Kenexa Prove It Excel test: what's on it and how to prepare
The Kenexa Prove It Excel test is a pre-employment Excel test with two levels, Normal User and Power User, plus a Whole Test that combines both. IBM sold it under the Kenexa name. It's now offered by SHL, for Excel versions 2003 through 2016, with timed and untimed versions.
Who makes the test now
Prove It started at Kenexa, which IBM bought. The tests are now listed in SHL's IBM Kenexa catalog. Recruiters still call it "the Kenexa test" or "the Prove It test," so you'll hear all three names.
The levels
| Level | Who it's for | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Normal User | Clerical and admin roles that edit and create workbooks | Creating a basic workbook, formatting cells, moving around the app, using formulas and changing how a sheet looks. |
| Power User | People who use advanced features every day | Advanced formatting and formula writing. |
| Whole Test | Roles that need both | Normal User and Power User combined. |
Each level exists for several Excel versions, from 2003 to 2016, and some come in timed versions. Ask the recruiter which version and level you'll get. The menus moved a lot between Excel 2003 and 2016, and that matters for the task questions.
What the questions look like
Practice providers describe two kinds of questions:
- Tasks. You do something in a simulated Excel window, like insert a row, apply a number format, add conditional formatting or enter a formula.
- Multiple choice. You pick the right answer, like what a formula returns or which feature does a job.
The simulation is strict. It often checks one way of doing a task. If you know a keyboard shortcut but the test expects the ribbon, you may lose the point. Read each task twice.
Formulas to know cold
Both levels expect you to write formulas without help. Practice these until you don't need to think:
- SUM, AVERAGE, MIN, MAX and simple math with cell references.
- IF, COUNTIF and SUMIF.
- Absolute references, like
$B$2. - For Power User: VLOOKUP, nested IFs and joining text with &.
XLOOKUP doesn't exist in Excel 2016 or earlier. If your test is on one of those versions, use VLOOKUP or INDEX and MATCH.
Non-formula skills to review
CellReady's grader checks formulas, so review these in Excel itself:
- Inserting and deleting rows and columns
- Number formats: currency, percent and dates
- Conditional formatting, like highlighting values over a number
- Sorting, filtering and freezing the header row
- Page setup: orientation and print area
- Pivot tables, for Power User roles
A one-week plan
- Days 1 and 2: basic formulas and references.
- Days 3 and 4: IF, COUNTIF and SUMIF.
- Day 5: lookups, if you're taking Power User.
- Day 6: formatting, sorting and page setup in Excel.
- Day 7: one timed run, then review what you missed.
Questions people ask
Is the Kenexa Prove It test multiple choice?
Partly. Practice providers show a mix of hands-on tasks in a simulated Excel window and multiple-choice questions.
What's the difference between Normal User and Power User?
Normal User covers building and formatting basic workbooks and everyday formulas. Power User adds advanced formatting and formula writing.
Can I use XLOOKUP on the Kenexa test?
Probably not. The tests are built for Excel 2003 through 2016, and XLOOKUP only arrived in later versions. Use VLOOKUP or INDEX and MATCH.
Practice on a real spreadsheet
CellReady grades your formula the moment you press Enter and tells you why a wrong answer is wrong. The first 7 lessons are free, with no sign-up to start.
Related guides
What an Excel test for a job interview usually covers by role, the formats employers use, and a practical plan to prepare in a week.
How VLOOKUP works in Excel, why you should always end it with FALSE, how to lock the table with $, its limits, and a live exercise.
A one-page cheat sheet of the Excel formulas that show up on pre-employment tests, with the syntax, a real example and the mistake to avoid for each.