Microsoft® Excel Stage 1 Training Course

Fast track from Absolute Beginner to a Confident, Super Productive user of Excel

Duration: 3.5 hours

Excel Essential Skills - Stage 1

About this course

This introductory course is offered as a 3.5 hour short-course focusing on getting you started in Excel. It covers the skills that are essential to creating professional worksheets.

Is this course suitable for you or your team?

This course is aimed at people who will be creating or updating Excel worksheets in a business environment. This course is definitely for you if:

You are new to Excel and would like a beginner course
You currently make minor updates to existing files and would now like to learn how to create worksheets from scratch
You haven't used Excel for a while and would like a refresher course

Learning outcomes

This hands-on course guides you through the fundamental skills required to be able to create, modify, format and print Excel files. The topics covered set you up perfectly for the next level course, Excel Organising and Analysing Data - Stage 2.

Course pre-requisites

This course is designed for users who are proficient at using the Microsoft® Windows environment, a mouse and keyboard.

What you will learn...

Introducing Excel

Excel can be a little overwhelming and bit intimidating when you first get into the application. In this module you will learn how to start Excel and work with only the areas you need at this stage of your learning journey.

TOPICS COVERED

Introducing Excel

Starting Excel

Excel screen components

The tabs you will need at this level of your learning

Workbooks and worksheets

Entering Data

Entering data is easy when you know how. Trying to work it out yourself can cause all kinds of problems. In this module you will learn the tips and tricks of entering and updating data, and how to avoid data entry frustrations.

TOPICS COVERED

Selecting and moving around the workbook

Entering data into the worksheet

Deleting and replacing data

Using Undo and Redo

Spell Check

Overlapping data

Working with columns

Adjusting the column width

Making changes to the data

File Operations

Learn how to be the 'boss' of your files. Master the many ways you can save your work, close and open files, delete and rename them AND how to avoid many 'gotcha' situations that can have your heart racing if you're unaware of them!

TOPICS COVERED

Saving your file for the first time

Using Save As to make a copy of an existing file

Closing a file

Starting a new workbook (file)

Opening an existing workbook

Current or active workbook

Using AutoSave

Performing Calculations

Understanding how to create calculations and read other people's calculations is a fundamental and essential skill to have if you want to be a proficient user of Excel. Learn how to confidently create calculations that are free from error.

TOPICS COVERED

Different data types

Creating calculations

Checking cell content using the Formula bar

Creating a formula - step-by-step

Calculating percentages

Calculating GST

Copying formula

Using the SUM function

Modifying the worksheet

You have a worksheet full of data and now you want to make modifications to it. Learn how to change the layout of the worksheet, copy calculations, move and copy data between worksheets. This module is NOT TO BE MISSED as it contains so many 'gotcha' and 'ah-ha' moments.

TOPICS COVERED

Inserting, deleting and hiding rows or columns

Search the workbook using Find

Copying calculations

Creating an absolute reference

Moving and copying information

Moving and copying using the mouse pointer

Copying an entire worksheet

Deleting a worksheet from a workbook

Formatting

Your data can look very 'black & white', very plain and somewhat boring without formatting. Learn how to make your data pop! Add some pizzazz to your report AND learn why understanding number formatting is essential. You'll also learn what to look out for when working with already formatted cells.

TOPICS COVERED

Understanding Number formats

Avoid Number format 'gotchas'

Font and Alignment formatting

Merged & Center options

Removing formatting from a cell

Printing

OK... so you have your data laid out beautifully, your calculations are all 'on-point'. Your formatting is outstanding... so how come you can't print it? Learn all of the 'gotcha's' of printing and how to avoid them so that you can print your masterpiece with ease!

TOPICS COVERED

Previewing your work before printing

Setting up the worksheet for printing

Inserting a page break

Selecting what will print

Adjusting preset print settings

Additional print settings

What you will get...

A copy of our super popular step-by-step workbook along with file downloads for every exercise we cover together. Perfect to follow along with during the training, and to refer to after the training.

Capped class size to ensure you have the hands-on time required and your questions answered.

Need proof of your Continuing Professional Development (CPD)? On completion of the workshop, by request, we will send you a “Certificate of Attendance” confirming your participation and the duration of the training session.

For onsite workshops only

Please note: we are currently running onsite workshops in the Auckland region only.

The exercise files used during the onsite session will be emailed to our onsite contact prior to the session. Each participant receives a printed copy of the workbook for this course.

Need training laptops? Not a problem. For a small fee we can supply laptops for you to use. We have 6 to share. All are thoroughly sanitised before and after use.

For online sessions only

We use the latest version of Zoom or Microsoft Teams to deliver this course live online. If you would like to follow along with your trainer please ensure you have the desktop version of Microsoft Excel available. Having a webcam and headphones available ensures you can enjoy interacting with your trainer and fellow participants. Please ensure your browser software is up to date too. For the best experience we would recommend using Microsoft Chromium Edge or Google Chrome as your browser.

Details on how to connect to the session, along with your workbook and exercise files will be emailed to you prior to your session. Having a printed copy of the workbook handy during your learning will be extremely beneficial to your learning.

Any questions, please contact us at ask@excelatwork.co.nz.