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Manish Narayan

Transform Microsoft Excel into a Spreadsheet Engineering environment.

Are you a student or professional in the field of engineering, finance, management, or science and have not been able to utilize Excel to its fullest potential to setup, model and solve real-world problems? Don't worry as

Microsoft Excel is everywhere, at your home, university campus, or even at the workplace, but most users only utilize the basic functionality, rely on unstructured worksheets, and forget about the powerful tools that Excel is built upon.

Read more

Transform Microsoft Excel into a Spreadsheet Engineering environment.

Are you a student or professional in the field of engineering, finance, management, or science and have not been able to utilize Excel to its fullest potential to setup, model and solve real-world problems? Don't worry as

Microsoft Excel is everywhere, at your home, university campus, or even at the workplace, but most users only utilize the basic functionality, rely on unstructured worksheets, and forget about the powerful tools that Excel is built upon.

In my course, I will teach you how to transform Excel into a spreadsheet engineering environment making use of structured worksheet designs, Visual Basic for Applications ("VBA"), complex spreadsheet function combinations, and best practices that will not only make your life easier when dealing with information/data but allow you to tackle those real-world problems whether at home, school, or in the professional field.

Take this course and show the world your transition from Excel User to Excel Engineer.

Enroll now

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Transform excel into an engineering tool that will help solve real world problems in various industries
  • Gain knowledge in excel and visual basic for applications (vba)
  • Create structured spreadsheet designs
  • Develop vba functions and sub procedures
  • Expand the role of spreadsheets to improve processes
  • Utilize excel engineering for optimization and uncertainty analysis
  • Introduce userforms and user controls for overall project control

Syllabus

Create your first Excel Spreadsheet Engineered Workbook
Introductory Project (Beginner): BudgetTracker
Introductory Project (Intermediate): Oscilloscope
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Introduction to Excel Engineering
Excel Engineering Structure
Building Formulas
Autofill Capabilities
Relative & Absolute Cell References
Custom Variable Names
Internal Function Library
Spreadsheet Logic Capabilities
Spreadsheet Auditing Capabilities
Excel Shortcuts
Excel Engineering Data and Analysis
Manual Text Import and Export
External Data Sources
Datatables
Auto Filter
Range Structure
Range Count
Match Function
Index and Match
Analyzing Data
Charting
Structured Spreadsheets
Structured vs Unstructured Spreadsheets
Basic Input-Output Field Structure
Advanced Structured Spreadsheet
System and Subsystem Worksheet Structure
Style Collections
Input Assistance and Validation
Visual Basic for Applications (VBA)
What is VBA? Where is VBA?
The VBA Interface
Modules
Function Procedures
Sub Procedures
Debugging
Automation
Excel Engineering Optimization
Goal Seek
Solver
Example: Minimize Cost

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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 Microsoft Excel Engineering (Part 1) with these activities:
Review Excel Fundamentals
Solidify your understanding of basic Excel functions and features. This will provide a strong foundation for the more advanced engineering concepts covered in the course.
Browse courses on Excel Basics
Show steps
  • Review basic formulas and functions (SUM, AVERAGE, etc.).
  • Practice using cell references and formatting tools.
  • Familiarize yourself with common Excel shortcuts.
Read 'Excel Formulas and Functions'
Deepen your understanding of Excel formulas and functions. This book will serve as a valuable reference for solving complex engineering problems in Excel.
Show steps
  • Read chapters related to formulas and functions used in engineering.
  • Practice using the formulas and functions with sample data.
  • Refer to the book when encountering difficulties with formulas.
Complete Excel VBA Tutorials
Enhance your VBA skills through online tutorials. This will help you better understand the VBA concepts taught in the course and apply them to engineering problems.
Show steps
  • Find online tutorials focusing on Excel VBA for automation.
  • Follow the tutorials and practice writing VBA code.
  • Experiment with different VBA commands and functions.
Three other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all six activities
Review 'VBA for Modelers: Developing Decision Support Systems'
Explore how VBA can be used to create decision support systems. This book will provide you with practical examples and techniques for developing models that can be used to solve real-world problems.
Show steps
  • Read chapters related to building decision support systems.
  • Study the examples and try to replicate them in Excel.
  • Adapt the techniques to your own engineering problems.
Develop a Simple Engineering Spreadsheet
Apply the concepts learned in the course by building a spreadsheet for a specific engineering problem. This will reinforce your understanding of structured spreadsheet design and VBA programming.
Show steps
  • Choose a simple engineering problem to model in Excel.
  • Design a structured spreadsheet layout with input and output fields.
  • Implement VBA code to automate calculations and data analysis.
  • Test and debug your spreadsheet to ensure accuracy.
Create a VBA Macro Library
Build a collection of reusable VBA macros for common engineering tasks. This will improve your VBA programming skills and create a valuable resource for future projects.
Show steps
  • Identify common engineering tasks that can be automated with VBA.
  • Write VBA macros for each task and document the code.
  • Organize the macros into a library for easy access and reuse.
  • Test the macros thoroughly to ensure they function correctly.

Career center

Learners who complete Microsoft Excel Engineering (Part 1) will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Financial Analyst
The role of a Financial Analyst requires the evaluation of past and current financial data to identify trends and make predictions about a company's financial performance. This course helps build a foundation to transform Microsoft Excel into a spreadsheet engineering environment. Mastering structured worksheet designs can organize and audit financial data. By understanding Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), financial analysts can automate repetitive tasks and create custom financial models. Gaining proficiency with Excel's optimization tools such as goal seek and solver will allow financial analysts to perform sensitivity analysis and scenario planning.
Data Analyst
A Data Analyst interprets data and turns it into information which can offer ways to improve a business, thus affecting business decisions. Data analysts gather information from various sources and interpret patterns and trends, using their understanding of data analysis and reporting. This course transforms Microsoft Excel into a spreadsheet engineering environment, which may be useful for data analysis practices. The course curriculum, including data tables and automation, can help data analysts improve their data handling and analysis skills. Structured design principles also help one to organize data systematically.
Management Consultant
A Management Consultant helps organizations improve their performance by analyzing existing problems and developing plans for improvement. They often work with large datasets to identify inefficiencies and opportunities. This course's focus on transforming Microsoft Excel into a powerful tool is therefore relevant. The ability to create structured spreadsheet designs can help consultants organize complex data sets to derive insights. Learning VBA can automate data manipulation and develop custom solutions to address specific client needs. The course's emphasis on optimization and uncertainty analysis prepares the consultant for real world problem solving.
Research Scientist
A Research Scientist plans and conducts experiments and analyzes data to investigate a wide range of scientific phenomena. The scientist then presents these results in reports and publications. For a research scientist, this course's ability to transform Excel into a robust tool for handling and analyzing data is valuable. Structured spreadsheet designs can aid in organizing experimental data. VBA, along with function combinations, may be used to automate data processing and analysis. Further, the scientist may use the skills gained in Excel engineering for optimization and uncertainty analysis, increasing confidence in research outcomes.
Process Engineer
Process Engineers develop, implement, and optimize industrial processes. They often use data analysis and modeling to improve efficiency and reduce costs. This course may be useful for process engineers, as it transforms Microsoft Excel into a spreadsheet engineering environment. Skills in structured spreadsheet design, VBA, and optimization can be directly applied to process modeling and analysis. Especially relevant is solving under uncertainty, which is common in process engineering. The course emphasizes improving processes by expanding the role of spreadsheets, which aligns with the process engineer's core responsibilities.
Project Manager
A Project Manager is responsible for planning, executing, and closing projects. They often use spreadsheets to track progress, manage budgets, and allocate resources. To excel in this role, project managers may utilize this course to transform Microsoft Excel into an engineering environment. Skills in structured spreadsheet design can improve project tracking and reporting. VBA allows project managers to automate tasks and create custom project management tools. UserForms and User Controls can enhance overall project control, providing a centralized interface for project management tasks.
Quantitative Analyst
Quantitative Analysts, or Quants, use mathematical and statistical methods to solve financial and risk management problems. This course, by transforming Microsoft Excel into a spreadsheet engineering environment, may be useful for quantitative analysts. Mastering VBA allows them to develop complex financial models and automate calculations. Skills in optimization and uncertainty analysis are essential for risk management and portfolio optimization. The range of content, from structured worksheets to function combinations, may provide quants with tools to improve their analysis and modeling capabilities.
Business Intelligence Analyst
A Business Intelligence Analyst examines an organization's data to identify trends and provide actionable insights to improve decision making. As such, this course may give business intelligence analysts the skills to transform Microsoft Excel into a powerful tool for data analysis and reporting. The structured spreadsheet designs taught can improve data organization and presentation. VBA may be used to automate data extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL) processes. The data and analysis techniques taught in the course may help business intelligence analysts generate reports and dashboards.
Supply Chain Analyst
Supply Chain Analysts are responsible for analyzing and improving an organization's supply chain operations. They use data to identify bottlenecks, optimize inventory levels, and reduce costs. This course may provide supply chain analysts with the skills to transform Microsoft Excel into a spreadsheet engineering environment. Structured spreadsheet designs can help manage and analyze complex supply chain data. VBA allows analysts to develop custom models for inventory management and logistics optimization. Excel engineering for optimization can enable analysts to perform what if analysis and identify opportunities for improvement.
Market Research Analyst
Market Research Analysts study market conditions to examine potential sales of a product or service. They help companies understand what products people want, who will buy them, and at what price. As a market research analyst, one can utilize this course to transform Microsoft Excel into a tool for data analysis. Skills in data handling and analysis can be directly applied to market research data. The analyst can use VBA to automate data cleaning and manipulation. Also, knowledge of charting and data representation makes a good market research analyst.
Actuary
Actuaries assess and manage financial risks. They use statistical modeling and data analysis to predict future events and their financial impact. This course transforms Microsoft Excel into a spreadsheet engineering environment, which may be useful for actuaries. VBA skills allow them to develop custom models for risk assessment. The focus on Excel engineering for optimization and uncertainty analysis prepares them for real world problem solving. Understanding of the material may augment an actuary's ability to perform complex calculations and data analysis.
Statistician
Statisticians collect, analyze, and interpret numerical data to identify trends and relationships. A master's degree or Ph.D. is typically required. While this course does not cover advanced statistical methods, it does transform Microsoft Excel into a spreadsheet engineering environment. Skills in data handling and organization may be useful for managing and preparing data for statistical analysis. VBA can automate data manipulation and cleaning tasks. The course's emphasis on data analysis techniques makes it useful for statisticians to analyze data.
Database Administrator
Database Administrators are responsible for managing and maintaining databases. While this course does not directly cover database administration, it does transform Microsoft Excel into a spreadsheet engineering environment. Skills in data handling and organization can be useful for managing data within spreadsheets. VBA allows database administrators to automate tasks and create custom tools for data management. Understanding how to manipulate data in Excel can supplement their broader database management skills.
Software Developer
Software Developers design, develop, and test software applications. While this course does not directly teach software development, it does transform Microsoft Excel into a spreadsheet engineering environment. Skills in VBA may be useful for automating tasks within Excel and creating custom solutions. Understanding the logic and structure of spreadsheets can provide a foundation for understanding data structures in software development. Those who wish to pursue software development may find a course of this nature useful.
Technical Writer
Technical Writers create documentation for technical products and services. While this course does not directly teach technical writing, it does transform Microsoft Excel into a spreadsheet engineering environment. Skills in structured spreadsheet design can be useful for creating clear and organized documentation for Excel based tools and applications. Understanding VBA concepts enables technical writers to document code and functionality. The ability to communicate complex information clearly and concisely, while not explicitly taught in the course, is useful for both roles.

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Microsoft Excel Engineering (Part 1).
Provides a comprehensive guide to Excel formulas and functions. It covers a wide range of topics, from basic arithmetic operations to advanced statistical analysis. It useful reference tool for understanding and applying Excel formulas in engineering applications. This book adds more depth to the existing course.
Focuses on using VBA to build decision support systems in Excel. It provides practical examples and techniques for developing models that can be used to solve real-world problems. It is more valuable as additional reading than it is as a current reference. This book is commonly used as a textbook at academic institutions.

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