Class Details
Microsoft Excel Course: Level 1
Course summary
This Microsoft Excel short course will help you improve the way you manage and present information, and take the legwork out of calculations and data manipulation. It provides the skills and knowledge necessary to create and manage workbooks, and covers topics including adding data, editing data, working with formulas, managing list data, printing and charting. It is an ideal introductory course before progressing to Microsoft Excel Course: Level 2.
We encourage you to use the CCE Excel level self-assessment tool if you're unsure which course level to enrol in.
Aims
This course aims to provide new Excel users with a foundation knowledge of Excel’s core features such as formulas, formatting, navigation, printing and creating charts.
Learning outcomes
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- navigate your way around Excel
- create and work with a new workbook
- open and navigate within workbooks and worksheets
- understand and work with ranges in a worksheet
- understand, create and work with formulas and functions used to perform calculations
- copy and paste data
- understand and use formula cell referencing
- use font formatting techniques
- align the contents of cells
- format rows and columns in a worksheet
- understand and use the number formatting features
- sort and fliter list data
- print workbook data
- create effective charts.
Content
Getting to know Excel – The Excel screen, Ribbon and Toolbars
- Start Excel
- Understand the Start Screen
- Understand Excel terminology
- Understand and Navigate the Excel Workbook Screen
- Use and Customise the Quick Access Toolbar
- Understand and use the Ribbon
- Understand and use Contextual tabs
- Dialogue Box Launchers
- Live Preview
- Undo and Redo Changes
- Customise the Quick Access toolbar to store favourite buttons
- Use Shortcut menus
- Recognise mouse shapes and their functionality
Your first Workbook
- Create Your First Workbook
- Types of Data
- Enter Data
- Move Data
- Selecting Cells
- Editing Data
- Autocalculate
- Delete versus Clear
- Spellcheck
- Save Your Workbook
Working with workbooks
- Open a Workbook
- Move Between Worksheets
- Save a Workbook
- Close a Workbook
Formulas
- Create Simple Formulas
- View Formulas
- Problems with Formulas
- Delete Formulas
- SUM function
- Copying Formulas
- AVERAGE, COUNT, MIN, MAX Functions
- BODMAS
- Edit Formulas
Absolute References
- Understanding Absolute References
- Types of Absolute References
- Applying Absolute References
Filling Data
- Autofill
- Flash Fill
Formatting
- Formatting Numbers
- Formatting Dates
- Formatting Text
- Cell Alignment
- Borders
- Format Painter
Manage Worksheets
- Adjust Columns and Row Sizes
- Insert and Delete Columns and Rows
- Insert Cells
- Insert Sheets
- Move and Copy Sheets
- Delete Sheets
Manage Lists, Sort and Filter
- List Guidelines
- Sort Lists
- Filter Lists
- Freeze Titles
Printing
- Print Preview
- Page Setup
- Partial Printing
- Orientation, Margins and Scaling
- Manage Larger Printouts
- Page Numbering
Charts
- Understand Charting
- Create Charts
- Resize and Move charts
- Chart Styles
- Add and Edit Chart Elements
- Keyboard shorts for Instant Charts
Help
- Accessing Help
- Search the Menus
Best Practice – 5 Golden Rules
- Create sheets with the future in mind
- Choose clarity over looks
- Label columns and rows
- Keep styling and formatting consistent
- Never merge cells in lists
Quick reference guide
Top 25 keyboard shortcuts
Formula Error Messages
Who this course is for
Suitable for beginners. Assumes little or no knowledge of Microsoft Excel.
Prerequisites
You should be familiar with the basic functions of a computer operating system such as navigating the environment using a mouse and keyboard, starting applications, copying and pasting objects, formatting text, creating folders, opening files, saving files, familiarity with the accessing the Internet and use of common web browsers.
Delivery modes
- Face-to-face, presenter-taught training
- Online training via the platform Zoom
Materials
Course materials are provided electronically using Dropbox. Teaching instructions and materials are specifically tailored to Windows PC users.
What you need to do before the course
Face-to-face classes (CCE, Sydney)
Classes are held in a computer lab. You do not need to bring your own device or login details.
Face-to-face classes (external venues including PARKROYAL and CBD)
Please bring a laptop with Microsoft Excel installed and a valid Microsoft account.
- Recommended operating system: Windows or MacOS
- Required software: MS Excel 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024 or 365
Online classes
You will need Microsoft Excel installed on your device and a valid Microsoft account.
- Recommended operating system: Windows or MacOS
- Required software: MS Excel 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024 or 365
For the best experience, we recommend using a computer with a large monitor, or dual screens/devices. Small laptop screens can make it difficult to follow the facilitator’s display while working in the software.
Sessions
Location
Face-to-face (CCE Building, Sydney)
Public transport
As bus and train timetables regularly change, we suggest you visit the Transport for NSW trip planner before you set out.
The nearest train stations are Newtown Station and Macdonaldtown Station. Macdonaldtown Station is closer by distance than Newtown Station, however trains do not stop as frequently as at Newtown Station.
Other information
Parking
Nearby parking is available at Wilson Parking - RPA Medical Centre Car Park (entry via Elizabeth Street off Carillon Avenue).
A Flexi Saver Rate is available but must be booked in advance online and includes the booking fee. Bookings can be made via the Wilson website or by downloading the Wilson Parking App. Otherwise, hourly parking rates will apply, as advertised on the Wilson Parking website.
Meet the facilitators
Mandy Vyner
Mandy is an IT professional with over 30 years of experience in delivering transformational technology training services across a broad range of industries. Her expertise lies in curriculum development and the design and delivery of Microsoft Office training solutions.
She has an established record in managing technical change projects in ICT infrastructure roles and has a proven track history of achieving outstanding results in the transformation training change space within the legal, financial, and education industries and for private and public sector clients.
Mandy designs training solutions in collaboration with her clients using a detailed training needs analysis to determine the training specifications and delivery outcomes required for the professional development of technical and general staff.
Her experience includes instructional design, coaching, strategic planning, organisational development, change management, e-learning, project management, mentoring, curriculum development, and delivery/facilitation of training programs across a variety of industries as well as the reportable monitoring and evaluation of learning outcomes.
