Microsoft Excel. Unlock insights and tell the story in your data.

This short course will extend your knowledge of Excel beyond Microsoft Excel: Level 1 and provide you with the skills and knowledge to produce more effective and productive workbooks. Learn essential functions as well as how to manage list data, cover formulas and function techniques, PivotTables, intricate formatting, setting complex printing options and using intricate charting features. Completion of this course provides sufficient knowledge to progress onto Microsoft Excel: Level 3.

We encourage you to use the CCE Excel level self-assessment tool if you are unsure which course level to enrol in.

Aims

This course aims to provide more experienced users with proficient skills in Excel’s three major strands: formulas, list management and charts, as well as providing tips to assist with best practice and efficiency.

Outcomes

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• use the Autofill, Flash Fill and Text to Columns tools to fill a data series and separate data
• use a range of techniques to work with worksheets
• protect data in worksheets and workbooks
• use popular worksheet functions
• create more complex formulas and functions
• understand and use Formula Auditing tools
• create and work with Tables and Slicers
• understand and create simple Pivot Tables with a Slicer
• create and apply custom number formatting techniques to worksheet cells
• apply conditional formatting to cells
• understand and use Sparklines
• understand and use Excel's Quick Analysis tool
• use Goal Seek to determine the values required to reach a desired result
• use a range of Chart Elements to enhance charts.

Content

Filling Data

• Create and modify a custom fill list
• Use a custom fill list
• Delete a custom fill list
• Extract data with Flash Fill
• More complex Flash Fill extractions
• Extract dates and numbers with Flash Fill

Worksheet Techniques

• Hide and unhide rows and columns
• Hide and unhide a worksheet
• Copy a sheet to another workbook
• Change worksheet tab colours
• Group worksheets for bulk changes
• Freeze rows and columns

Managing Lists with Tables

• Insert a table
• Rename a table
• Table styles
• Remove duplicate rows
• Sort and filter in tables
• Formulas in tables
• Add a total row
• Inserting or deleting in tables
• Table autoexpansion
• Slicers in tables
• Convert a table to a range

Essential Functions

• TEXT functions - UPPER, PROPER, CONCAT, TRIM
• COUNT functions - COUNT, COUNTA, COUNTIF
• IF functions – IF, IFS, SUMIF
• LOOKUP functions – VLOOKUP, XLOOKUP
• ROUND function – ROUND, ROUNDUP, ROUNDDOWN
• INT function
• Array functions – UNIQUE and SORT
• SUMIF

Complex Formulas

• Create Complex Formulas Using Nesting
• Line Breaks in Formulas
• Paste Link
• Store Formula as Text
• Formula Auditing Tools

Manage Columns and Rows

• Hiding Rows and Columns
• Unhiding Rows and Columns
• Hiding & Unhide sheets
• Grouping Worksheets Protecting Your Work

Understand Data Protection

• About Protection
• Preparing Cells for Data Entry
• Protect Sheet
• Unprotect Sheet
• Protect Workbook Structure
• Unprotect Workbook Structure
• Protect File
• Unprotect File

PivotTables

• Insert Pivot Table
• Switch Fields
• Change Calculation
• Apply a Style
• Filter
• Clear Filter
• Refresh

Number Formatting

• Date Formats
• Custom Formats
• Time Formats
• Calculated Time

Conditional Formatting

• Conditional Formatting
• Greater Than
• Top and Bottom Percentage
• Specific Text
• Data Bars
• Icon Sets
• Edit and Manage Conditional Formatting
• Clear Conditional Formatting

Sparklines

• About Sparklines
• Insert a Sparkline
• Copy Sparkline
• Editing Sparklines
• Deleting Sparklines

Quick Analysis Tools

• Display Quick Analysis button
• Create Totals
• Create a Chart

Goal Seeking

• About Goal Seek
• Use Goal Seek

Chart Elements

• Add Chart Elements
• Edit Chart Elements
• Data Labels and Data Tables
• Trendlines
• Error Bars
• Format Pane

Intended audience

Designed for existing users of Excel who would like to expand their skills and knowledge and learn more of the techniques associated with creating better and more productive workbooks.

Prerequisites

Assumes prior skill and knowledge required to create, edit, print and chart simple worksheets, as well as understand ranges and the copying process.

You should be also 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 and saving files, familiarity with accessing the Internet and web browsers.

Delivery modes

• Face-to-face, presenter-taught training
• Online training via the platform Zoom

Delivery style

Face-to-face classes (CCE, Newtown)

These classes run in a computer lab and you do not need to bring your own device.

Face-to-face classes (external venues including PARKROYAL, Cliftons and CBD)

These classes run in a classroom and you need to bring your own device.

Online classes

You will need your own device.

Materials

Course materials are provided electronically using Dropbox. Teaching instructions and materials are specifically tailored to Windows PC users.

Additional information

Recommended operating system: Windows or Mac
Recommended software for PC: MS Excel 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
Recommended software for Mac OS: MS Excel 2016, 2019, 365
Recommended browser: Chrome

Please bring a USB flash drive to class if you would like to make a copy of your work or any relevant class materials. Alternatively, you can save these to a cloud storage space or email them to your personal email address.