel: Quickstart Guide from Beginner to Expert (Excel, Microsoft Office) By William Fischer

Master Excel from scratch—step by step, the smart way.
Excel: Quickstart Guide from Beginner to Expert by William Fischer is a straightforward, no-fluff guide designed to take you from Excel rookie to confident user—without feeling overwhelmed. Whether you're brand new or need a refresher, this book makes learning Excel fast, clear, and useful.

🛠️ Learning Approach:
Structured as a step-by-step, hands-on learning path, the guide covers essential topics like formulas, charts, PivotTables, formatting, and more—with clear examples and quick tips you can use immediately.

🎯 Audience Level:
Perfect for beginners, students, small business owners, and professionals looking to sharpen their spreadsheet skills from the ground up.

✨ Unique Benefits:
The book shines by balancing depth with simplicity—it teaches key Excel functions with real-world examples and avoids tech jargon, making Excel feel accessible and even enjoyable.

If you’ve ever said, “I wish I just knew the basics of Excel,” this guide is your shortcut to Excel confidence.

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