Become proficient in Microsoft Excel and go from beginner to pro with our hands-on Excel Bootcamp. Learn functions, formulas, Pivot Tables, macros, and time-saving techniques to conquer all the key skills needed to excel in Excel.
Join us for a beginner Excel workshop where you'll learn the essentials of Microsoft Excel, including calculations, basic functions, graphs, formatting, and printing. This comprehensive course is perfect for those with limited experience looking to expand their proficiency.
Learn intermediate Excel functions like VLOOKUP and SUMIFS, and how to summarize data with Pivot Tables, Sort & Filter databases, and split and join text. Gain the skills needed to utilize complex Excel functions and prepare for more advanced training.
Learn advanced Excel functions, macros, and data analysis to improve efficiency and manage complex data in any job setting. This advanced course is ideal for Excel power-users.
In this hands-on course, learn how to automate repetitive tasks in Microsoft Excel using VBA programming. Develop macros, custom commands, and new worksheet functions to streamline your Excel workflow and increase productivity.
Boost your resume with a Microsoft Excel Certification. Our program offers three courses, private training, the Specialist Exam fee with free retake, lifetime access to Excel video courses, and free exam proctoring.
Microsoft Excel has been the primary spreadsheet tool for most computer users since the 1990s. If you work with spreadsheets for home or business projects, chances are you are familiar with Excel.
Microsoft introduced the software as Multiplan in 1982, but it soon evolved into the much more sophisticated Excel program we know now. Today, Excel is available through subscription services for small businesses, enterprises, and individual users.
With its many formulas and functions, Excel integrates with essential programming languages like Python and JavaScript, making it one of the best programs for tech professionals in every field. While you cannot make a living from Excel alone, the software is crucial to many high-tech and non-technical positions.
Excel is one of the most essential MS Office tools for businesses, individual users, and organizations. Consider some of the following projects where you might need Excel expertise.
Data Visualization—While many tech pros use advanced tools like Power BI to create charts and graphs, Excel is the de facto data visualization tool for many others. You can create data visualizations with Excel and upload the data into Power BI Desktop or Tableau.
Office Administration—Administrative Assistants, Account Managers, and Human Resources Administrators typically require Excel skills. Daily responsibilities like paying bills, invoicing, and recordkeeping fall to different office workers, and Excel is the preferred method for many organizations.
Inventory Control—Operational management can be a crucial part of your work, and many professionals use Excel for tasks like inventory control, managing schedules, and tracking client or supplier transactions. Excel inventory control uses built-in formulas and other tools. Inventory management spreadsheets can include bar codes, product descriptions, and other essential information.
Formatting is an essential skill in MS Office software, and you can use the Format Paintbrush feature to copy formatting from one location to another. This feature in Excel is comparable to MS Word, except that users can apply it to format cells, rows, or columns.
Excel formulas are essential for basic math computations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. However, some formulas contain built-in functions which you may need for values like constants or references. Learning formulas and functions is crucial to understanding Excel fundamentals.
Preset formulas in Excel are called functions. Some formulas contain functions you can use for mathematical, statistical, or logical tasks. Examples of Excel functions include SUM, AVERAGE, COUNT, VLOOKUP, and INDEX-MATCH, but there are many others.
Charts and tables are integral to Excel usage, particularly for those who use the program for data visualization. Excel users can create column charts, pie charts, or line charts to examine data visually, a valuable tool when sharing information with key stakeholders like executives or clients.
One valuable skill in Excel is using keyboard shortcuts instead of the mouse. Many shortcuts like CTRL+C for copying (COMMAND+C for Mac users) and CTRL+V for pasting (COMMAND+V for Mac users) work seamlessly across Word, Excel, and other programs. You may learn multiple new keyboard shortcuts in an Excel class unless you already know them.
How hard it is to learn Excel depends on factors like your previous experience and familiarity with other MS Office 365 programs. Remember that there is a difference between becoming familiar with a skill or tool like Excel and becoming an Excel expert.
If you have experience with Word, your familiarity with the interface can help you learn Excel. The Ribbon (main menu bar) has icons in Excel similar to those in Word. You can also use features like Copy, Paste, and Format Paintbrush in Word and Excel.
The most challenging aspects of learning Excel are typically advanced functions and features such as INDEX-MATCH, X-MATCH, and PivotTables. Fortunately, many courses deliver a solid Excel fundamentals foundation, then build on that with intermediate-level tools before moving into advanced training. Consider an immersive Excel bootcamp or certificate program to learn the software from the ground up.
The time it takes to learn Excel depends on multiple factors, from your previous experience to whether you need beginner, intermediate, or advanced-level Excel training. You can experiment with Excel using a Microsoft 365 subscription, but achieving proficiency takes more than just an hour or two. Consider enrolling in an immersive bootcamp that includes or features Excel if you aim to learn it for your career.
How you choose to learn Excel depends on several factors. For most, it comes down to a matter of personal preference. However, each learning method has unique advantages and drawbacks. Consider the three primary types of training:
Choosing an in-person course offers the highest level of engagement. That means you can interact in real-time with your instructor and peers. Students often feel more connected to the material when they learn in the traditional classroom. The necessity to commute and find parking is the only disadvantage to in-person training.
In a virtual classroom, student engagement is nearly the same as in-person training. You can learn from the comfort of your home or office and not worry about driving or finding a parking space. Opening the field to online live education expands your options exponentially, too.
Asynchronous or on-demand learning offers the least engagement, as it typically consists mainly of recorded videos. This method works best for students with non-traditional work schedules, like the second or third shift. Some programs may offer supplementary materials or a free retake, but your best bet is to attend live classes online or in-person if possible.
The short answer is yes: beginners can learn Excel fundamentals from free resources. Noble Desktop’s YouTube channel offers helpful introductory videos, and you can find blog posts on Excel in the Learn Hub. However, developing professional-level Excel skills means more than watching a few videos. To get the most out of training, consider targeted coursework that teaches you basic, intermediate, and advanced Excel.
What you learn alongside Excel depends on your industry and position. However, Excel is not enough to qualify for a professional role. Microsoft 365 tools are so essential for numerous jobs that many companies take for granted that you know Excel, Word, PowerPoint, or other Microsoft programs. You need to learn multiple tools and skills in today’s market. Consider the following skills that complement Excel.
Additional tools can include customer relationship management (CRM) platforms like Salesforce and content management systems (CMS) like WordPress.
Boston’s top sectors include banking/finance, education, and professional services. Consider the following industries where Excel proficiency is essential for many roles.
Many finance and banking professionals use Excel for basic spreadsheets or in-depth analysis. Financial Analysts, Business Analysts, and Data Analysts are all examples of professionals whose default program can be Excel, but there are many others. Excel is also popular in accounting and administrative roles within the BFSI sector.
Excel plays a crucial role in education—from internationally renowned institutions like Harvard and Boston University to public schools like UMass Boston and Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Top roles for Excel include administration, bookkeeping, and accounting.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, professional, scientific, and technical services include Accountants, Architects, Attorneys, and Management Analysts. Boston-area offices in these professions can use Excel for data visualization, bookkeeping, accounting, and other office administration tasks.
With its renowned Celtics and Bruins sports franchises and growing tech scene, Boston is an attractive destination for many types of workers. Excel can be an essential tool for the following roles:
Admins often run the front desk, serving as the face of an office staff and performing tasks ranging from database management to appointment scheduling. A Boston Administrative Assistant can expect to earn between $45,000 and $63,000 annually, with an estimated total pay of around $53,000.
Data Analysts in Boston work in nearly every industry or sector, earning between $76,000 and $121,000 annually. Their estimated total pay, including bonuses or profit sharing, runs around $95,000.
Boston-area Business Analysts can anticipate earning salaries between $81,000 and $127,000 annually, with an estimated total pay of about $101,000, including additional compensation like bonuses or profit sharing.
Financial Analysts can be among the highest-paid professionals in Boston who use Excel, with annual salaries ranging from $85,000 to as high as $133,000. Their estimated total pay falls in the middle of this range, around $106,000 annually.
Would your employees benefit from expanding their Excel knowledge base? If so, consider onsite and corporate Excel training from Noble Desktop. Noble provides multiple training alternatives and can tailor a program to your organization’s needs. Corporate and onsite training is available live online via teleconferencing, and expert Noble Desktop instructors can even conduct training at your location.
If you want your team to have more flexibility with their Excel training, Noble offers discounted vouchers for its open enrollment courses. Employers get a discount when they purchase the vouchers in bulk, providing a convenient option so an organization can select the training format that best suits its needs. Classes include basic, intermediate, and advanced Excel, Excel Programming with VBA, and multiple bootcamps and certificate programs that feature the essential software.
To learn more about the different training alternatives Noble Desktop can provide for your team, contact them today for a no-obligation consultation.