18. Interview Questions Asked in MNC Interviews
18.8 PwC and KPMG
M58. How would you use VLOOKUP or XLOOKUP to combine two datasets?
Reported for: PwC [S9] · also Mu Sigma [S7]
Identify a clean common key (e.g. Store ID), make sure it has the same type and no extra spaces in both tables, then add columns from the second table with =XLOOKUP([@[Store ID]],tblStores[Store ID],tblStores[City Manager],"Not found"). Check the count of "Not found". For many columns or recurring merges, use Power Query › Merge Queries (Left Outer).
M59. What is the difference between VLOOKUP and a PivotTable?
Reported for: KPMG [S10]
They do different jobs. VLOOKUP retrieves a related value for each row from another table (e.g. the city manager for each order). A PivotTable summarises many rows into totals, counts or averages by category (e.g. sales by city). Often you use VLOOKUP first to enrich the data and then a PivotTable to summarise it.
M60. Which formula do you use to find an average? How do you apply filters and sort data?
Reported for: KPMG [S10]
=AVERAGE(G2:G100); conditional averages with AVERAGEIF/AVERAGEIFS, e.g. average order value in Pune. Filters: Data › Filter (Ctrl + Shift + L) and choose criteria. Sort: Data › Sort for multi-level sorts, or the filter drop-down's Sort A to Z / Largest to Smallest. Always select the whole table so rows stay together.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip
In audit roles like KPMG's, basic Excel is asked, but many students get confused by questions like "VLOOKUP vs PivotTable" because the two do different jobs. Remember a simple rule: VLOOKUP brings in information, a PivotTable summarises it.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – मराठी
KPMG सारख्या audit roles मध्ये Excel basic विचारला जातो, पण बरेच students "VLOOKUP vs PivotTable" सारख्या प्रश्नात गोंधळतात कारण दोन्ही वेगवेगळं काम करतात. सोपा नियम लक्षात ठेवा: VLOOKUP माहिती आणतो, PivotTable माहिती summarise करतो.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – हिंदी
KPMG जैसे audit roles में basic Excel पूछा जाता है, पर बहुत से students "VLOOKUP vs PivotTable" जैसे सवालों में उलझ जाते हैं क्योंकि दोनों अलग काम करते हैं. आसान नियम याद रखो: VLOOKUP जानकारी लाता है, PivotTable जानकारी को summarise करती है.
Loading practice tasks...
- Total parcels (Easy): Add up Parcels in D2:D11.
- Average cost (Easy): Average of E2:E11, rounded to 2 decimals.
- Rows in Royal Mail (Easy): How many rows have Carrier "Royal Mail"?
- Largest parcels (Easy): The largest value in D2:D11.
- Parcels for Royal Mail (Medium): Total of D2:D11 where B is "Royal Mail".
- Royal Mail in Leeds (Medium): Total of D2:D11 where B is "Royal Mail" and C is "Leeds".
- Best in Royal Mail (Medium): Largest E2:E11 value where B is "Royal Mail".
- Value of row 2 (Medium): D2 times E2.
- Look up Sneha Patil (Medium): The Parcels for "Sneha Patil" (use a lookup on column A).
- Total value (Hard): Sum of D times E for all rows.
- Share of Royal Mail (Hard): Share of D2:D11 that is "Royal Mail", rounded to 3 decimals.
- Rank of row 2 (Hard): Rank of D2 among D2:D11 (largest = 1).
- Above average? (Hard): "Above" if E2 is above the average of E2:E11, else "Below".
Worked example — pwc and kpmg
Why
Neha Shah in Pune and Anna Kowalski abroad both need a clear, repeatable way to use pwc and kpmg on a GreenField Dairy sheet without breaking totals.
What
Pwc And Kpmg is the Excel idea this page teaches. We will walk one tiny example end to end.
How
- Open a blank sheet. In A1 type a short label for pwc and kpmg.
- Enter a small made-up value for Neha Shah using ₹ where money appears.
- Add a second value for Anna Kowalski using € so you see mixed currencies stay numeric.
- Apply the method from this lesson step by step (menu or formula as shown above).
- Check the result still works inside SUM or a simple check cell.
Formula / action
Follow the formula or ribbon steps shown in this lesson (keep values numeric).Meaning: Once pwc and kpmg is correct on one row, copy the same pattern down the column.
Quick revision cards
Three standalone cards. Each one explains the idea with its own example. Scan the QR to open this lesson.
