Learn More About Microsoft Office Classes in Dallas
In 1989, Microsoft released its new suite of client and server productivity software called Microsoft Office. Office bundled Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to provide users with quick access to a range of productivity applications. Outlook, another popular Office app, joined the bundle in the 1990s. With Office, over 1 billion active users can manage calendars, send emails, create documents, perform data analysis, and collaborate on projects.
By the early 2010s, Microsoft shifted Microsoft Office to a subscription-based model. You can now purchase a subscription to Office that provides access to its apps along with integrated, cloud-based solutions. The transition to this model was in part to deliver a more cost-effective and convenient way for users to access Office’s most up-to-date software. Rather than purchasing a physical license for users, businesses can pay a recurring fee to provide their employees with access to Office, helping them align the cost they spend on the software with the usage their employees get from Office.
Microsoft has kept up with the changing landscape of technology in a variety of industries, updating Office accordingly. Users can now utilize AI tools, collaborate with their teams in real-time across applications, and integrate among the different Office apps.
What Can You Do with Office Training?
Microsoft Office includes several productivity apps that help you work with data. For example, Excel lets users organize and store large amounts of data, use charts and tables to analyze and visualize data, and collaborate with others via editing and comments. You can use Excel for professional or personal use. Some users depend on Excel to budget or keep track of tasks they’ve completed each week.
With Outlook, you can not only manage emails, but create a detailed calendar, manage your contacts, manage tasks, and collaborate. Outlook allows users to manage multiple emails within its system, a popular feature utilized by working professionals, students, and business owners. This feature allows users to keep track of their personal and professional emails—or several of each—all within one application, helping them stay organized and efficient while managing messages and appointments.
What Will I Learn in an Office Class?
You can expect to learn about the different applications of Microsoft Office when attending an Office class. This includes lessons in Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook, as well as general skills like organization.
Excel
Data Analysts, Financial Analysts, and other professionals who work with data use Excel, Office’s spreadsheet application, to organize data and perform data analysis. Excel’s features let users perform calculations, transform data, and collaborate on projects with others. If you have prior experience using data tools like Power BI and Tableau, you may find working with Excel familiar. In an Office class or an Excel training class, you’ll learn how to take advantage of Excel’s tools and features to help you transform data efficiently.
PowerPoint
With PowerPoint, Office users can create visually appealing slideshows for a variety of purposes. Many people these days begin using PowerPoint at a young age, typically in middle school. PowerPoint’s friendly interface and early introduction to late Millennials and early Gen Z through school have made it an application known for its easy-to-use functions. The app includes pre-designed templates and tools to help users create slideshows that serve a functional and aesthetic purpose. Advanced formatting and multimedia integration allow expert users to take their presentations up a notch. Office classes and PowerPoint classes help students understand the app’s basic function and develop advanced-level skills.
Word
Word has earned its reputation as the most popular word processor. Released in 1983, Word has become a staple app among professionals and students around the world. Word isn’t just used for work purposes; many users depend on the processor to create personal documents like letters and resumes. The built-in spelling and grammar tools and the collaboration features that come with a Microsoft 365 subscription have only solidified Word’s popularity. Taking a Word class can help you learn how to insert media into your Word documents and how to use pre-designed templates to ensure a sleek, professional look.
Outlook
Outlook is an email client who goes a step further. Outlook offers users the opportunity to send and manage emails, update their calendars, keep task lists, and store their contacts all in one. The application supports multiple email accounts, allowing users to integrate their personal and professional accounts if they would like. The app also integrates with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to help with efficiency and includes security features to filter spam and secure sensitive information.
Organization
The bundle of applications offered with Word and the integration available with a Microsoft 365 subscription can help you become more organized. In an Office class, you’ll learn how to utilize Office features like the cloud and data sharing to improve your workflow. If you don’t need training in all Office applications, you can register for a class that focuses on a specific app. From there, you’ll learn how to stay organized within the chosen app and see for yourself how it will help make your professional life more organized and efficient.
How Hard is It to Learn Office?
Office applications have varying degrees of difficulty. Some apps offer a more straightforward or user-friendly interface than others. Most users find Word, for example, easy to learn with its simple interface. Excel, on the other hand, can confuse beginners with no prior experience in data analysis tools. Excel also includes many features and functions that you may need to learn to effectively utilize the software. Students with basic computer skills may find Office easier to learn than those with limited prior computer experience.
What Are the Most Challenging Parts of Learning Office?
The part of learning Office that you find most challenging will depend on the applications you’re learning. With Word, some users struggle to format their documents or to include media in a visually appealing way. New Excel users often struggle with complex formulas, pivot tables, and data visualization. Outlook users might take some time to learn how to manage their calendars within the app. With enough time and practice, you can overcome any challenge to learning Office you face.
How Long Does It Take to Learn Office?
The more time you spend practicing with Office, the faster you’ll learn. Basic proficiency in Office applications only takes around several hours or a few days. Basic proficiency includes creating Word documents, sending emails in Outlook, and creating slides in PowerPoint. With enough practice, you’ll gain intermediate-level proficiency in several weeks or months. Intermediate-level skills include performing calculations in Excel, managing a calendar in Outlook, and using advanced Word features. If you want to master Office, it will take several months or longer. Advanced proficiency requires training and practice. Since Office continues to update, you will continue to learn new features even after reaching advanced-level skills.
Students with previous experience using Office or another productivity tool will learn faster than someone with no prior experience. It’s important to continue practicing and staying updated with changes that Microsoft makes to Office if you want to learn. You can look for training classes and quality tutorials to help speed up the learning process.
Should I Learn Office in Person or Online?
Schools and training centers offer Office classes in-person and online. In-person classes provide a traditional learning experience where students attend classes at a physical location. You can expect to gain hands-on experience learning from an instructor in an in-person class. This mode of course delivery suits students who prefer learning face-to-face.
Online classes come in live online and asynchronous formats. Live online training requires students to register for a class that they’ll then attend remotely using a web conferencing platform, like Zoom. Similar to an in-person class, students in a live online class learn from an expert instructor. Asynchronous classes provide the most flexibility for students. Upon registering for an asynchronous class, students will gain access to class resources such as video lectures and worksheets. This type of class requires students to work through the course material by themselves, without the guidance of a live instructor.
Check if you have access to in-person classes in your area before deciding on a course modality. After doing so, consider your schedule and whether you can commute to an in-person class or if you’ll need the flexibility that an online class allows. If you’re considering an asynchronous class, think about how well you do when teaching yourself new concepts. If you think you’ll need more support and a resource for asking questions, it’s recommended that you take a live class.
Can I Learn Office Free Online?
Not ready to enroll in an Office class? You can learn basic Office skills for free online. Look for video tutorials on YouTube and other video-hosting websites. Schools and training centers often upload free content to help you learn the essentials of Office and its applications. If you have questions about Office or need help troubleshooting, you can look for forums online where beginners and experts connect. For more in-depth training, it’s recommended that you enroll in an Office class where you’ll have access to an instructor who can provide demonstrations, give you feedback, and directly answer your questions.
What Should I Learn Alongside Office?
When learning Office, you may find yourself interested in related skills, like graphic design and data analysis. With Office, you can learn the basics of these skills and then venture into learning them on your own with other applications. You can practice the basics of graphic design with Word and PowerPoint before utilizing tools like Canva and Adobe Spark. Aspiring Data Analysts starting with Excel can also learn about data analysis and data visualization using tools like Power BI and Tableau.
Industries That Use Office
Across Dallas, a variety of major industries depend on Office applications to get work done. Whether it’s healthcare, finance, or telecommunications, workers in these industries rely on a variety of Office apps to budget, manage data, communicate, and collaborate.
Healthcare
Dallas has a large and growing healthcare industry, with a value of $52 billion annually. Patients have access to state-of-the-art medical facilities in the city that employ thousands of talented workers. Within this industry, workers use Office to manage patient records, maintain inventory spreadsheets, communicate with patience, and retrieve data. You don’t need medical experience to work in healthcare; you can utilize your Office experience to obtain a role performing the aforementioned tasks, further developing your Office skills.
Finance
Dallas’ finance industry has flourished, and numerous banks, investment firms, and insurance companies call the city home. Since the end of 2019, the region has added nearly 60,000 financial jobs, with significant growth seen at banks and wealth management firms. Financial Analysts depend on Office applications like Excel and PowerPoint to create financial models, forecast risk, write investment proposals, and create presentations for clients and stakeholders.
Telecommunications
A significant number of telecom companies have settled in Dallas, including AT&T, Verizon, Samsung, and Metro by T-Mobile. The presence of these big players in Dallas has spurred innovation, development, and employment in this sector. Within the telecom industry, employees turn to Microsoft Office to analyze customer data, track revenue, draft performance reports, create presentations, and facilitate communication internally and externally.
Office Job Titles and Salaries
Do you want to utilize your Office skills at a Dallas-based company? Consider the following roles when deciding what career path you’d like to take.
Business Analyst
Business Analysts use technology and turn to their business knowledge and project management skills to analyze problems a company is facing and propose data-driven solutions. A Business Analyst should know how to create spreadsheets, organize databases, and use business analysis software. Business Analysts commonly use Excel to help carry out several of their day-to-day tasks like data analysis, use PowerPoint to create presentations, and draft reports using Word. In Dallas, Business Analysts make an average of $73,000 per year plus additional cash compensation.
Data Analyst
If you find yourself drawn in by working with data, you may want to consider a career as a Data Analyst. Data Analysts summarize, analyze, and visualize data and then provide insights based on their findings. They’re expected to use statistical techniques to analyze data and must also have excellent communication skills to report their findings to team members and supervisors. With Excel, Data Analysts can perform data analysis and create visualizations, which they may then share in a PowerPoint presentation or a report made using Word. A Data Analyst in Houston makes an average annual salary of $73,000.
Office Classes Near Me
Noble Desktop and other training schools offer Office classes in-person and live online that you can enroll in today. Consider which Office applications you’d like to learn and then check out the classes available near you.
Sign up for Noble Desktop’s live online Microsoft Office Fundamentals Bootcamp. The bootcamp covers the essentials of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook over four days. By the end of the bootcamp, you’ll gain basic proficiency in each application as you learn under the guidance of an expert instructor. Noble presents students with a certificate of completion after finishing the bootcamp and a free retake within one year.
Gain hands-on experience in Noble's PowerPoint Specialist Certification Program. The program intends to prepare students for the PowerPoint Specialist Certification Exam through comprehensive lessons in the software. In addition to 14 hours of hands-on training, you’ll receive two hours of private training.
NYC Career Centers offers in-depth hands-on training in Outlook in Microsoft Outlook Level I, a beginner-level course. An expert instructor will show students how to format their email themes and text, set up an email signature, organize messages, create calendars, and schedule appointments. The six-hour live online class provides a certificate of completion upon finishing the course.
Students in Dallas can attend one of Ledet Training’s in-person Microsoft Word classes. In Microsoft Word 101, students can anticipate learning how to create business and personal documents in the app. An instructor will show them pitfalls, best practices, and shortcuts so that they can use Word smartly and efficiently. Students must obtain MS Word software before starting the class. After completing Microsoft Word 101, students can enroll in Ledet’s subsequent Word classes. They also have the option of enrolling in Microsoft Word 501—Microsoft Word Bootcamp, which bundles Ledet’s beginner, intermediate, and advanced-level Word classes, instead.
Office Corporate Training
Does your team need Office training? Noble Desktop can provide your organization with team training in Office that meets your employees’ learning objectives and scheduling needs. When enrolling in corporate training, you have the option of selecting live online or onsite training options. Live online courses allow your team to attend a remote course via a web conferencing platform. Onsite training is available in select locations.
Teams interested in corporate training can purchase group vouchers in bulk at a discount from Noble Desktop. When purchasing group vouchers, you can select the courses available to your team to choose from. They can then schedule their training at a time that fits their schedules. If your team is available to commute to Noble Desktop’s Midtown Manhattan location, you may enroll them in private training classes. Reach out to corporate@nobledesktop.com to learn more about Noble Desktop’s corporate training services and receive help in determining which options best fit your team’s needs and goals.