MS Excel: Manage and Report with Microsoft Excel (Basic) Course

Lesson 1 • Saving, Printing, and File Formats

Teaches file-saving options, format choices, and basic print setup. Students can share and archive work in appropriate formats.

Lesson 2 • The Excel Interface Explained

Identifies every major UI element: ribbon, tabs, formula bar, and status bar. Establishes spatial awareness needed for all subsequent tasks.

Lesson 3 • Workbooks, Worksheets, and Navigation

Explains the workbook-worksheet hierarchy and efficient movement techniques. Enables students to manage multi-sheet files from the start.

Lesson 1 • Borders, Shading, and Cell Styles

Uses borders, fill colours, and built-in cell styles to structure layouts. Visual hierarchy guides readers through complex data sets.

Lesson 2 • Font and Alignment Formatting

Controls font style, size, colour, and cell alignment options. Consistent formatting improves readability across all worksheet types.

Lesson 3 • Row, Column, and Sheet Management

Adjusts row heights, column widths, and sheet-level settings for clean layouts. Proper sizing prevents truncated data and improves print output.

Lesson 4 • Number Formats and Date Display

Applies built-in and custom number formats to control how values appear. Correct formatting prevents misreading of financial and date data.

Lesson 1 • Date and Time Functions

Calculates durations, deadlines, and periods using date functions. Accurate date maths supports scheduling, ageing, and deadline tracking.

Lesson 2 • SUM, AVERAGE, COUNT, and Variants

Introduces the most-used statistical functions and their conditional variants. These functions form the backbone of everyday business reporting.

Lesson 3 • Formula Syntax and Cell References

Explains operator precedence, relative, absolute, and mixed references. Understanding references is prerequisite to writing any reusable formula.

Lesson 4 • Text Functions for Data Cleaning

Manipulates text strings with functions like LEFT, RIGHT, MID, and TRIM. Clean text data is essential before analysis or reporting.

Lesson 1 • Sorting Data Effectively

Applies single-level and multi-level sorts by value, colour, or custom list. Sorting reveals patterns and prepares data for grouped reporting.

Lesson 2 • Filtering Data with AutoFilter

Uses AutoFilter to display subsets of data based on criteria. Filtering lets users focus on relevant records without deleting other data.

Lesson 3 • Data Validation and Input Controls

Restricts cell input using validation rules, drop-down lists, and error alerts. Input controls reduce data entry errors at the source.

Lesson 4 • Converting Ranges to Excel Tables

Transforms data ranges into structured Excel Tables with automatic features. Tables simplify formula writing, filtering, and dynamic range expansion.

Lesson 1 • XLOOKUP for Modern Workbooks

Introduces XLOOKUP as a unified replacement for VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP. Students adopt the current best-practice lookup function for new files.

Lesson 2 • INDEX and MATCH Combination

Builds flexible lookups using INDEX and MATCH that overcome VLOOKUP column limits. This combination is the professional standard for robust lookups.

Lesson 3 • HLOOKUP and Two-Way Lookups

Applies HLOOKUP for horizontal tables and combines lookups for two-way retrieval. Extends lookup skills to non-standard table orientations.

Lesson 1 • Choosing the Right Chart Type

Maps common business questions to appropriate chart types. Correct chart selection prevents misleading or confusing visual representations.

Lesson 2 • Sparklines and In-Cell Visuals

Inserts sparklines and icon sets directly in cells for compact trend views. In-cell visuals complement tables without requiring separate chart objects.

Lesson 3 • Creating and Editing Charts

Inserts charts from selected data and modifies source ranges and series. Hands-on editing builds confidence in adjusting charts to fit reports.

Lesson 1 • PivotTable Layout and Design

Applies report layouts, styles, and subtotal options for presentation-ready output. Professional formatting makes PivotTable reports shareable with stakeholders.

Lesson 2 • PivotCharts from PivotTables

Creates PivotCharts linked to PivotTables for dynamic visual summaries. Charts update automatically when PivotTable filters or data change.

Lesson 3 • Grouping and Filtering PivotData

Groups dates, numbers, and text items and applies slicers for visual filtering. Grouping reveals time-based and categorical trends quickly.

Lesson 4 • Summarising Values and Calculations

Changes summary functions and adds calculated fields for custom metrics. Flexible value settings transform raw counts into meaningful KPIs.

Lesson 1 • Building a Summary Dashboard

Combines charts, PivotTables, and slicers on one sheet for an executive dashboard. This capstone section integrates all prior skills into a single deliverable.

Lesson 2 • Page Layout and Print Settings

Configures margins, orientation, paper size, and scaling for clean printouts. Correct page setup prevents data from splitting across pages unexpectedly.

Lesson 3 • Protecting Workbooks and Worksheets

Locks cells, protects sheets, and sets workbook-level passwords. Protection prevents accidental edits while allowing controlled data entry.

Lesson 4 • Headers, Footers, and Page Numbers

Adds headers and footers with page numbers, dates, and file paths. Consistent headers make multi-page reports traceable and professional.