Certiport – History of Microsoft Excel

Introduction

The birth of a spreadsheet

Imagine it’s 1985. You’re at a bulky PC, running Lotus 1-2-3 on an MS-DOS system. “There must be a better way to handle this data,” you muse. Fortunately for everyone, Microsoft had the same thought.

First created for Apple Macintosh computers, Microsoft Excel was built as a competing spreadsheet program to challenge Lotus 1-2-3, which was not then available for Macintosh. The application rapidly gained popularity among Macintosh users. Seizing this opportunity, Microsoft crafted a new version for the emerging Windows operating system in 1987. Its graphical interface became a massive success, and the trajectory was set.

Excel has seen substantial growth since its 1985 debut. The addition of toolbars, outlining, 3D charts, and more has solidified its place as the top spreadsheet and data management tool for years. Billions of professionals across finance, business, education, and other sectors now rely on it daily.

Certified Excel expertise

Yet, despite its widespread use, do all users possess equal knowledge and skill? Certainly not. Employers naturally want to guarantee that their staff and potential hires have the necessary expertise to drive success. Anyone can state they are capable; it is entirely different to have Microsoft validate those skills. This need gave rise to the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification program.

The MOS program allows job seekers to declare, “I know how to use Office—and Microsoft confirms it!” Prior to its launch, employers had to assess proficiency during interviews or simply trust an applicant’s word. Certiport partnered with Microsoft to develop and promote MOS certifications, which evaluate the practical tasks professionals execute in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. The exams are designed with psychometricians to ensure every assessment is valid, reliable, and fair. Crucially, they employ Live-in-the-Application testing, where candidates perform tasks directly within the Office suite, proving genuine proficiency with the tools they will use regularly. Through this method and with Microsoft’s endorsement, these have become the foremost certifications for validating Office skills. To date, millions globally have used MOS certifications to verify and showcase their abilities. For some, certification alone wasn’t sufficient—they wanted to display the strength of their credentials on a global platform.

To let students exhibit their productivity skills internationally, we initiated the first Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship in 2002. Students who earned MOS certifications gathered to represent their nations and display their abilities in a practical setting. In 2025, nearly 200 students, all proficient in Microsoft Office, converged to compete globally. The outcomes were extraordinary. See inside the latest MOS World Championship here.

Why get certified?

It has been many years since the MOS program began, and its effect on lives continues to inspire.

In Mexico, Juan Manuel Suárez secured his role as a Machine Learning Engineer with the help of his certifications. “These certifications opened many doors in my professional life,” he stated. “A resume with certifications, like mine, demonstrates you have pertinent knowledge and are eager to learn and push yourself.” In the United States, Ashley Masters first obtained her MOS Excel certification in high school. She used it to gain a full-time internship at age 15, and later a position as a Business Program Manager with Microsoft’s Worldwide Learning team. “Certification not only enhanced my resume but also boosted my confidence,” Ashley said. “With these skills and certifications, I felt assured I could produce excellent work for my teachers, professors, and boss.”

Juan and Ashley are not alone; numerous students and professionals have described how transformative their certification journey has been. Such stories resonate worldwide. The new Spreadsheet Champions documentary illustrates the certification’s profound impact across all regions. It tracks students from six countries as they face the ultimate challenge in the most demanding MOS World Championship category. This heartwarming story of formulas and fellowship highlights the extensive reach of spreadsheets in the modern world and the power of certification and the youth who achieve it.

The MOS certification would lose relevance if it did not adapt alongside industry and technological shifts. The Excel application has changed since its creation. Its use in 2025 differs greatly from 1985. If the tool evolves, so must the certification.

To align with workforce demands, we are introducing new Microsoft Office Specialist certification exams: the Microsoft Office Specialist: Excel for Business Finance Associate and Microsoft Office Specialist: Excel for Accounting Associate. These new Microsoft 365 Apps certifications connect technical skill with financial literacy, confirming the proficiency required to achieve tangible outcomes in accounting and finance roles. They also empower individuals to:

• Advance their careers by communicating effectively with employers and gaining credible Microsoft-endorsed validation.

• Demonstrate role-specific expertise, showcasing practical, hands-on capability.

• Future-proof their skills, enabling them to work assuredly with advanced tools like Microsoft Copilot and excel in a data-centric world.