First released in 1985, Microsoft Excel is a popular spreadsheet program used in business, finance, data analysis, and project management. It has hundreds of different tools that allow users to format and manipulate data, perform complex calculations, generate statistics, and create charts and graphs. Its many automated functions and templates save users a lot of time and reduce errors. This application has millions of users, in countries all over the world. It is part of Microsoft 365 and is available by subscription.
What Can You Do with Excel Training?
Excel is often used in business, finance, data analysis, and project management, and fluency in this program can help you gain employment in these fields. Many of the jobs that involve using Excel are expected to see above-average job growth over the next decade, and they also pay well above average. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (the BLS), a federal agency that tracks and analyzes U.S. job statistics, for Accountants and Auditors, median pay is almost $80,000 per year. It predicts that between 2023 and 2033, jobs in this category will increase by 6 percent. According to the BLS, Project Management Specialists have a median pay of $98,000, and the job increase is expected to be 7 percent. For Financial Analysts, the median pay is almost $100,000, with a 9 percent projected job increase, and for Data Scientists, the median pay is $108,000, with a 36 percent projected job increase.
What Will I Learn in an Excel Class?
Data Entry and Formatting
Handling data is one of the main reasons for using Excel, so when you take an Excel class, you’ll learn about data entry, and about searching and sorting data. You’ll also learn about formatting, which is another basic Excel skill that makes your data easier to understand and work with.
Functions
An Excel class will cover functions, which are another fundamental part of this program. Functions are predefined formulas. You can use them to perform calculations, which will use specific values in a particular order. “SUM, ” “AVERAGE, ” and “VLOOKUP, ” are some commonly used Excel formulas.
Visualization
An Excel class will cover the many visualization tools that Excel offers such as charts and tables. Visualizing your data can help you understand it better, and is also a great way to share it with other people.
Advanced Tools
An Excel class may also cover some of the advanced tools that this program offers. For instance, you might learn about macros, which you can use to create custom functions, or PivotTables, which are a way to condense data from large datasets.
Analytical Thinking
An Excel class will also help develop your analytical thinking skills. Working with this program involves looking at data critically, finding relationships, and drawing conclusions, all of which require analytical thinking.
How Hard is It to Learn Excel?
The difficulty involved in learning Excel depends on what level of mastery you want to achieve. Most people find it fairly easy to learn the basics and begin using this application for simple tasks. However, it’s more difficult to master Excel’s advanced features such as formulas and the application’s programming language. With time though, almost anyone can learn to use this program. Experts say that one of the best ways to make the learning process easier is consistent practice.
How Long Does It Take to Learn Excel?
The amount of time it takes to learn Excel varies from person to person and depends on several factors including your prior experience, how you learn, and how much time you spend practicing. Most people are able to learn the application’s basic features within a matter of days. The advanced tools take longer to master; generally several weeks. If you already have experience working with data, you’re likely to learn more quickly. Another way to speed up the learning process is to enroll in a formal class where you can get guidance and feedback from an expert.
Should I Learn Excel in Person or Online?
If you’re planning to learn Excel, you’ll need to decide on a class format. As the traditional learning format, in-person classes remain a popular way to learn Excel. When you take an in-person class, you travel to a classroom and learn in a face-to-face environment, with an instructor and a group of other students. You have the opportunity to ask questions and get immediate instructor feedback. In-person learning often makes it easy to interact with other students, which can lead to valuable networking opportunities. Many people also find this format the most engaging way to learn. One of the biggest downsides to in-person learning is that you have to commute to the classroom. The fact that you have to commute can also limit your options.
In contrast, when you learn live online, you simply attend via computer, logging in from any location that you want. This means you can choose to enroll in a class in another city or even another country. Not only does this give you more class options, but student groups may be more diverse, meaning that you’ll be exposed to a wider range of different perspectives. With a live online class, an instructor lectures in real-time, just like with an in-person class, and they are available to answer questions and give feedback. A downside of live online learning is that you generally need to provide your own equipment and software. Some students also find it more difficult to interact with other students virtually.
A third common Excel learning option is an on-demand class. With this format, the material is pre-recorded, and you work through it at your own pace. You can pause whenever you want or go back over sections that you need to spend more time with. This is the most flexible learning format and can be a good option if you have a busy schedule. The biggest downside is that you don’t have access to a live instructor. In addition, because you decide the pace of your learning, you need to be motivated and focused to complete the course.
Can I Learn Excel Free Online?
There are many different free Excel resources online, and you may be wondering whether it’s possible to learn this program for free by using these resources. Utilizing free resources is a great way to gain an overview of how Excel works, or to learn a few new skills. For example, you can access a variety of short, free Excel tutorials on Noble Desktop’s YouTube channel, which walks you through many different skills. However, most online resources are not comprehensive enough to help you master Excel, so if you’re serious about learning this program, you’ll probably want to invest in a live class where you can learn under the guidance of an expert.
Industries That Use Excel
The versatility of Excel means that it is used in many different industries. For instance, it is commonly relied on in office jobs, which exist in a wide range of industries. It is often used by project managers and data analysts, who also work in a variety of industries. Excel is also a staple tool in business and finance. According to the Connecticut state website, key industries in the area include advanced manufacturing, aerospace and defense, digital media, financial services, green energy, insurance, life sciences, tech, and tourism. The website reports that Connecticut is a global financial services hub. It states, “More than 23% of all U.S. finance traded cluster jobs are within 160 miles of Stamford, one of the fastest growing cities in the nation and one of the state's major financial centers. 5,400 financial services establishments employ nearly 20,000 people.”
Excel Job Titles and Salaries
Accountant
An Accountant is responsible for completing many different financial tasks within a business. They analyze records, record and track financial transactions, prepare budgets, make sure that the business is in compliance with the law, and provide financial advice. Most Accountants use Excel. To work in this job you should have good time management skills, attention to detail, and problem-solving abilities. Communication is also important. As reported by Indeed, in Connecticut, the average annual salary for an Accountant is $73,000.
Financial Analyst
A Financial Analyst analyzes a variety of different types of financial data and also looks at financial trends to help individuals and businesses make more informed financial decisions. They look at data, create models to analyze it, prepare reports to explain their findings to other people, and make recommendations. Financial Analysts need to be good at critical thinking, problem-solving, and communicating. They earn an average yearly salary of $77,000 in Connecticut according to Indeed.
Project Manager
A Project Manager is a professional who oversees the process of completing a project, from start to finish. They often use Excel to help them stay organized. Tasks involved in this job include managing team resources and team members, planning and budgeting, tracking progress, dealing with any obstacles, and communicating with clients, vendors, and teammates. Skills needed as a Project Manager include communication, organization, motivation, and conflict resolution. According to Indeed, the average annual salary for a Project Manager in Connecticut is $90,000.
Data Scientist
A Data Scientist is an expert in working with data and is often highly educated. Data Scientists gather and analyze data, and they use their analysis to solve problems and generate actionable insights related to the data. They also create models and algorithms for data analysis. In addition, they communicate their findings using a variety of visualization tools. Data Scientists need math and programming skills and should be intuitive, creative, and good problem-solvers. The average annual salary for a Connecticut Data Scientist is $115,000, according to Indeed.
Excel Classes Near Me
The Connecticut Information Technology Institute offers Excel classes. In Excel—Part 1, you’ll learn to create worksheets and workbooks, perform calculations, modify, and format. Excel—Part 2 covers functions, lists, analyzing data, using charts, and using PivotTables and PivotCharts. In Excel—Part 3, you’ll learn advanced skills including working with multiple worksheets, using Lookup functions, and forecasting data.
New York City-based Noble Desktop offers a variety of different Excel classes, both in-person, at its Manhattan campus, and live online. This school was founded in 1990 and is licensed by the New York State Education Department. Its courses include a certificate of completion and the option of a free retake within a year. The multi-day Excel Bootcamp is designed to take you from beginner to pro level. You’ll learn a wide range of different Excel skills including basic functions, charts, and formatting, and advanced skills like creating macros and using advanced database functions.
Noble also offers shorter classes that are designed for various levels of experience, including Excel Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3. Level 1 is focused on getting familiar with the interface, entering data, using essential formulas and functions, and creating charts. You’ll also learn how to format and print. Level 2 covers splitting and joining text, adding data validation, named ranges, database functions, adding logical statements, and using Pivot Tables. In addition, you will learn to use statistical functions and create advanced combo charts. In Level 3, instructors cover advanced concepts including cell locking, auditing, hotkeys, formatting for calculating dates, advanced functions, advanced analytical tools, and Pivot Charts. You’ll also learn to use advanced database functions and record macros.
Noble Desktop also offers an Excel certification program. The Excel Specialist Certification Program includes three Excel courses; fundamental, intermediate, and advanced, where you’ll gain proficiency in Excel. You’ll also get two hours of private training. After that, you will take the Excel Specialist exam. The course fee includes proctoring and a free exam retake if needed. You’ll also get free lifetime access to Noble’s Excel video courses.
ONLC Training Centers was founded in 1983 and is one of the biggest privately-held IT training companies in the United States. It offers basic, intermediate, and advanced Excel courses. It also runs specialized Excel programs such as Excel Charts, Formatting and Reporting. This course is designed for users who are already proficient in the basics of Excel and need to learn how to create charts and reports. It covers creating and formatting charts and tables within Excel and utilizing those tables in other Microsoft Office applications.
Ledet Training—an authorized training provider for Excel—also offers Excel training. The Microsoft Excel Bootcamp is a combination of the school’s beginner, intermediate, and advanced courses. Students begin by learning how to input data, and by the end of the course, they will have mastered writing their own functions, using PIVOT tables, and streamlining the organization of multi-page workbooks.
Excel Corporate Training
If you’d like to train a group of employees in Excel, Noble Desktop offers corporate Excel training sessions that can be scheduled either onsite or in a virtual format. Professional instructors with extensive real-world experience can provide a variety of flexible scheduling options. You can either choose from existing courses, or customize a program that fits your needs. Trainees will also receive post-training support materials, including handouts and access to videos. These materials help reinforce what they learn in the training and help answer any questions that come up after they leave.
If your employees need more flexibility, another training option is to buy vouchers to Noble Desktop’s regular group Excel training classes and let employees enroll individually. Noble offers a discount with bulk voucher purchases. To get more information about corporate Excel training or to schedule a complimentary consultation, email Noble Desktop.