Excel for Beginners from Udemy

You’ll learn the essentials of Excel in just 2 hours.

Having worked at Microsoft and on Excel, we focus on the core functionality that most people use to make you productive as quickly as possible vs. digging into every single feature available. This way, you’ll have a strong foundation to start getting insights from your data.

Build a strong foundation

We start with the absolute basics. When you first open Excel, it may appear somewhat intimidating with so many different buttons and controls. It may even feel like the cockpit of a jet plane. To demystify Excel, we begin by walking through the interface and covering how you can easily get back to the controls that you use most often.

Next, we delve into how you can enter data efficiently and format it so that it looks good. We then save the workbook in a way that lets us collaborate with others in real time and gives us access to something called version history so you can easily jump back to earlier versions.

Formulas and functions made easy

Once we save our workbook, you’ll learn all about formulas and functions to help you answer those critical business questions. Here too we cover the basics, like how to use the status bar for simple metrics, how to enter a formula by referencing cells, and how to reference cells relatively, absolutely, or with naming.

From there, we move on to some of the most used Excel functions, like You’ll understand how functions work and how to make sense of other functions not covered in this course, as there are over 500 functions in Excel.

Visualize your data with charts

We then launch into how to visualize your data using charts and conditional formatting. Charts make it easy to see trends and anomalies in your data that you might otherwise miss by just looking at your data.

Explore your data with sorting, filtering, and pivot tables

Sorting and filtering come next, which lets you manipulate how to view your data. You’ll also discover how pivot tables work and how you can analyze data simply by dragging and dropping fields. With the magic of pivot tables, you don’t even need to enter in formulas or functions to quickly summarize your data.

Focus on just what matters

Throughout this course, you’ll learn quick shortcuts to make you more efficient, like how you can flash fill to separate or merge columns, how to split panes to view far away rows at the same time, and even how to print just what you need.

By the end of this course, you'll gain a strong foundation in Excel & you’ll be well on your way to understanding the story behind your data. Join me, your host, to master the essentials of Excel.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Learn the essentials of excel in only 2 hours so you can turn your data into insights.
Master the most common formulas and functions, like sum, max, min, count, average, vlookup, and xlookup.
Visualize your data using conditional formatting and charts.

Generate pivot tables by simply dragging and dropping to quickly understand the story behind your data.
Share your spreadsheet with others and edit in real time.

Learn the essentials of excel in only 2 hours so you can turn your data into insights.
Master the most common formulas and functions, like sum, max, min, count, average, vlookup, and xlookup.
Visualize your data using conditional formatting and charts.
Generate pivot tables by simply dragging and dropping to quickly understand the story behind your data.
Share your spreadsheet with others and edit in real time.

Syllabus

Introduction

Welcome to Excel for Beginners

What is Excel?

How to get Excel

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Covers essential functions like SUM, MAX, MIN, COUNT, and AVERAGE, which are fundamental for data analysis and reporting

Explores pivot tables, enabling users to summarize and analyze data without needing to write complex formulas or functions

Teaches users how to share spreadsheets and collaborate in real time, which is essential for teamwork and project management

Introduces both VLOOKUP and XLOOKUP, which are powerful functions for retrieving data from large datasets

Includes conditional formatting and charting, which are useful for visualizing data and identifying trends

Uses Excel, which requires learners to have access to a license or subscription to Microsoft 365 to fully utilize the software

Reviews summary

Excel essentials for rapid understanding

According to learners, this course offers a solid introduction to Excel essentials, focusing on the core functionalities needed for quick productivity. Students found the explanations clear and concise, making complex topics like formulas, functions (including VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP), and pivot tables accessible even for absolute beginners. The course's 2-hour format was frequently highlighted as a benefit for those seeking a time-efficient way to gain foundational skills. Some reviewers noted a desire for more hands-on practice or examples, suggesting that while the concepts are well-covered, applying them might require additional self-study or practice outside the course. Overall, it is described as a great starting point, though some felt it could be too basic for anyone beyond a complete novice.

Explains key functions like VLOOKUP and XLOOKUP clearly.

"The section on formulas, especially VLOOKUP and XLOOKUP, was very well explained."

"Finally grasped how to use relative and absolute references. The examples were helpful."

"Covers the basic functions like SUM, AVERAGE, etc., which are crucial for daily tasks."

"Found the explanation of functions easy to follow, even though I've struggled with them before."

Highly recommended for those starting from scratch with Excel.

"This course is exactly what an absolute beginner needs to get comfortable with Excel."

"If you've never used Excel before, start here. It breaks down everything in a simple way."

"As someone completely new to spreadsheets, I found this course incredibly helpful and not intimidating."

"It's perfect if you are starting from zero. Don't expect advanced techniques."

Ideal for learners seeking a quick, focused introduction.

"Perfect length for someone who needs to learn the basics quickly without getting overwhelmed."

"I appreciated the 2-hour format. It got straight to the point and didn't waste time."

"Very efficient course that teaches you the most important things you need to know in Excel right away."

Provides a clear and concise introduction to essential Excel features.

"The course is great for beginners; it covers all the essential functions and features you need to get started."

"I had zero prior experience with Excel, and this course made the interface and basic operations very understandable."

"Really good overview of the main parts of Excel - formulas, formatting, and navigating sheets."

"I finally understand how pivot tables work thanks to the clear explanation."

Not suitable for learners with intermediate or advanced Excel knowledge.

"As someone with some prior Excel knowledge, this course was too basic and didn't offer much new information."

"If you know how to use formulas or pivot tables already, you might find this redundant."

"Definitely only for beginners. Experienced users should look elsewhere."

"I was hoping for slightly more depth, but it sticks strictly to the very basics as advertised."

Some learners desired more hands-on exercises or examples.

"While the explanations are good, I wish there were more practice exercises to solidify the concepts."

"Could use a few more real-world examples or case studies to apply the learned skills."

"The course is conceptual but lacks sufficient practical application beyond the demos shown."

"I needed to find additional exercises online to feel comfortable using the functions myself."

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 for Beginners with these activities:

Review Basic Math Concepts

Show steps

Reinforce your understanding of basic mathematical operations, which are essential for using formulas and functions effectively in Excel.

Browse courses on Order of Operations

Show steps

Review order of operations (PEMDAS/BODMAS).
Practice basic arithmetic problems.

Review 'Excel 2019 Bible'

Show steps

Supplement your learning with a comprehensive guide to Excel, providing in-depth explanations and examples of various features and functions.

View Putting Knowledge to Work on Amazon

Show steps

Read the chapters relevant to the course syllabus.
Practice the examples provided in the book.
Refer to the book for clarification on specific topics.

Practice Entering and Formatting Data

Show steps

Improve your speed and accuracy in entering and formatting data in Excel, a fundamental skill for efficient spreadsheet creation.

Show steps

Create a sample dataset with various data types (numbers, dates, text).
Practice formatting cells with different styles (currency, percentage, date formats).
Use shortcuts for common formatting tasks.

Four other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all seven activities

Document Excel Shortcuts

Show steps

Create a cheat sheet or guide to commonly used Excel shortcuts to improve efficiency and speed in using the software.

Show steps

Research and compile a list of useful Excel shortcuts.
Organize the shortcuts by category (e.g., formatting, navigation).
Create a visually appealing and easy-to-use guide.

Create a Personal Budget Spreadsheet

Show steps

Apply your Excel skills to create a practical personal budget spreadsheet, reinforcing your understanding of formulas, functions, and data visualization.

Show steps

Gather your income and expense data.
Design the spreadsheet layout with appropriate columns and rows.
Implement formulas to calculate totals and balances.
Create charts to visualize your spending patterns.

Explore Advanced Excel Functions

Show steps

Deepen your understanding of Excel by exploring more advanced functions beyond the basics covered in the course, such as INDEX, MATCH, and OFFSET.

Show steps

Find tutorials on specific Excel functions (e.g., INDEX, MATCH).
Follow the tutorials and apply the functions to your own datasets.
Experiment with different function combinations.

Review 'Microsoft Excel Data Analysis and Business Modeling'

Show steps

Expand your knowledge of data analysis and business modeling using Excel, learning advanced techniques for extracting insights from data.

View Microsoft Excel Data Analysis and Business... on Amazon

Show steps

Read the chapters on data analysis and business modeling.
Work through the examples and exercises in the book.
Apply the techniques to your own datasets.

Career center

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

Data Analyst

A Data Analyst uses software to organize data that can then be used to inform business decisions. This course helps a Data Analyst learn the fundamentals of Excel including how to use formulas, functions, and pivot tables, all of which are commonly used in the role to analyze data and understand the story it tells. This course specifically covers how to use Excel to visualize data using charts, a valuable skill for any data analyst. A prospective Data Analyst should take this course because it provides a strong foundation in how to use Excel, a tool that is frequently used across the field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Analyst

Business Analyst

A Business Analyst is responsible for analyzing financial data, market trends, and business performance. This Excel course is helpful to a Business Analyst as it helps them get up to speed on using Excel’s tools for data manipulation and analysis. The course teaches how to use formulas and functions for calculations and how to use conditional formatting and charts to visualize data. The course also covers how to use pivot tables. A business analyst will also need to know how to share files with collaborators, which is covered in this course. Someone who plans to be a business analyst may find this course to be essential in their work.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Financial Analyst

Financial Analysts need a robust understanding of data management to be successful. This course helps a Financial Analyst learn the fundamentals of Excel, covering important topics that are frequently used in the role. The course teaches how to use formulas and functions for calculations, and how to use conditional formatting and charts to visualize data. It also covers how to use pivot tables. With a strong foundation in Excel, a Financial Analyst can better understand financial data. The skills taught in this course are highly relevant to the daily work of a successful financial analyst.

See salaries and explore the career path for Financial Analyst

Market Research Analyst

Market Research Analysts use data to understand consumer behavior and market trends. This course helps a Market Research Analyst learn the basics of how to use Excel, including how to use formulas and functions to analyze data, and how to visualize data using charts and conditional formatting. This course covers sorting and filtering data and how to create pivot tables, all of which are used to organize and understand data. Market Research Analysts often need to communicate their findings, and this course helps them collaborate through cloud saving and sharing. This course may help those who want to better understand how to use Excel in their daily market research.

See salaries and explore the career path for Market Research Analyst

Project Coordinator

The role of a Project Coordinator often involves maintaining and analyzing project data. This course can help a Project Coordinator learn how to effectively use Excel to manage project timelines and budgets. This Excel course teaches how to enter data efficiently, use formulas and functions, and visualize data using charts. The course helps those in this role learn to sort and filter data, generate pivot tables, and collaborate with others using cloud sharing. For a Project Coordinator who needs to organize and analyze project information, this course may help them better utilize Excel's tools to effectively manage projects.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Coordinator

Operations Analyst

Operations Analysts monitor and improve business processes, and often use data to drive their decisions. This course helps an Operations Analyst become more proficient in Excel, enabling them to better utilize spreadsheets for data analysis and reporting. The course teaches how to use formulas and functions for calculations, how to visualize data using charts and conditional formatting, and how to use pivot tables to summarize data. These skills are all core to the daily activities of an Operations Analyst. This course may be useful for an operations analyst looking to improve their Excel skills.

See salaries and explore the career path for Operations Analyst

Management Consultant

Management Consultants analyze business issues and provide solutions. This course helps a Management Consultant become more proficient in Excel, a valuable tool for data analysis and modeling. The course lays a foundation in how to enter and format data, use formulas and functions, visualize data using charts, and use pivot tables to summarize data. It also covers how to share workbooks, which helps facilitate collaboration among team members. For a Management Consultant who needs to analyze data, this course may provide a valuable introduction to Excel.

See salaries and explore the career path for Management Consultant

Accountant

Accountants use Excel to manage and analyze financial data. This course helps an Accountant learn the fundamentals of Excel, including how to enter data, use formulas and functions, create visualizations with charts, and use pivot tables. Excel is frequently used in accounting to organize and analyze financial information and to help perform tasks with speed and accuracy. With the skills taught in the course, an Accountant can more quickly analyze data and generate reports. This course may be a powerful tool for any accountant.

See salaries and explore the career path for Accountant

Administrative Assistant

An Administrative Assistant is often responsible for tasks that involve data management, and this course can help an Administrative Assistant get up to speed with how to use Excel's tools. The course teaches the basics of how to use formulas and functions, how to work with charts and conditional formatting, and how to use pivot tables. This course also teaches how to share files for collaboration. An Administrative Assistant who wants to be more effective and productive in their role may gain valuable skills from this course.

See salaries and explore the career path for Administrative Assistant

Research Assistant

Research Assistants often need to organize and analyze large sets of data. This course helps a Research Assistant learn the essentials of Excel. The course covers how to use formulas and functions, visualize data with charts, and use pivot tables to perform data analysis. The skills taught in this course can help the Research Assistant manage and interpret data more efficiently. For a Research Assistant seeking to improve their data handling skills, this course may be a useful tool.

See salaries and explore the career path for Research Assistant

Project Manager

Project Managers often need to use data to track project progress and budgets. This course helps a Project Manager build a foundation in Excel. The course covers how to use formulas and functions, how to visualize data using charts, and how to generate pivot tables to analyze project data. The course also shows how to share workbooks for effective collaboration. A Project Manager seeking to better use the tools available in Excel may find this course to be a valuable resource.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Sales Associate

Sales Associates frequently use data to track sales performance and manage customer information. This course helps a Sales Associate learn the fundamental skills to track and analyze sales data using Excel. The course helps build a foundational understanding of how to input data, use formulas and functions for calculations, and how to use charts and conditional formatting for data visualization. Skills in these areas may help a Sales Associate better track sales and identify trends, and this course may be a good starting point.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sales Associate

Human Resources Specialist

Human Resources Specialists often need to manage employee data and generate reports. This course may help a Human Resources Specialist become more efficient at their job, by teaching them how to organize and analyze data in Excel. The course teaches them how to input data, use formulas and functions to analyze information, and use charts to visualize data. This course may be useful for those looking to have a foundational understanding of how to use Excel to process HR data.

See salaries and explore the career path for Human Resources Specialist

Teacher

Teachers may use Excel to manage student grades and track performance data. This course may be useful for a Teacher to learn the basics of how to use Excel to organize and analyze data. The course provides a foundational understanding of how to enter data, use formulas and functions, and visualize data using charts and conditional formatting. Teachers who want to learn how to use Excel to facilitate their work may find this course to be a useful beginning.

See salaries and explore the career path for Teacher

Recruiter

Recruiters use data to manage candidate information and track hiring metrics. This course may be beneficial to a Recruiter as it provides an introduction to using Excel for data analysis. The course covers how to enter data, use formulas and functions, and interpret data using charts. An introductory course like this one may help a recruiter better utilize Excel for recruiting needs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Recruiter

Excel for Beginners

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

Traffic lights

Save this course

Reviews summary

Excel essentials for rapid understanding

Activities

Career center

Reading list

Share

Similar courses