Excel tutorial

Learn Microsoft Excel from the first blank sheet to formulas, charts, and real-world reports, practising every step in an Excel sandbox.

Course contents

Introduction to Excel — What Excel is, what it can do, where it's used, and why it's worth learning. Then create your first workbook with a formula that updates itself.
Understanding the Interface — A tour of the Excel screen: the ribbon, formula bar, Name Box, worksheet area, status bar, and the difference between workbooks and worksheets.
Managing Workbooks — Create, open, and save workbooks, know when to use Save As, and choose between XLSX, XLS, CSV, and PDF.
Cells and Ranges — Rows, columns, cells, and cell addresses, and how to select cells, ranges, and multiple ranges. Then finish a membership list in the Chapter 1 project.

Data Entry — Enter text, numbers, and dates so Excel reads them correctly, edit and clear cells, and move around the sheet with the keyboard.
Copying Data — Copy, cut, and paste cells, choose what to paste with Paste Special, and move data with drag and drop.
Rows and Columns — Insert and delete rows and columns, change their size, AutoFit, and hide and unhide them. Then tidy a stock list in the Chapter 2 project.

Cell Formatting — Change fonts, sizes, and colors, add fill colors and borders, and use cell styles to make a sheet easy to read.
Alignment — Align text left, center, and right, set vertical alignment, wrap long text, merge cells, and angle text.
Number Formatting — Show values as numbers, currency, percentages, dates, times, and custom formats. Then format an invoice in the Chapter 3 project.

Creating Formulas — Write formulas with arithmetic operators, follow the order of operations, and add, subtract, multiply, and divide with cell addresses.
Cell References — Relative, absolute, and mixed references, copying formulas, and how references update when the sheet changes.
AutoFill — Fill number series, copy patterns, create date series, and use AutoFill Options with the fill handle.
Essential Functions — Use SUM, AVERAGE, MIN, MAX, and COUNT, enter functions three ways, and give them the right arguments.
Logical Functions — Make decisions with IF, nested IFs, AND, OR, and NOT, and summarize with COUNTIF and SUMIF. Then build a commission sheet in the Chapter 4 project.

Finding Data — Find text and numbers, replace values safely, and replace formatting.
Sorting Data — Sort A to Z, Z to A, and by number, sort by several columns, and use custom sort orders.
Filtering Data — Apply and remove filters, and filter by value, number condition, date, and color.
Data Validation and Named Ranges — Restrict numbers, dates, and text, create drop-down lists, and create and use named ranges. Then clean up a register in the Chapter 5 project.

Worksheet Management — Insert, rename, delete, move, and copy worksheets, and freeze panes to keep headings in view.
Working Across Sheets — Reference other sheets, combine data from several sheets, and protect sheets and workbooks. Then build a quarterly summary in the Chapter 6 project.

Creating Charts — Choose and insert column, bar, line, and pie charts, update their data, change their type, and remove them.
Chart Formatting — Add chart titles, data labels, legends, and axis titles, and change chart styles and colors.
Conditional Formatting — Highlight values greater or less than a limit, mark duplicates, and add data bars, color scales, and icon sets. Then build a sales dashboard in the Chapter 7 project.

Page Setup and Printing — Set margins, orientation, and paper size, use print preview and print areas, and print a sheet or the whole workbook.
Sharing and File Formats — Export to PDF and CSV, compare Excel file formats, and share workbooks safely. Then prepare a price list in the Chapter 8 project.

Real-World Projects — Build four complete workbooks: a budget sheet, a marks sheet, an expense tracker, and a sales report.