A lot can change in 40 years. And the workforce proves that. In 1985, you could find job postings for Fax Machine Repair Technicians. Today, job titles look a little different.
While fax machines may have fallen out of vogue, some things from 1985 have stood the test of time. Take Microsoft Excel, for example. After 40 years, it’s still considered the premier application for data management and analysis. In fact, Microsoft Excel remains one of the most in-demand skills across the world, according to .
But in an increasingly specialized world, simply declaring that you’re competent in a skill isn’t enough. You need to be able to prove it. That’s where certification comes in. With , employees produce higher quality work and demonstrate improved productivity. And who wouldn’t want to be an expert?
In celebration of its 40th birthday, we’re sharing how Microsoft Excel has evolved over the last four decades, how Excel certification can transform lives, and what’s changing with Microsoft’s Office certification program, Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS).
A spreadsheet is born
Picture yourself back in 1985. (With or without a mullet.) You’re sitting in front of your massive PC, running Lotus 1-2-3 on your MS-DOS operating system. “There has to be a better way to manage my data,” you think. Lucky for you, and for all of us, Microsoft agreed.
Originally designed for Apple Macintosh computers, was developed as a competing spreadsheet application built to rival Lotus 1-2-3, which wasn’t available for Macintosh computers at the time.
After its release, the application quickly became popular with Macintosh users. Seeing an opportunity, Microsoft developed a new version of the application to run on the new Windows operating system in 1987. The graphics-focused interface exploded in popularity, and the rest is history.
The program has evolved significantly since its 1985 release. Adding in tool bars, outlining, 3D charts, and more has made it the premier spreadsheet and data management application for years. Today, billions of people across industries, from finance to business to education and more, use it in their daily work.
Certified Excel expertise
But even with its far-reaching adoption, do all users have the same knowledge and mastery? Of course not. Employers, however, want to ensure their employees and job applicants have the expertise needed to help their company succeed. After all, anyone can say they know what they’re doing. It’s another thing entirely to have Microsoft endorse your skills. That’s why the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification program was born.
The MOS certification program is a way for job candidates to say, “I know how to use Office. Look, Microsoft says so too!” Before the program launched, employers had to either judge proficiency during the interview process or take employees at their word.
JVIDÊÓƵ partnered with Microsoft to both develop and market the MOS certifications, which measure the real-world tasks professionals need to perform when using Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Microsoft Outlook. The certification exams are created in collaboration with psychometricians, helping ensure that every assessment is valid, reliable, and fair. Most notably, they have been created using Live-in-the-Application testing, where candidates complete tasks directly within the Office suite, demonstrating true proficiency in the tools they’ll use every day.
Through this approach and with the backing of Microsoft, these have become the leading certification exams used to validate Office skills. To date, millions of people from around the world have used MOS certifications to validate and show their skills. For some, a certification wasn’t enough — they wanted to show the world the power of those credentials.
To give students a chance to demonstrate their productivity prowess on the world stage, we launched the first Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship back in 2002. Students who had earned their MOS certification came to represent their countries and showcase their abilities in a real-world scenario.
In 2025, nearly 200 students, all fluent in Microsoft Office, came ready to showcase their talents in a global competition. And the results were amazing. Get a peek behind the scenes at the most recent MOS World Championship here.
Why get certified?
It’s been decades since the launch of the MOS certification program. And the impact on people’s lives continues to amaze us.
In Mexico, Juan Manuel Suárez has used his certifications to land his job as a Machine Learning Engineer. “Having these certifications opened a lot of doors in the professional areas of my life,” he said. “A resume with certifications, like mine, shows that you have relevant knowledge and that you’re willing to learn and challenge yourself.”
Ashley Masters, from the United States, first earned her MOS Excel certification while she was in high school. She was able to use her certification to get a full-time internship at 15, and eventually a job as a Business Program Manager with the Worldwide Learning team at Microsoft.
“For me, certification not only gave my resume a boost, but it also gave me more confidence,” said Ashley. “With these skills and certifications, I was confident that I could submit excellent work to my teachers, professors, and to my boss.”
But Juan and Ashley aren’t the only students whose lives have changed because of MOS certification. Students in and professionals in the have shared how transformational their certification experiences have been.
These stories echo around the globe. In fact, the new shows just how impactful this certification is in every world region. It follows students from six different countries as they put their skills to the ultimate test in what is considered the most difficult MOS World Championship category. A heartwarming tale of formulas and friendship, this documentary reveals the far-reaching influence of spreadsheets in today’s world and the power of certification and the young people who earn them. Learn more about the documentary .
The future of Excel certification
The MOS certification wouldn’t be nearly as impactful if it didn’t evolve with changes in industry and technology. Excel as an application has evolved since its inception. People in 2025 don’t use it the same way they did in 1985. So if the tool’s evolving, the certification should as well.
To make sure we’re keeping up with changes in the workforce, we’re introducing new Microsoft Office Specialist certification exams: the Microsoft Office Specialist: Excel for Business Finance Associate and Microsoft Office Specialist: Excel for Accounting Associate certification exams. These new Microsoft Office 356 Apps certifications bridge the gap between technical know-how and financial fluency, validating the proficiency needed to drive real-world results in accounting and finance professions. They also help people:
- Advance in their career by speaking the employer’s language and offering credibility from Microsoft.
- Demonstrate role-specific expertise, proving practical, hands-on expertise.
- Future-proof their skills, allowing them to work confidently with cutting-edge tools like Microsoft Copilot and lead in the data-driven world.
Learn more about these new certification programs here. You can also dive into all things Microsoft Office Specialist here.