Microsoft Excel

A comprehensive self-paced programme that takes you from your first spreadsheet to professional dashboards, PivotTables, Power Query, and automated workflows. Designed for Microsoft 365 and Excel 2021 with practical projects at every level.

Based on: Skyrapay Learn — Excel Beginner to Advanced Study Guide

8–12 weeks · self-paced33 online modules

What you will learn

Navigate the Excel interface confidently and manage workbooks and worksheets efficiently.
Enter, edit, format, and organise data to professional standards.
Write accurate formulas using relative, absolute, and mixed references.
Apply essential, logical, text, date, lookup, and conditional functions to solve real problems.
Clean and transform messy real-world data using both Excel tools and Power Query.
Create and customise charts and PivotTables for insightful analysis.
Build interactive dashboards with slicers, timelines, KPIs, and conditional formatting.
Perform financial calculations, What-If analysis, and basic modelling.
Protect workbooks and implement good spreadsheet design practices.
Record simple macros and understand the role of automation.
Deliver a complete end-to-end analytical solution from raw data to protected management report.

Course outline

1. Module 1: Introduction to Microsoft Excel
Understand what Excel is, explore the interface, and learn to create, save, and navigate workbooks.
45 min · Beginner
2. Module 2: Entering and Managing Data
Enter text, numbers, and dates correctly; use copy, paste, AutoFill, and Flash Fill to manage data efficiently.
50 min · Beginner
3. Module 3: Formatting Worksheets
Apply professional font, alignment, and number formatting; adjust row height and column width; use Format Painter.
50 min · Beginner
4. Module 4: Basic Formulas and Calculations
Write formulas with arithmetic operators, apply order of operations, and use relative, absolute, and mixed cell references.
55 min · Beginner
5. Module 5: Essential Excel Functions
Master SUM, AVERAGE, MIN, MAX, COUNT, COUNTA, and ROUND; understand the difference between formulas and functions.
55 min · Beginner
6. Module 6: Working with Worksheets
Create, rename, move, copy, and delete worksheets; write formulas that reference cells on other sheets.
45 min · Beginner
7. Module 7: Basic Tables and Data Organisation
Convert ranges to Excel Tables, sort and filter data, remove duplicates, and freeze panes for readable lists.
55 min · Beginner
8. Module 8: Charts and Visualisation
Create column, bar, line, and pie charts; add titles and labels; choose the right chart type for your message.
55 min · Beginner
9. Module 9: Page Layout and Printing
Control page orientation, margins, print area, and scaling; add headers, footers, and repeating print titles.
60 min · Beginner
10. Module 10: Advanced Cell References
Confidently use relative, absolute, and mixed references; create cross-sheet and cross-workbook formulas.
50 min · Intermediate
11. Module 11: Logical Functions
Write IF, nested IF, IFS, AND, OR, NOT, and IFERROR formulas for realistic decision problems.
55 min · Intermediate
12. Module 12: Conditional Calculations
Use SUMIF, SUMIFS, COUNTIF, COUNTIFS, AVERAGEIF, and AVERAGEIFS to calculate based on criteria.
55 min · Intermediate
13. Module 13: Text Functions
Extract, combine, clean, and transform text using LEFT, RIGHT, MID, TRIM, CONCAT, TEXTJOIN, and more.
50 min · Intermediate
14. Module 14: Date and Time Functions
Use TODAY, NOW, DATE, DATEDIF, NETWORKDAYS, WORKDAY, EDATE, and EOMONTH for date calculations.
50 min · Intermediate
15. Module 15: Lookup Functions
Master XLOOKUP as the modern preferred lookup; understand VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP, INDEX, and MATCH alternatives.
60 min · Intermediate
16. Module 16: Advanced Sorting and Filtering
Perform multi-level and custom sorts; use Advanced Filter to extract complex subsets and unique records.
50 min · Intermediate
17. Module 17: Data Validation
Create dropdown lists, restrict data entry, and build dependent (cascading) dropdowns.
45 min · Intermediate
18. Module 18: Conditional Formatting
Highlight cells with rules, data bars, colour scales, icon sets, and formula-based conditional formatting.
50 min · Intermediate
19. Module 19: Excel Tables (Deep Dive)
Use structured references in formulas, configure Total Rows, and leverage tables as dynamic data sources.
55 min · Intermediate
20. Module 20: PivotTables
Create PivotTables, arrange fields, group dates, use slicers and timelines, and build linked PivotCharts.
65 min · Intermediate
21. Module 21: Advanced Formulas
Build nested formulas with SUMPRODUCT, SUBTOTAL, AGGREGATE, INDIRECT, and OFFSET; handle errors robustly.
60 min · Advanced
22. Module 22: Dynamic Array Functions
Use FILTER, SORT, SORTBY, UNIQUE, SEQUENCE, TAKE, DROP, VSTACK, and HSTACK for formula-driven reports.
60 min · Advanced
23. Module 23: Advanced Lookup Techniques
Perform multiple-criteria lookups, two-way lookups, and handle approximate matching for tax brackets and tiers.
55 min · Advanced
24. Module 24: Data Cleaning
Transform messy real-world data into clean, analysis-ready datasets using a systematic workflow.
55 min · Advanced
25. Module 25: Power Query
Import, clean, transform, and refresh data using Power Query (Get & Transform) for automated workflows.
65 min · Advanced
26. Module 26: Advanced PivotTables & Reporting
Create coordinated PivotTables and PivotCharts with shared slicers for management-ready interactive reports.
55 min · Advanced
27. Module 27: Excel Dashboards
Design and build professional interactive dashboards combining KPIs, charts, PivotTables, and slicers.
65 min · Advanced
28. Module 28: Financial Functions
Use PMT, FV, PV, NPV, and IRR for loan and investment calculations; build an amortisation schedule.
60 min · Advanced
29. Module 29: What-If Analysis
Use Goal Seek, Scenario Manager, and Data Tables for sensitivity analysis and scenario exploration.
50 min · Advanced
30. Module 30: Excel Security & Protection
Protect worksheets and workbook structure; lock specific cells and apply password protection appropriately.
45 min · Advanced
31. Module 31: Macros & Automation
Record, run, and assign simple macros; understand macro security and the basic role of VBA.
50 min · Advanced
32. Module 32: Excel Best Practices
Design professional, maintainable, and auditable spreadsheets with clear data flow and documentation.
50 min · Advanced
33. Module 33: Final Capstone Project
Deliver a complete end-to-end analytical solution from messy raw data to an interactive protected dashboard.
120 min · Advanced