The Microsoft 77-428: Microsoft Excel 2013 Expert Part Two exam is the second exam that you are to pass on the way to earn the Microsoft Office Specialist: Excel 2013 Expert certification. This exam is taken after passing the Microsoft 77-427: Microsoft Excel 2013 Expert Part One evaluation. Exam 77-428 is also a requirement for earning the Microsoft Office Specialist 2013 Master designation. It testifies that you possess the top-level skills to work with Office programs. In this case, you should choose from two options, but the fact is that you have to pass three more exams along with 77-428.

General Overview of the 77-428 Exam

Before taking exam 77-428, interested candidates should have a strong understanding of the Excel environment and be capable of using the functions of Excel 2013 of Office Professional Plus. Furthermore, they should be familiar with and proficient in the use of sophisticated and specialized functionality inside the application. Exam-takers should also be able to design, maintain, and publish spreadsheets for different purposes and scenarios, as well as adjust their Excel approach to satisfy business needs and improve efficiency.

Intended Audience

Due to the advancement and wide usage of technologies, Microsoft Office Specialists can provide value to an organization regardless of the industry they choose to work in. Hence, professionals such as accountants, data analysts, commercial bankers, financial analysts, and just about any individual dealing with stacks of data can be considered as a candidate for this certification exam.

Exam Prerequisites

After passing the Microsoft 77-427 evaluation you are eligible to take the 77-428 exam. Before attempting this evaluation, you should possess advanced skills to work in the Excel environment and be able to assist others in the proper usage of the advanced features in Excel 2013 of Office Professional Plus.

Exam Details

The 77-428 exam can be taken by candidates in a variety of languages, including English, Chinese, German, Spanish, and many others. The exam format will be two to three projects with Excel 2013 and each of these projects will have four to five tasks on them. The test-takers will be given 50 minutes to complete all of the projects. To succeed in the Microsoft 77-428 exam the candidates need to reach a minimum passing score of 70%. Once the candidates are done with preparation and are ready to schedule their exam, they can go to the actual 77-428 exam webpage to register. The cost of registration for the test is $100.

Exam objectives

Exam 77-428 evaluates a candidate's knowledge across the four domains discussed below.

Exam Domain 1: Monitoring And Sharing Workbooks

This section of the certification test measures the following skills of the exam-takers:

• Making and altering templates.
• Describing the process by which AutoRecover saves and stores files. Candidates must be able to generate, alter, and re-save template files. During the exam, you will be provided a template and you will need to demonstrate that you are able to adjust a template to a given scenario.
• Merging several workbooks and managing versions.
• Setting up the auto-recovery feature, managing versions, and merging shared workbooks. The ability to apply various Excel commands, such as comparing and merging two excel sheets, will be tested. You should also know how to move macros and keep cells safe and hide formulas.
• Moving styles from one template to another.
• Copying different styles between templates and workbooks. Exam questions may demand you to utilize specific typefaces, currencies, or colors, which will take time to recreate. Make sure you understand how to merge these workbooks. You will also be required to move data from one workbook to another and to do it with external data links.

Exam Domain 2: Use Custom Formats And Layouts

This topic aims to evaluate the following abilities of the examinees:

• Customizing and formatting number, accounting, time, and date.
• Creating custom formats. You should be able to customize numbers using syntax in a variety of situations, such as displaying numbers in different colors based on their scores. Besides, you should be proficient in performing equivalent tasks using time and date syntax.
• Making use of advanced Fill Series features.
• Filling in numbers, dates, weeks, and Linear Series selections. You should show the pattern you want to finish, as well as how many cells you want to finish that series in, and then apply the series choices.
• Building and customizing your styles. Customizing your own theme, including color schemes and font sets. You should also demonstrate how to create and change custom cell styles.
• Creating form fields.
• Creating form fields and then putting them into your workbook. You should demonstrate the capability of adding controls to a macro, such as drop-down lists, checkboxes, and buttons.

Exam Domain 3: Making Complex Formulas

The following skills will be tested within this section of the test’s syllabus:

• Using an IF function that is nested.
• Using the AND/OR operators.
• Using the functions SUMIFS, AVERAGEIFS, and COUNTIFS.
• Combining data and utilizing the Watch window to keep an eye on things.
• Enabling iterative computations and What-If Analysis tools.
• Making use of the financial functions.

Exam Domain 4: Making Advanced Charts And Tables

The last topic of the certification exam tests the proficiency of the candidates in:

• Making new PivotCharts.
• Understanding logical procedures required to display data in a PivotChart. A new PivotChart should be created from an existing PivotTable. You will also be required to know how to develop a new PivotChart from the insert Chart option without previously creating a PivotTable. Then, you will be asked to demonstrate your ability to create a custom PivotChart template.

Career Opportunities

To increase one's career visibility, there are particular education requirements that can be achieved in addition to a high school diploma or training program. The Microsoft Office Specialist: Excel 2013 Expert certification is one of such qualifications that can give individuals an added recognition. Holding this accreditation demonstrates that you have in-depth expertise in Excel 2013 which is one of the most commonly used software in any organization. Since it is considered a valuable skill for job roles in a wide range of industries, certified individuals will have a better chance of getting hired in just about any position they want to apply for. According to Payscale.com, the typical annual income for a Microsoft Office Specialist Excel is roughly $54,000.