7 Best-Selling Microsoft Excel 2019 Books Millions Love

Discover top Microsoft Excel 2019 books written by leading experts like Greg Harvey and Bill Jelen—best-selling guides that deliver proven value and practical expertise.

Updated on June 26, 2025
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There's something special about books that both critics and crowds love, especially when it comes to mastering a tool as essential as Microsoft Excel 2019. Millions rely on Excel for everything from simple data entry to complex financial modeling, making up-to-date, reliable guidance vital. Whether you're automating reports or building dashboards, Excel 2019's capabilities can transform your workflow.

These best-selling books are authored by experts with decades of experience teaching and working with Excel, such as Greg Harvey—who has been training business professionals since the DOS era—and Bill Jelen, an Excel MVP with a prolific publishing record. Their works cover everything from basics to advanced VBA automation, offering practical, tested methods that many users have found indispensable.

While these popular books provide proven frameworks, readers seeking content tailored to their specific Microsoft Excel 2019 needs might consider creating a personalized Microsoft Excel 2019 book that combines these validated approaches with your unique background and goals for maximum impact.

Best for mastering Excel’s full potential
Greg Harvey, PhD, brings decades of teaching experience dating back to the days of DOS and Lotus 1-2-3 to this expansive Excel 2019 guide. Having authored numerous For Dummies books and taught at Golden Gate University, he knows how to make complex spreadsheet concepts approachable. His proven track record in computer education ensures this volume thoroughly equips you to harness Excel’s capabilities, from basic worksheets to advanced data modeling and visualization.
2018·816 pages·Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Excel 2019, Spreadsheet Management, Data Analysis, Formulas

Greg Harvey's decades of experience as a computer educator shine through in this extensive guide to Excel 2019. He breaks down the software’s complexity by covering everything from fundamental worksheet creation and formula setup to advanced features like macros and VBA programming. You’ll explore data import techniques, dynamic charting, pivot tables, and even integrating Excel with Power BI for data visualization. This book suits anyone aiming to master Excel’s full potential, whether you're new to spreadsheets or looking to deepen your skills for data analysis and business intelligence tasks.

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Best for advanced Excel 2019 users
Bill Jelen, an Excel MVP and host of MrExcel.com, brings over 35 years of spreadsheet expertise to this detailed guide. Having authored 57 Excel books and produced thousands of tutorial episodes, his deep practical knowledge shapes the book’s approachable yet thorough treatment of Microsoft Excel 2019. This work reflects his commitment to empowering users to go beyond basics and truly master the software’s advanced capabilities.
2018·864 pages·Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Excel 2019, Data Analysis, Formulas, Macros

Bill Jelen, an Excel MVP with decades of hands-on experience, crafted this book to push users well beyond basic spreadsheet skills. Inside, you’ll find detailed guidance on customizing your workspace, mastering formulas, and using advanced charting and data analysis techniques. The book also dives into automating tasks with macros and collaborating via Excel’s cloud features, making it ideal if you want to boost efficiency and handle complex projects with confidence. For example, the chapters on statistical analysis and custom functions provide practical methods to solve real-world problems, positioning you to tackle work challenges more independently.

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Best for focused Excel mastery
This AI-created book on Excel mastery is tailored to your skill level and specific goals with Microsoft Excel 2019. You share your background, which topics interest you most, and what you aim to achieve, and the book focuses on exactly those areas. By concentrating on your unique needs, it delivers a learning experience that’s more relevant and effective than one-size-fits-all guides. This way, you get a clear path to mastering Excel’s powerful features without extra material you don’t need.
2025·50-300 pages·Microsoft Excel 2019, Microsoft Excel, Formulas, Data Analysis, Pivot Tables

This tailored book explores battle-tested methods to master Microsoft Excel 2019 efficiently, combining widely recognized techniques with your individual interests and background. It examines key Excel features such as formulas, data analysis, pivot tables, and macros, focusing on your specific goals to ensure relevance and practical learning. By addressing your unique skill level and objectives, it reveals expert techniques that millions of users have validated, crafted into a personalized guide that accelerates your proficiency. This approach moves beyond generic instruction, offering a focused learning experience that matches your needs and helps you unlock the full potential of Excel 2019.

Tailored Guide
Excel Efficiency
1,000+ Happy Readers
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Bill Jelen, Excel MVP and host of MrExcel.com, has leveraged over 30 years of spreadsheet experience to make complex Excel features accessible. With more than 2,200 video podcasts and 57 Excel books under his belt, his expertise anchors this book, which is designed to help you harness Excel 2019 pivot tables to unlock powerful insights and streamline your data analysis tasks.
Microsoft Excel 2019 Pivot Table Data Crunching (Business Skills) book cover

by Bill Jelen, Michael Alexander··You?

2019·512 pages·Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Excel 2019, Data Analysis, Business Intelligence, Pivot Tables

Bill Jelen and Michael Alexander bring decades of Excel expertise to this guide focused on mastering pivot tables with Excel 2019. You’ll learn how to transform complicated data sets into insightful reports, harness new features like Power Query and 3D Maps, and automate tasks with VBA. The book offers practical techniques for customizing pivot tables, building dynamic dashboards, and creating self-service reporting systems that adapt as your data changes. If your work demands clear, actionable data analysis without wrestling endlessly with spreadsheets, this book equips you with skills to control and communicate your data effectively.

Published by Microsoft Press
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Best for stepwise Excel skill-building
Curt Frye is the author of more than 30 books and has produced over 60 online courses for platforms like LinkedIn Learning. With a background that spans political science and business, Curt brings a practical, hands-on approach to learning Excel. His experience in teaching complex software skills clearly informs this guide, which breaks down Microsoft Excel 2019 into manageable lessons. His reputation as a conference speaker and educator adds weight to his insights, making this book a reliable companion for anyone intent on mastering Excel’s capabilities.
2018·480 pages·Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Excel 2019, Data Analysis, Business Intelligence, Power Query

What started as Curt Frye's extensive experience creating accessible learning content evolved into this clear guide for mastering Excel 2019. You’ll find detailed, practical lessons that walk you through setting up workbooks, formatting data, and performing calculations, alongside advanced chapters on PowerPivot, Power Query, and 3D data visualization. The book’s structure lets you jump directly to the topics you need, whether it’s error correction or building complex business intelligence models. It suits anyone eager to build strong Excel skills, from beginners aiming for fluency to professionals looking to leverage Excel’s sophisticated tools effectively.

Published by Microsoft Press
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Best for Excel automation enthusiasts
Bill Jelen, an Excel MVP and host of MrExcel.com since 1985, alongside Microsoft Excel developer Tracy Syrstad, brings decades of expertise to this book. Their combined experience and deep understanding of Excel's capabilities drive the comprehensive coverage of VBA and macros. This partnership ensures you get insights from both a seasoned spreadsheet power user and a Microsoft insider, making this guide a practical roadmap to mastering automation in Excel 2019.
Microsoft Excel 2019 VBA and Macros (Business Skills) book cover

by Bill Jelen, Tracy Syrstad··You?

2019·624 pages·Microsoft Excel 2019, VBA, Microsoft Excel, Macro Development, Data Automation

Bill Jelen, a long-time Excel MVP known as MrExcel, teams up with Microsoft developer Tracy Syrstad to unlock the full potential of Excel automation. This book dives into mastering VBA and macros, showing you how to automate complex tasks like pivot table manipulation, custom dialogs, and generating dynamic reports that adapt to your needs. You'll find detailed examples, including 50 ready-to-use workbooks, that teach you to integrate data from various sources and create efficient, reliable Excel solutions. Whether you're a business pro or student, this guide helps you save hours by making Excel work smarter, not harder.

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Best for daily skill building
This AI-created book on Excel 2019 is tailored to your skill level and learning goals. By sharing your background and focus areas, you receive a guide that covers exactly what you need to accelerate your Excel skills over 30 days. The personalized approach ensures each daily lesson matches your interests and helps build confidence without unnecessary complexity.
2025·50-300 pages·Microsoft Excel 2019, Excel Basics, Formulas, Data Analysis, Pivot Tables

This tailored Excel 2019 guide explores step-by-step techniques designed to accelerate your learning over 30 days. It combines foundational concepts with advanced features such as formulas, data analysis, and automation, focusing specifically on your interests and current skill level. The book reveals how to navigate Excel’s interface, create efficient workflows, and build powerful spreadsheets that align with your unique goals. By personalizing content to match your background, this tailored resource makes mastering Excel 2019 achievable and engaging, offering a focused daily roadmap that keeps progress steady without overwhelming you. It addresses core topics that millions of users find valuable, blending proven knowledge with a custom approach to ensure practical, relevant skills development.

Tailored Guide
Skill Acceleration
1,000+ Happy Readers
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Best for foundational Excel 2019 learners
Greg Harvey began training business people to use computers and software back in the days of DOS. He is the author of numerous For Dummies books, including all editions of Excel All-in-One For Dummies, Excel Workbook For Dummies, and Excel For Dummies. He has worked as an independent trainer and as an instructor at Golden Gate University. Harvey’s long history of teaching complex software to a broad audience uniquely positions him to break down Excel 2019’s capabilities into accessible lessons that help you get the most out of this essential tool.
Excel 2019 For Dummies book cover

by Greg Harvey··You?

2018·432 pages·Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Excel 2019, Spreadsheet Software, Data Analysis, Formulas

Greg Harvey's extensive experience training business professionals since the DOS era led to this updated guide tailored for Excel 2019 users. You’ll find clear explanations on tasks like creating worksheets, formatting cells, and using pivot tables, plus practical tips on charts, formulas, and data analysis. Chapters such as those covering Excel’s new interface and data integration show you how to adapt smoothly to the latest features. If you’re aiming to master Microsoft Excel 2019 efficiently, this book offers a solid foundation without overwhelming jargon, making it especially useful for those balancing work demands with learning new software.

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Best for hands-on Excel training exercises
What sets this Microsoft Excel 2019 training book apart is its foundation in numerous Excel courses, evolving into a structured guide that emphasizes learning by doing. Unlike many reference-style manuals, it offers a sequence of practical exercises progressing from simple tasks to advanced financial and analytical applications, all in vibrant color print. This approach makes it highly suitable for both adult education settings and self-study, especially if you're new to Excel or want to solidify your skills. Covering everything from workbook basics to pivot tables and formatting for business presentations, this book addresses the real need for a systematic path to professional proficiency in Excel 2019.
2018·133 pages·Microsoft Excel 2019, Microsoft Excel, Spreadsheets, Formulas, Financial Calculations

Peter Schiessl's decades of experience teaching Excel courses shaped this training book, which guides you from fundamental concepts to advanced applications through a hands-on approach. It walks you through basics like workbook management and simple formulas, then advances to complex financial calculations, pivot tables, and conditional logic, ensuring you learn by doing rather than just reading. The book dedicates particular attention to formatting and graphical representations, essential for professional presentations and reports. If you're aiming to build solid Excel skills applicable to business or personal projects, this methodical progression helps you create your own calculations with confidence.

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Conclusion

The collection of these seven best-selling Microsoft Excel 2019 books reveals clear themes: practical learning paths, expert-backed strategies, and a focus on empowering users from novices to advanced professionals. If you prefer proven methods that build solid foundations, starting with Greg Harvey’s "Excel 2019 For Dummies" or his "All-in-One" volume offers comprehensive coverage.

For validated approaches to Excel automation and pivot tables, Bill Jelen’s books on VBA and Pivot Table Data Crunching deliver deep dives into specialized skills. Combining these with stepwise skill-building from Curtis Frye’s "Excel 2019 Step by Step" can create a balanced learning experience.

Alternatively, you can create a personalized Microsoft Excel 2019 book to combine proven methods with your unique needs. These widely-adopted approaches have helped many readers succeed in mastering Excel 2019 efficiently and confidently.

Frequently Asked Questions

I'm overwhelmed by choice – which Microsoft Excel 2019 book should I start with?

Start with "Excel 2019 For Dummies" by Greg Harvey. It offers a clear, accessible introduction to Excel 2019 essentials, perfect if you're new or want to refresh foundational skills before moving to advanced topics.

Are these books too advanced for someone new to Microsoft Excel 2019?

Not at all. Several books, like "Excel 2019 For Dummies" and "Microsoft Excel 2019 Step by Step," guide beginners gradually, while others target more experienced users, letting you choose based on your comfort level.

What's the best order to read these Microsoft Excel 2019 books?

Begin with foundational guides such as Greg Harvey’s "For Dummies" books, then progress to focused titles like "Pivot Table Data Crunching" or "VBA and Macros" for specialized skills and automation techniques.

Do I really need to read all of these books, or can I just pick one?

You can pick one that fits your current goals. For broad learning, "Excel 2019 All-in-One For Dummies" covers many topics. If you want specific skills, choose a focused book like "VBA and Macros" or "Pivot Table Data Crunching."

Which books focus more on theory versus practical application in Microsoft Excel 2019?

Most of these books emphasize hands-on practice, but "Microsoft Excel 2019 Inside Out" blends deep explanations with practical examples, while "Microsoft Excel 2019" by Peter Schiessl uses exercises to build skills through doing.

How can I get Microsoft Excel 2019 guidance tailored to my specific needs?

While expert books provide solid foundations, personalized content can adapt these proven methods to your unique goals and skill level. Consider creating a personalized Microsoft Excel 2019 book to focus exactly where you need it most.

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