Excel Essential Skills

Build Confidence Using Excel for Everyday Spreadsheet Tasks

This practical workplace training course gives you the core skills needed to navigate the Excel window and manage workbook files. You will learn how to enter, edit and organise worksheet data, create formulas and use built-in functions, sort, filter, format and present data clearly, and create a simple report.

Whether you want to gain confidence using Excel or have recently started using Excel in a new role, this course builds practical capability so you can complete daily spreadsheet tasks confidently, work faster with keyboard shortcuts and autofill, and reduce errors in formulas and data handling.

Excel Essential Skills is ideal for people who:

• Want to gain confidence using Excel
• Use Excel but want stronger basic skills
• Have recently started using Excel in a new role and want to improve workplace productivity
• Need to complete daily spreadsheet tasks more effectively to create reports, budgets or data lists
• Want practical shortcuts and time-saving techniques

To attend Excel Essential Skills, you should:

• Be comfortable using a computer and mouse
• Understand basic file management (open, save and close files)
• Have basic keyboard skills
• No prior Excel experience is required.

After completing Excel Essential Skills, you will be able to:

• Work confidently with spreadsheets
• Navigate the Excel window and manage workbook files
• Save time using built-in Excel productivity tools
• Enter, edit, analyse and organise data more effectively
• Perform calculations quickly and accurately
• Create a simple professional report

Excel Window and File Management

• Understand Excel terminology, ribbon and Excel window
• Use Office Backstage
• Save files to OneDrive

Workbook Navigation and Data Entry

• Enter text, numbers and dates correctly
• Edit and update spreadsheet content efficiently
• Navigate a workbook with helpful keyboard shortcuts
• Use Find and Replace to quickly locate and update information in a large dataset.
• Select ranges accurately

Working with Worksheets

• Rename and manage worksheets
• Move and copy worksheets between files
• Insert and delete rows and columns
• Use cut, copy, paste, drag and drop

Formulas

• Understand formula basics
• Learn key rules with formulas
• Create simple calculations

Functions

Use common functions such as

• SUM
• AVERAGE
• COUNT
• MIN and MAX

AutoFill

• Use to speed up data entry
• Save time copying formulas
• Use relative and absolute references

Lists and Excel Tables

• Sort data to organise information
• Analyse data with filters to find specific results
• Convert a range into an Excel Table to manage and analyse data efficiently

Formatting Worksheets

• Apply number formats including currency, dates, and percentages
• Adjust column widths and row heights
• Use cell styles and formatting tools
• Improve readability and presentation

Creating Charts

• Create charts to visualise data
• Choose the right chart type to identify trends
• Format charts for professional presentation
• Modify chart elements such as titles and labels