Topic 1.2: Free tools — Excel or Google Sheets

You don’t need to buy anything for this course.

Option 1: Google Sheets (free)

• Works in any browser and as a free app on Android and iPhone

• Saves automatically to your Google account

• Easy to share with others

Option 2: Microsoft Excel for the web (free)

• Sign in with a free Microsoft account at office.com

• Works in a browser on a computer, and the free Microsoft 365 app works on phones

• Looks and works like the Excel used in most offices

Which one should you use?

Most employers use Microsoft Excel, so practise on Excel when you can. But almost everything in this course works the same way in Google Sheets. Where the menus are different, we’ll show you both.

Phone or computer?

You can do most of this course on a phone. For speed and comfort — and to practise for real jobs — use a computer or laptop when you can: at a library, a community centre or an internet café.

Save your practice file

Create one practice workbook called My Excel Practice and keep adding to it in every chapter. By the end, it becomes a mini portfolio you can show an employer.