Excel: Importing and analyzing data from edX

In this data analysis and interpretation course we will introduce you to advanced data import techniques and various strategies to consolidate and prepare the data once imported so that you can draw the conclusions you need (based on our experience in the use of Microsoft Excel and demonstrated with real cases).

We will also introduce you to the new data modeling and advanced importing tools and techniques incorporated from Excel 2010 that allow you to work much more comfortably with large volumes of data spread over several tables and automate the import so you don't have to repeat the steps every time you update the data.

We will also see the different options available when setting up pivot tables and charts in Excel to make them as versatile as possible and allow us to analyze different scenarios easily.

These data analysis tools and techniques will allow you to implement Business Intelligence in the different projects of an organization.

What's inside

Learning objectives

How to do data preprocessing with advanced text editors to eliminate import problems
How to use the powerquery data import tools in excel included in the latest versions to automate the data ingestion process.
How to use various functions and strategies to group and consolidate data in a way that gives us the information we need for business intelligence purposes

How to use the powerpivot functions and the data model included in the new versions of excel to easily work with data from multiple tables with millions of records, such as those used in big data
How to use slicers and other advanced pivot table and pivot chart functions in excel

How to do data preprocessing with advanced text editors to eliminate import problems
How to use the powerquery data import tools in excel included in the latest versions to automate the data ingestion process.
How to use various functions and strategies to group and consolidate data in a way that gives us the information we need for business intelligence purposes
How to use the powerpivot functions and the data model included in the new versions of excel to easily work with data from multiple tables with millions of records, such as those used in big data
How to use slicers and other advanced pivot table and pivot chart functions in excel

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Teaches Power Query and Power Pivot, which are essential tools for business intelligence and working with large datasets

Explores advanced pivot table and chart functions, enabling users to analyze different scenarios with ease

Covers data preprocessing techniques using advanced text editors, which helps to eliminate common import problems

Focuses on data modeling and importing tools introduced in Excel 2010 and later, which may not be applicable to users with older versions

Develops skills in grouping and consolidating data for business intelligence, which is useful for extracting actionable insights

Reviews summary

Advanced excel data handling

According to learners (based on course content), this course is designed to equip students with advanced skills in handling data using Excel, particularly focusing on large volumes and automation. Students anticipate learning how to effectively use Power Query and Power Pivot to import and consolidate data from multiple sources, significantly reducing manual effort. The curriculum includes practical applications like creating pivot tables and charts with slicers for Business Intelligence. While offering powerful tools for professionals, the topics are advanced and may benefit from prior foundational Excel knowledge.

Provides skills for business intelligence.

"Learning to use pivot tables and charts for business intelligence is exactly what I need for reporting."

"The course covers advanced pivot table features like slicers, which will enhance my analysis."

"I hope to apply these data analysis techniques immediately to my projects."

Focuses on key Excel tools for data.

"I expect to learn Power Query and Power Pivot to work with large datasets effectively."

"The promise of automating data import using Power Query is a major attraction."

"Handling data from multiple tables with Power Pivot sounds incredibly useful for my work."

Content can be complex for beginners.

"Topics like data modeling and working with millions of records sound challenging; I anticipate needing to focus."

"I assume a certain level of prior Excel proficiency is necessary for this course."

"Power Query and Power Pivot have a learning curve, so I hope the explanations are thorough."

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: Importing and analyzing data with these activities:

Review Excel Fundamentals

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Refresh your understanding of basic Excel functions and formulas to prepare for the advanced data import and analysis techniques covered in the course.

Browse courses on Excel Formulas

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Review basic Excel functions like SUM, AVERAGE, and COUNT.
Practice creating simple formulas and using cell references.
Familiarize yourself with Excel's interface and basic navigation.

Read 'Excel Data Analysis For Dummies'

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Supplement your learning with a comprehensive guide to data analysis in Excel, covering fundamental concepts and techniques.

View Putting Knowledge to Work on Amazon

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Read the chapters on data cleaning and preparation.
Study the sections on pivot tables and data visualization.
Practice the examples provided in the book.

Follow Power Query Tutorials

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Enhance your skills in data import and transformation by following online tutorials specifically focused on Power Query in Excel.

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Search for tutorials on using Power Query to import data from various sources.
Practice transforming data using Power Query's features.
Experiment with different data cleaning and shaping techniques.

Four other activities

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Read 'M Is for Data Monkey'

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Deepen your understanding of Power Query by studying a dedicated guide to the M language, enabling you to perform advanced data transformations.

View M Is for (Data) Monkey: A Guide to the M... on Amazon

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Read the introductory chapters on the M language.
Work through the examples provided in the book.
Experiment with writing your own M code to transform data.

Analyze Public Datasets

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Apply your newly acquired skills by importing and analyzing publicly available datasets using Excel's data analysis tools.

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Find a public dataset relevant to your interests.
Import the data into Excel using Power Query or other methods.
Clean and transform the data as needed.
Create pivot tables and charts to analyze the data and draw insights.

Build an Interactive Dashboard

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Create an interactive dashboard in Excel to visualize and analyze data, showcasing your ability to use slicers and pivot charts effectively.

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Choose a dataset to use for your dashboard.
Create pivot tables and charts to display key metrics.
Add slicers to filter the data and make the dashboard interactive.
Design the dashboard layout for optimal readability and usability.

Document Data Analysis Workflow

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Solidify your understanding by creating a detailed document outlining your data analysis workflow in Excel, including data import, cleaning, and analysis steps.

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Choose a dataset to analyze.
Document each step of your data import and cleaning process.
Describe the formulas and functions you used for data analysis.
Explain your findings and conclusions based on the data.

Career center

Learners who complete Excel: Importing and analyzing data will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Data Analyst

Data Analysts examine data to find meaningful patterns, and this course helps those who wish to become data analysts. They use statistical methods and reporting tools to derive conclusions from large datasets. A key component of the role is the ability to clean, organize, and prepare data for analysis. This course, with its focus on advanced data import techniques, Power Query and Power Pivot functionality, data manipulation, and pivot tables equips a data analyst with essential skills to handle and make sense of data. The course teaches the use of Excel at a sophisticated level, which allows for more efficient and effective analysis.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Analyst

Business Intelligence Analyst

A Business Intelligence Analyst uses data to identify trends, patterns, and insights that can help organizations make better decisions, and this course may be useful to those looking to enter this field. This role often involves collecting, cleaning, and analyzing large datasets, then presenting the findings through reports and dashboards. The course emphasizes advanced data import techniques, data consolidation, and pivot table functionality, all of which are highly relevant to the daily responsibilities of a Business Intelligence Analyst. The course's focus on using Excel for data modeling, handling large datasets across multiple tables, and automating data import processes directly translates to the analytical work such a professional performs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Intelligence Analyst

Risk Analyst

Risk Analysts evaluate potential risks to a company and develop strategies to minimize their impact. This role requires strong analytical skills and the ability to work with large datasets. This course, with its focus on data import techniques, data consolidation, and scenario analysis using pivot tables and charts, provides the necessary tools for a risk analyst to assess and manage risks effectively. The course emphasizes the use of Excel for complex data analysis, which is valuable for a risk analyst. This will help them to use data to make reliable forecasts for the future.

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Financial Analyst

Financial Analysts analyze financial data to provide insights and recommendations to organizations, and this course may be useful for those who wish to become financial analysts. These professionals examine financial performance, build models, and assist in making investment decisions. They often work with large datasets from multiple sources. The course's focus on data import, consolidation, and data modeling in Excel provides the tools a financial analyst needs to manage and analyze a variety of data. Skills in pivot tables, as taught in the course, help a financial analyst effectively summarize and present findings.

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Operations Analyst

An Operations Analyst looks at organizational efficiency, and the course may help those who wish to enter this field. They often analyze data related to process improvement, cost reduction, and resource optimization. They create reports and present their findings to management for effective decision-making. This course, with its emphasis on data import, data manipulation, and the use of pivot tables for analysis, provides a foundation for an Operations Analyst to handle large datasets and identify areas for optimization. The course equips a prospective analyst with the skills to efficiently gather and analyze relevant data.

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Sales Operations Analyst

A Sales Operations Analyst looks at sales data to identify trends and improve sales processes. This role involves analyzing sales performance, identifying areas for improvement, and creating reports for sales leadership. The course's focus on data import and consolidation techniques, as well as advanced use of pivot tables and charts, helps a sales operations analyst with the collection and interpretation of sales data. The course improves the ability to work with large datasets, including those spread across multiple tables as sales analysts frequently do.

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Healthcare Data Analyst

Healthcare Data Analysts collect and interpret patient data, and this course may be useful for those who wish to become healthcare data analysts. These professionals analyze healthcare data to improve patient outcomes, streamline processes, and reduce healthcare costs. This role requires proficiency in managing and analyzing diverse datasets. The course's emphasis on using advanced Excel features, such as Power Query, Power Pivot, and pivot tables, gives a healthcare data analyst the tools to manage and analyze patient data. The course also makes users effective at using large data volumes.

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Supply Chain Analyst

A Supply Chain Analyst analyzes data related to the movement of goods and materials, and this course may be helpful for those interested in the role. They look for ways to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and optimize the supply chain process. The analyst uses many types of data to identify bottlenecks and improve the flow of products. This course, with its focus on data import, data consolidation, and pivot table analysis, equips a supply chain analyst with essential skills to process and analyze the large datasets typical in this field. The course's emphasis on automating data import processes is relevant to this role.

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Market Research Analyst

This course may be helpful for a Market Research Analyst, who studies market conditions to examine the potential sales of a product or service. This role relies heavily on data analysis and interpretation techniques to understand customer behavior and market segmentation. Market research analysts use data to develop marketing strategies and measure their effectiveness. The course's curriculum on data import using Power Query, data consolidation techniques, and pivot table analysis directly applies to a market research analyst's tasks. The ability to work with large data sets and perform scenario analysis using Excel will help the analyst obtain the insights they need.

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Management Consultant

Management Consultants provide expert advice to organizations, and this course may be useful for those who wish to become a management consultant. They must gather, analyze, and interpret data to provide solutions for improving efficiency and effectiveness. This involves understanding the client's business to provide solutions and deliver recommendations. A course that emphasizes data import, data consolidation, and scenario analysis, using tools like pivot tables, will equip a management consultant with the skills needed to analyze complex data and present insights clearly. The skills that a consultant needs to effectively use Excel for data analysis are improved by this course.

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Project Manager

A Project Manager plans, executes, and closes projects. The Project Manager must track budgets, analyze risks, and manage resources, all of which require data proficiency. While a project manager does not always perform data analysis themselves, they must understand how to use it to make decisions. The course helps a project manager to organize project data using Excel. The project manager can use the methods taught in the course to create dashboards and reports to share with stakeholders. The course provides techniques to automate tasks and to work with large datasets which helps a project manager work more efficiently and make better choices.

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Pricing Analyst

Pricing Analysts research, create, and adjust prices for their company's goods or services, and this course may be useful for those who wish to become pricing analysts. They use data to assess market trends, identify opportunities, and set competitive pricing strategies. This often involves analyzing sales data, competitor pricing, and customer behavior. The course's focus on data import and data modeling, using tools like Power Query and Power Pivot, provides essential skills for a pricing analyst. The ability to perform scenario analysis in Excel is also very helpful for this work.

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Human Resources Analyst

Human Resources Analysts gather and interpret employment related information, and this course may be useful to those who wish to become Human Resources Analysts. They typically analyze employee data, such as performance, turnover, and demographics, to inform HR strategy and improve talent management. With its focus on data import, consolidation, and pivot table functionality, this course gives a human resources analyst practical skills to manage and analyze employee data effectively. The course teaches users to work with data across multiple tables which is typical for HR, and it provides tools to interpret complex datasets related to workforce management.

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Research Associate

Research Associates support research projects by collecting and analyzing data. This role requires strong analytical skills and the ability to work with large datasets. While the role is broad, this course may be useful. A research associate often uses Excel to manage data, perform calculations, and create graphs. The course emphasizes advanced data manipulation and analysis techniques. The skills taught in the course, such as Power Query, Power Pivot, and pivot tables, provide a research associate with the tools to handle large datasets. This is particularly helpful when working with big data sets.

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Database Administrator

Database Administrators maintain and manage databases. They ensure the security, integrity, and availability of data. They are tasked with extracting data, transforming it, and loading it into databases. Although the role does not directly involve business intelligence, the skills in this course will help refine a database administrator's abilities. The course's focus on using Power Query for data import and data modeling can help an administrator understand how to manipulate data, which can make them more effective in optimizing database performance. It also helps them to handle large volumes of data from multiple tables.

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Excel

Importing and analyzing data

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Advanced excel data handling

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