Excel 101 Course

Lesson 1 • Navigating Cells and Sheets

Covers keyboard shortcuts and mouse techniques for moving within and between sheets. Efficient navigation reduces errors and speeds all future tasks.

Lesson 2 • Customizing the Excel Environment

Teaches ribbon customisation, zoom controls, and view options. A personalised workspace improves focus and reduces friction in daily use.

Lesson 3 • The Excel Interface Overview

Identifies every major screen element: ribbon, formula bar, sheet tabs, and status bar. Sets the visual map students rely on throughout the course.

Lesson 1 • Selecting and Organising Ranges

Teaches contiguous and non-contiguous selection, plus inserting and deleting rows and columns. Range mastery underpins every bulk operation in Excel.

Lesson 2 • Typing and Editing Cell Content

Covers entering text, numbers, and dates, plus editing with F2 and Delete. Accurate entry is the prerequisite for every formula and chart.

Lesson 3 • AutoFill and Flash Fill

Demonstrates pattern-based filling and intelligent text splitting with Flash Fill. These tools dramatically cut repetitive data-entry time.

Lesson 4 • Finding, Replacing, and Sorting Data

Covers Find & Replace, basic sort, and Go To Special for locating specific cells. These skills keep large datasets organised and searchable.

Lesson 1 • Number Formats and Custom Codes

Teaches built-in number formats and custom format codes for currency, dates, and percentages. Proper formatting prevents misreading of numeric data.

Lesson 2 • Page Setup and Print Options

Configures margins, orientation, headers, footers, and print areas for clean output. Print-ready sheets are essential for reports and presentations.

Lesson 3 • Conditional Formatting Fundamentals

Introduces rules that change cell appearance based on value, such as highlight rules and data bars. Visual cues surface trends without additional analysis.

Lesson 4 • Font and Alignment Formatting

Covers font style, size, colour, bold, italic, and cell alignment options. Consistent formatting signals professionalism and aids comprehension.

Lesson 1 • Formula Syntax and Operators

Explains the equal sign, arithmetic operators, and operator precedence. Correct syntax is the foundation every formula in this chapter builds upon.

Lesson 2 • Cell References: Relative and Absolute

Distinguishes relative, absolute, and mixed references and when to use each. Reference types determine whether formulas copy correctly across ranges.

Lesson 3 • Text and Date Functions

Introduces LEFT, RIGHT, MID, TEXT, TODAY, and DATE for manipulating strings and dates. These functions clean imported data and automate date-driven reports.

Lesson 4 • Logical Functions: IF and Nesting

Teaches IF, AND, OR, and nested IF logic for conditional outputs. Logical functions let spreadsheets make decisions based on data values.

Lesson 1 • Filtering and Sorting Table Data

Uses AutoFilter drop-downs, custom filters, and multi-column sorts within tables. Filtering isolates relevant records without deleting any data.

Lesson 2 • Creating and Formatting Excel Tables

Covers inserting a table, choosing a style, and understanding automatic expansion. Tables enforce consistent structure that protects data integrity.

Lesson 3 • Structured References in Formulas

Explains how table column names replace cell addresses in formulas. Structured references make formulas self-documenting and resilient to row changes.

Lesson 1 • HLOOKUP and Two-Way Lookups

Extends lookup skills to horizontal tables and combined row-column lookups. Two-way lookups retrieve values from matrix-style data layouts.

Lesson 2 • VLOOKUP Fundamentals

Teaches VLOOKUP syntax, exact vs. approximate match, and common errors. VLOOKUP is the most widely used lookup tool in business spreadsheets.

Lesson 3 • XLOOKUP for Modern Excel Users

Introduces XLOOKUP as the successor to VLOOKUP with simpler syntax and more options. Students future-proof their skills with the current recommended lookup function.

Lesson 4 • INDEX and MATCH in Depth

Covers INDEX and MATCH as a flexible alternative to VLOOKUP for any direction. This combination handles left-side lookups and multiple-criteria scenarios.

Lesson 1 • Dynamic Charts with Tables and Named Ranges

Links charts to Excel Tables or dynamic named ranges so they update automatically. Dynamic charts eliminate manual rework when source data grows.

Lesson 2 • Inserting and Editing Charts

Covers inserting a chart from a selection, switching rows and columns, and editing source data. Correct data selection determines whether a chart renders accurately.

Lesson 3 • Choosing the Right Chart Type

Maps data relationships to chart types: column, bar, line, pie, and scatter. Choosing the correct chart type prevents misleading visual representations.

Lesson 4 • Formatting Chart Elements

Applies titles, axis labels, legends, gridlines, and data labels to clarify chart meaning. Formatted elements reduce the cognitive load on the audience.

Lesson 1 • Grouping and Filtering PivotTable Data

Groups dates by month or quarter and applies report filters and slicers. Grouping reveals time-based patterns hidden in row-level transaction data.

Lesson 2 • Calculated Fields and Items

Creates custom calculations inside a PivotTable without altering source data. Calculated fields extend analysis beyond the built-in aggregation options.

Lesson 3 • PivotCharts and Dashboard Basics

Converts PivotTables into PivotCharts and arranges multiple visuals on one sheet. A coordinated layout turns raw summaries into an executive-ready dashboard.

Lesson 4 • Building Your First PivotTable

Walks through inserting a PivotTable, placing fields, and reading the output. Understanding the field list is the entry point to all PivotTable analysis.