Excel Formulas for MIS Reporting 2026 – Detailed Beginner Tutorial

MIS Reporting in Excel for Beginners 2026 – Complete Step-by-Step Guide (Start from Zero)

Are you completely new to Excel and want to learn Excel formulas for MIS reporting 2026? Never made any report before? No problem at all.

This is a full beginner-friendly guide for MIS reporting in Excel in 2026. We will start from the absolute basics and go all the way to creating your first useful reports – daily sales MIS, monthly expense MIS, simple dashboard, and more.

In India, thousands of small businesses, sales teams, HR departments, accounts teams and fresh graduates use Excel every day to make MIS reports. You do not need any expensive software, coding knowledge or advanced degree. Just a laptop or computer with Excel (2016 or newer) and daily practice.

Who This Beginner MIS Excel Guide Is For (2026)

Students (B.Com, BAF, BBA, BCA, 12th pass-outs) who want to learn job-ready skills
Freshers preparing for MIS Executive, Reporting Analyst, Data Entry, Accounts Assistant jobs
Small business owners or shopkeepers who want to track sales, expenses, stock themselves
Anyone who feels scared of Excel but wants to learn slowly and properly

What You Will Learn from This Beginner MIS Excel Guide (2026)

• Understand what MIS reporting actually is
• Navigate Excel screen confidently
• Clean messy data
• Use important formulas correctly
• Make daily sales and monthly expense reports
• Use a free dashboard template
• Avoid common mistakes that freshers make
• Work faster with shortcuts
• Make reports look professional and share them safely

What Is MIS Reporting in Excel? Simple Explanation for Beginners (2026)

MIS = Management Information System. In easy words: MIS reporting means taking lots of raw business data (sales bills, expense receipts, attendance records, stock list etc.) and turning it into short, clear reports that a manager can look at in 2 minutes and understand everything.

Examples of MIS reports you will learn here:

Daily sales summary (how much money came today, which product sold most)
Monthly expense report (where money went – rent, salary, marketing etc.)
Simple dashboard (all important numbers on one screen)
Inventory or stock report (what is left in go down)

In 2026, Excel is still the king for this work in India because:

It is already on 90% office computers
Free or very low cost (Microsoft 365 personal is affordable)
Easy to edit when new data comes
Can be printed, saved as PDF, emailed quickly

2. Why Learn MIS Reporting in Excel in 2026?

Reality for MIS Executives in India (2026)

• MIS Executive, Reporting Analyst, Data Coordinator jobs are always open
• Starting salary: ₹18,000 – ₹35,000 per month (freshers in small-medium companies)
• Demand in Cities like Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Delhi, Patna, Lucknow

Benefits of Learning MIS Reporting in Excel for Beginners

1. You become useful to any team in 1–2 months
2. Edge over other freshers in interviews
3. Small business owners save ₹5,000–15,000 per month by not hiring extra person
4. Strong base for learning Tally, Power BI, advanced Excel later

Biggest beginner mistake: Jumping straight to dashboards or fancy charts without learning data cleaning and formulas. Result → Wrong numbers → Manager angry → Confidence gone

We will follow correct order:

1. Excel basics & interface
2. Formulas
3. Data cleaning
4. Simple reports
5. Dashboard & formatting
6. Shortcuts + errors fixing

3. Basic Excel Interface Explained for Absolute Beginners (2026)

Open Excel right now and look at the screen.

Main parts you will use daily:

Ribbon (top menu): Home, Insert, Data, Formulas, Page Layout, View tabs
Formula bar (just below ribbon) – shows what is written in a cell
Grid – columns A, B, C… and rows 1, 2, 3… (cell A1, B5 etc.)
Sheet tabs (bottom) – Sheet1, Sheet2 (right-click to rename like “Data”, “Report”)

Most Important Excel Concept for Beginners: Cell References

When you write formula =B2*C2 and drag it down, it changes automatically (this is relative reference). This is good when you want every row to calculate differently.

But when you want one cell fixed (like tax rate in cell F1): Write =$F$1 Or press F4 key while typing – it adds $ signs automatically.

Absolute reference = fixed cell Relative reference = moves with drag

Quick practice:

1. Type 100 in cell F1 (this is tax rate)
2. In G2 write =B2*$F$1
3. Drag formula down – tax amount will calculate correctly in every row

Do this once – you will never get confused again.

4. Essential Excel Formulas for MIS Reporting (Beginner-Friendly Guide 2026)

In this section, beginners will learn only the most useful formulas needed for daily MIS reports, such as sales summaries, expense tracking, and basic analysis. These formulas help you calculate totals, apply conditions, compare targets, and quickly summarize large data sets. No advanced functions or complex logic is required—only practical Excel formulas that are commonly used in real office MIS work in 2026.

You don’t need to learn 200 formulas. These 8 are used in 95% of beginner MIS reports.

1. SUM – Simple total =SUM(A2:A100)
2. SUMIFS – Total with conditions Example: Total sales only for “North” region =SUMIFS(Amount, Region, “North”)
3. XLOOKUP (best lookup formula in 2026) =XLOOKUP(Product_Code, Product_List, Price_List, “Not Found”)
4. COUNTIFS – Count how many times something happened =COUNTIFS(Status, “Delivered”)
5. IF – Show Yes/No =IF(Sales>Target, “Achieved”, “Pending”)
6. AVERAGEIFS – Average with conditions =AVERAGEIFS(Sales_Amount, Region, “East”)
7. Pivot Tables (magic tool for summarizing) Select data → Insert → PivotTable → Drag fields

Excel Formulas for MIS Reporting 2026 – Detailed Beginner Tutorial (Start from Zero)

This page is the second step after MIS Reporting in Excel for Beginners. Now you will learn Excel formulas used in real MIS jobs, explained in very simple English, step by step, with practical examples.

You do not need advanced Excel, coding, or maths. These formulas are enough for MIS Executive, Reporting Analyst, Accounts Assistant, Data Entry, and Freshers jobs in India.

Who Should Learn These Excel Formulas?

This guide is perfect for anyone who wants to start doing real MIS work in Excel without feeling overwhelmed. You should follow this if you are:

• A complete beginner who has just started learning Excel
• A fresher preparing for MIS, Reporting, or Accounts jobs
• A commerce student (B.Com, BAF, BBA, or even 12th pass) who wants job-ready skills
• A small business owner who wants to manage daily or monthly reports by yourself

If you practice only these formulas carefully, you will be able to handle 80–90% of basic MIS tasks confidently.

How to Use This Page

Take one formula at a time and practice it slowly. Use a small set of data, around 10–20 rows, to try out each formula. Don’t just memorize the formulas – focus on understanding the logic behind them. Make sure you are using Excel 2016 or newer, because some formulas like XLOOKUP need Excel 365 or 2021 and above.

1. SUM Formula – Total Calculation (Most Used)

What it does:

Adds numbers.

Where used in MIS:

• Total sales
• Total expenses
• Total salary

Formula:

=SUM(A2:A50)

Example:

You have daily sales amounts in column D. To get total:

=SUM(D2:D31)

Common mistake:

• Including header row
• Adding text cells

Tip: Use Alt + = for quick SUM.

2. SUMIFS – Total with Conditions (Very Important)

What it does:

Adds numbers based on conditions.

Where used:

• Region-wise sales
• Date-wise total
• Category-wise expense

Formula structure:

=SUMIFS(sum_range, criteria_range1, criteria1)

Example:

Total sales for North region:

=SUMIFS(D2:D100, C2:C100, “North”)

Date example:

=SUMIFS(D:D, A:A, TODAY())

This formula is a must for MIS jobs.

3. COUNT & COUNTIFS – Counting Records

COUNT

Counts numbers only.

=COUNT(A2:A100)

COUNTIFS

Counts rows with conditions.

Example:

How many orders are Delivered:

=COUNTIFS(E2:E100, “Delivered”)

Used in:

• Attendance MIS
• Order tracking
• HR reports

4. IF Formula – Decision Making Formula

What it does:

Shows result based on condition (Yes/No logic).

Formula:

=IF(condition, value_if_true, value_if_false)

Example:

=IF(D2>=Target, “Achieved”, “Pending”)

Used in:

• Target vs achieved
• Status columns
• Approval logic

5. IFERROR – Clean Reports Without Errors

Problem it solves:

Avoids ugly errors like #DIV/0!

Formula:

=IFERROR(A2/B2, 0)

Used in:

• Percentage calculation
• Dashboards

Always use IFERROR in MIS reports.

6. XLOOKUP – Find Data Easily (Best Lookup in 2026)

Why XLOOKUP is best:

• Replaces VLOOKUP
• No column number problem
• Works left to right

Formula:

=XLOOKUP(A2, Product_Code, Price, “Not Found”)

Example:

Find product price using code.

If XLOOKUP not available, use VLOOKUP as backup.

7. AVERAGE & AVERAGEIFS

AVERAGE

=AVERAGE(D2:D50)

AVERAGEIFS

Average sales for East region:

=AVERAGEIFS(D:D, C:C, “East”)

Used in:

• Performance analysis
• Monthly averages

8. MAX & MIN – Highest and Lowest Values

Examples:

=MAX(D2:D100)

=MIN(D2:D100)

Used in:

• Best day sales
• Lowest expense

9. TODAY & MONTH – Date Formulas

TODAY

=TODAY()

MONTH

=MONTH(A2)

Used in:

• Daily MIS
• Monthly reports

10. Pivot Tables – MIS Shortcut Tool

Why important:

• No formulas needed
• Fast summary
• Manager-friendly

How to create:

1. Select data
2. Insert → Pivot Table
3. Drag fields

Used for:

• Sales summary
• Expense category
• Region-wise analysis

11. Absolute vs Relative Reference (Must Understand)

Relative:

=B2*C2

Absolute:

=B2*$F$1

Press F4 to lock cell.

12. Common Formula Mistakes Beginners Make

• Forgetting $ sign
• Using wrong range
• Mixing text & numbers
• Not using IFERROR

Always check with small data first.

13. Daily Practice Plan (30 Minutes)

• 10 min: Create dummy data
• 10 min: Apply formulas
• 10 min: Check results

Do this for 7 days.

What You Can Do After Learning Excel Formulas for MIS Reporting (2026)

You can

1. Make Daily Sales MIS
2. Create Monthly Expense Report
3. Prepare Interview Excel tests
4. Support dashboards

Final Words

You do not need to know every Excel formula.
You only need to use the right formulas correctly.

Practice slowly. Accuracy matters more than speed.

5. Data Cleaning in Excel: First Real Step of Any MIS Report (2026)

Common Dirty Data Problems in Excel (Beginners Must Know)

• Extra spaces (“Rahul “)
• Duplicates
• Wrong date format (01/02/25 vs 25-Feb-01)
• Mixed text/numbers
• Empty cells

Step-by-Step Excel Data Cleaning Process for MIS Reports (2026)

1. Backup – Right-click sheet tab → Move or Copy → Create copy
2. Remove spaces – =TRIM(A1) drag down → copy-paste as values
3. Fix case – =PROPER(A1) for names
4. Remove duplicates – Data tab → Remove Duplicates
5. Fix dates – Select column → Data → Text to Columns → Date
6. Highlight errors – Home → Conditional Formatting → Errors
7. Flash Fill – Type correct pattern → Ctrl + E (very powerful)

Time rule: Spend 25–30% time cleaning. Clean data = correct report.

How to Import Real Data into Excel for MIS Reports (2026)

Importing real data into Excel is essential for creating accurate MIS reports.
Learn how to safely bring data from CSV files, text files, or websites into Excel. Proper import ensures clean formatting, avoids errors, and helps beginners prepare reliable daily sales, expense, or inventory reports in 2026.

Data doesn’t come in Excel always.

How to bring data:

• CSV file → Data tab → From Text/CSV → Load
• Copy from website/Google Sheets → Paste Special → Values
• Text file → Data → From Text/CSV

Tip: Always paste as values first to avoid formatting issues.

Daily Sales MIS Report in Excel – Step by Step (2026)

Daily Sales MIS reports help track your sales performance quickly.
Learn how to create a step-by-step report showing today’s total sales, product-wise breakdown, top products, and target vs achieved. Perfect for beginners to practice and get job-ready in MIS reporting in 2026.

Most Common Beginner MIS Report in Excel

What to show:

• Today’s total sales
• Product-wise sales
• Top 5 products
• Target vs achieved

Steps:

1. Columns: Date, Product, Qty, Rate, Amount, Region
2. Today total: =SUMIFS(Amount, Date, TODAY())
3. Pivot Table: Insert → PivotTable → Rows: Product, Values: Sum Amount
4. Slicer: Insert → Slicer → Date/Region
5. Target check: =IF(Amount>Target,”Achieved”,”Pending”)
6. Chart: Select pivot → Insert → Column Chart

Save as PDF for email: File → Save As → PDF

8. Monthly Expense MIS Report in Excel – Step by Step (2026)

Monthly Expense MIS reports help track and analyze your spending easily.
Learn to create a report showing category-wise totals, budget vs actual, trends, and simple charts. Beginners can use this report to manage business or office expenses efficiently and get job-ready in MIS reporting in 2026.

Key elements:

• Category total
• Budget vs actual
• Pie chart

Steps:

1. Columns: Date, Category, Amount, Vendor
2. Pivot Table: Rows → Category, Values → Sum Amount
3. Variance: =Budget – Actual
4. Pie chart + line chart
5. Conditional formatting: Red for negative variance

9. Free Beginner MIS Dashboard Template 2026

Get a ready-to-use MIS dashboard template for beginners in Excel.
It includes daily sales cards, monthly trends, top product tables, and slicers for easy filtering. Perfect for practice, small business reporting, or job preparation in 2026, helping beginners create professional-looking MIS reports quickly.

Features:

• Daily sales card
• Monthly trend
• Top products
• Slicers

How to use:

1. Download file
2. Paste data
3. Refresh pivots
4. Customize colors

Download Link: [Free Beginner MIS Dashboard 2026]

10. Common Excel Errors & Fixes for MIS Reporting Beginners (2026)

Beginners often face errors like #REF!, #VALUE!, #DIV/0!, and circular references in Excel MIS reports.
This guide shows how to quickly identify and fix these errors, avoid wrong totals, and make accurate daily sales, monthly expense, or dashboard reports. Essential for anyone learning MIS reporting in Excel in 2026.

• #REF! → Deleted cell – undo or fix
• #VALUE! → Text in number place – clean data
• #DIV/0! → Use =IFERROR(formula,0)
• Circular reference → Formula refers to itself

Shortcut: Ctrl + ` → see all formulas

11. Keyboard Shortcuts for Faster Work in Excel MIS Reports (2026)

Using keyboard shortcuts saves time and boosts productivity in MIS reporting.
Beginners can learn essential shortcuts like Ctrl+C/V, Ctrl+Z, Ctrl+Shift+L, Alt+=, F4, and Ctrl+T to quickly copy, paste, filter, auto-sum, fix cells, and format tables. Perfect for daily sales, expense, or dashboard reports in 2026.

1. Ctrl + C/V – Copy/paste
2. Ctrl + Z – Undo
3. Ctrl + Shift + L – Filter
4. Alt + = – Auto sum
5. F4 – $ toggle
6. Ctrl + T – Table

12. Make MIS Reports Look Professional in Excel (2026)

Professional-looking MIS reports are easy to create with proper formatting and layout.
Learn to add clear titles, freeze top rows, align numbers, use borders, and subtle colors. Beginners can make daily sales, monthly expense, or dashboard reports look clean, readable, and presentable for managers or clients in 2026.

a. Clear title with date
b. Borders, light colors
c. Freeze top row (View → Freeze Panes)
d. Align numbers right, text left

13. How to Share & Protect Excel MIS Reports (2026)

Learn to export reports as PDF, protect sheets, and safely email MIS reports.
Beginners can share daily sales, monthly expense, or dashboard reports without errors and keep data secure in 2026.

a. PDF export
b. Protect sheet (Review → Protect Sheet)
c. Email subject: “Daily Sales MIS Report – 08 Feb 2026”

14. 30-Minute Practice Exercise for Beginner MIS Reporting in Excel (2026)

Practice is the fastest way to learn MIS reporting in Excel.
In just 30 minutes, create a small sales table, clean the data, calculate totals using SUMIFS, make a pivot table, and add a simple chart. This exercise helps beginners gain confidence and get job-ready in daily sales, monthly expense, and dashboard reporting in 2026.

1. Make table with 10 sales rows
2. Clean data
3. Calculate total
4. Make pivot + chart

Do it today – you will learn 10x faster.

Final Words

MIS reporting is not about being perfect. It is about cleaning data, using simple formulas, and showing numbers clearly.

Practice daily 30–60 minutes. In 3–4 weeks you will be ready for basic MIS jobs or managing your own business reports.

Learn More About MIS & Excel from Experts

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Excel Formulas for MIS Reporting 2026

Conclusion

Learning Excel formulas for MIS reporting is the first step to becoming confident in handling real business data. By practicing these formulas regularly, you can create daily sales reports, monthly expense summaries, and even support dashboards with ease. You don’t need to know hundreds of formulas – just the right ones, used correctly, will help you complete MIS reporting tasks efficiently and accurately.

Start small, focus on understanding each formula, and in a few weeks, you will feel ready for entry-level MIS jobs or managing reports in your own business. Remember, practice and accuracy matter more than speed. With these Excel formulas for MIS reporting, you can take your first big step toward becoming job-ready in 2026.

Disclaimer

The content on this page is for educational and informational purposes only. While we have shared practical examples and tutorials about Excel formulas for MIS reporting, results may vary depending on your practice and understanding. We do not guarantee job placement or income, and this guide should not be considered professional or financial advice. Always practice responsibly, double-check your formulas, and use your own judgment when applying these techniques in real MIS reports.