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Excel

Fundamentals and tools

Jaime Busquets and Víctor Braquehais Acero

This is an introductory course in which we will learn to work with Excel, the spreadsheet component of Microsoft's office suite, MS-Office.

This program allows us to perform all kinds of operations with data, being able to classify and handle large amounts of them; it incorporates a large number of functions and has great qualities to represent the results graphically.

We will start from 0 and explore the most used functionalities, such as formats, presentation of results, graphics, functions and data tables.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • How to start working with excel and perform basic operations.
  • How to handle excel formats and how to present results
  • How to use excel charts
  • What families of functions are available in excel
  • How to handle data tables

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Builds a strong foundation for beginners
Develops professional skills
Strengthens an existing foundation for intermediate learners
Covers core skills for data science
Teaches skills, knowledge, and/or tools that are highly relevant in an academic setting
Provides hands-on labs and interactive materials

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Reviews summary

Clear introduction to excel fundamentals

According to learners, this course is an excellent for true beginners, providing a solid foundation in essential Excel functionalities. Students consistently praise the instructor's ability to explain concepts clearly and at an easy-to-follow pace, making complex ideas digestible. The step-by-step demonstrations and practical exercises are highlighted as particularly effective, leading to an immediate and confident application of skills. While many find it a lifesaver for novices, a few experienced users note it might be a bit too basic or too slow and repetitive if you already have some Excel familiarity. Overall, it's highly recommended for those starting from scratch to master formats, functions, charts, and data tables.
Hands-on activities and examples reinforce learning.
"I particularly appreciated the step-by-step demonstrations and the practice exercises."
"The practical examples made learning enjoyable and immediately applicable."
"The hands-on practice really reinforced the concepts. No complaints whatsoever."
The instructor presents material with exceptional clarity.
"The instructor explains concepts clearly and at a pace that is easy to follow."
"The instructor's clear voice and detailed explanations made all the difference."
"The instructor breaks down complex ideas into simple, digestible pieces."
This course is highly effective for absolute beginners.
"This course is excellent for true beginners! I had zero Excel experience before and now feel confident..."
"Absolutely fantastic! The course took me from being completely lost in Excel to understanding core functionalities."
"As a complete novice, this course was a lifesaver. I can now confidently manage spreadsheets for budgeting."
May be too slow or basic for those with prior experience.
"For anyone with even a little prior knowledge, it might feel too slow and repetitive."
"Found this course quite basic. I already knew most of what was taught here from self-learning."
"While it does cover fundamentals, it's really for someone who has never opened Excel."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Excel: Fundamentals and tools with these activities:
Review Spreadsheet Basics
Brush up on the basics of spreadsheets to ensure a solid foundation for this course.
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Show steps
  • Revisit basic spreadsheet terminology and concepts.
  • Experiment with different spreadsheet functions.
Excel Basic Operations Practice
Practice basic Excel operations to solidify foundational understanding.
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Show steps
  • Open Excel and create a new workbook.
  • Enter data into cells and perform basic calculations.
Excel Formatting Tutorial
Learn how to format Excel spreadsheets to improve readability and presentation.
Show steps
  • Watch a tutorial on Excel formatting.
  • Apply formatting options to a sample spreadsheet.
Seven other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all ten activities
Excel Functions Practice
Enhance problem-solving skills by practicing the use of Excel functions.
Browse courses on Excel Functions
Show steps
  • Identify the appropriate function for a given task.
  • Construct formulas using the selected functions.
Excel Charting Tutorial
Gain a deeper understanding of Excel charting capabilities through guided instructions.
Browse courses on Excel Charts
Show steps
  • Follow an online or in-person tutorial on creating and customizing charts in Excel.
  • Apply the techniques learned to create charts for a mock data set.
Excel Formula Practice
Develop proficiency in using Excel formulas through repetitive exercises.
Show steps
  • Complete a series of exercises on common Excel formulas.
  • Create a spreadsheet that utilizes a variety of formulas.
Create Excel Chart Visualization
Demonstrate understanding of Excel charts by creating a visualization from a given dataset.
Browse courses on Excel Charts
Show steps
  • Gather data and import it into Excel.
  • Select the appropriate chart type.
  • Customize the chart to enhance readability.
Excel Q&A Discussion Group
Engage with peers to resolve questions, share knowledge, and enhance understanding.
Show steps
  • Join or create a discussion group focused on Excel.
  • Participate in discussions, ask questions, and provide answers.
Excel Data Table Analysis Report
Develop analytical skills by creating a report based on data manipulation using Excel data tables.
Show steps
  • Create a data table with relevant data.
  • Analyze the data using data table tools.
  • Summarize the findings in a written report.
Excel Data Analysis Project
Apply the skills learned to a practical project, reinforcing understanding and solidifying knowledge.
Show steps
  • Identify an appropriate data set for analysis.
  • Use Excel to clean, organize, and analyze the data.
  • Create visualizations and present findings based on the analysis.

Career center

Learners who complete Excel: Fundamentals and tools will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Reading list

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Course image
Effort
3 to 4 hours per week for 8 weeks
Level
Introductory
Via
edX
Institution
Universitat Politècnica de València
Instructors
Jaime Busquets
Víctor Braquehais Acero
Language
English
Transcript
English
Traffic lights
Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Builds a strong foundation for beginners
Develops professional skills
Strengthens an existing foundation for intermediate learners
Covers core skills for data science
Teaches skills, knowledge, and/or tools that are highly relevant in an academic setting
Provides hands-on labs and interactive materials
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