MOS Excel Expert (Office 2019)

The public exam page does not state a format, question count, or time limit. It does describe the expectation that candidates demonstrate correct application of principal Excel features at expert level and complete tasks independently, which points to performance-based work in the application rather than simple recall. Check the exam details when you schedule for current specifics.

Pricing is based on the country or region in which the exam is proctored, so there is no single global fee. The page also notes that listed pricing excludes applicable taxes and does not reflect promotional or reduced pricing for Microsoft Certified Trainers and Microsoft Partner Network members. Confirm exact pricing with the exam provider before registering.

The published exam page does not state a passing score, so treat any specific number you hear as unverified. Focus instead on covering every objective in the skills outline, especially the larger weighted areas. Your score report after the attempt will show your result and the sections where you lost points.

Start with creating advanced formulas and macros, published at 30–35%, then manage advanced charts and tables at 25–30%. Together those two areas account for most of the exam. Manage and format data (20–25%) and manage workbook options and settings (15–20%) come after, though all four areas are assessed and none should be skipped.

The exam page does not publish a retake policy. Microsoft directs candidates to its general exam policies and FAQ for rules covering scheduling, retakes, and accommodations, so read that page before you book. Plan your first attempt as if a retake costs you another full fee and another waiting period.

The exam is offered in English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Chinese (Simplified), and Chinese (Traditional). If you plan to use a non-English version, make sure you know the localized Excel interface terms, because function names and ribbon labels differ between language versions and the tasks are performed in the application.

The exam page lists the retirement date as none, so no retirement has been announced. The page does caution that if an exam is taken before a retirement date it counts toward the certification, which matters if a retirement is announced later. Recheck the page before scheduling in case that changes.

Weak spots tend to be the areas that need setup rather than a single click: recording and editing macros, building PivotTables and PivotCharts from the right source data, applying advanced filters and data validation, and constructing formulas with lookups, nested logic, and structured references. Practicing complete workbooks end to end, not isolated features, exposes those gaps.

Microsoft strongly recommends registering with a personal MSA account. If you register with an organizational work or school AAD account, the page warns that your exam records will be lost and unrecoverable if you leave that organization. Use a personal account you will keep access to long after the exam.

Download the exam skills outline and work through each listed objective in Excel 2019, building the kinds of workbooks the exam describes: custom templates, multiple-axis financial charts, amortization tables, and inventory schedules. The page lists self-paced and instructor-led preparation options. Practice until you can complete each task independently without step-by-step guidance.