Excel: From Advanced Data Analysis to Full Automation

In today's data-driven environment, professionals need to move beyond basic spreadsheets to efficiently manage and analyse complex information. This course is designed for proficient Excel users—including professionals, entrepreneurs, and analysts—who want to unlock expert-level capabilities. It provides a comprehensive journey through the modern data workflow, starting with powerful data import and transformation using Power Query, advancing to sophisticated analysis with Pivot Tables and modern functions like XLOOKUP and LAMBDA, and culminating in custom automation.

Participants will learn to stop performing repetitive manual tasks by recording macros and writing fundamental VBA code (like loops and conditions). The primary goal is to empower participants to handle complex data challenges independently. The key benefit is gaining the skills to build robust, automated analysis models from scratch, ultimately saving significant time and unlocking deeper, more powerful insights from their data.

Session 1: Data Foundations & Formulas

- Data types and working with Excel Tables

- Importing data (CSV, TXT) and using Power Query for transformation

- Key text, date/time, logical, and error functions (e.g., IF, IFERROR)

- Modern lookup functions (XLOOKUP)

- Creating custom functions using LAMBDA

- Aggregation and conditional functions (e.g., SUMIFS, AVERAGEIFS)

- Using the Analysis ToolPak

Session 2: Pivoting, Charting & Introduction to Automation

- Building and customizing Pivot Tables

- Using Slicers, Timelines, Calculated Fields, and Pivot Charts

- Advanced charting: combo, waterfall charts, Sparklines

- Conditional formatting using formulas

- Macros: security settings, recording, running, and basic editing

Session 3: VBA, Capstone Challenge & Wrap-up

- VBA basics: syntax, dialog boxes, variables, and data types

- Writing conditional and loop structures (If...Then...Else, For...Next)

- Practical automation project

- Capstone challenge integrating Power Query, Pivot Tables, and Macros

- Review of solutions and course wrap-up

On completion of this course, participants will be able to :

· Transform and clean raw data from various sources using Get Data (Power Query).

· Implement complex calculations and lookups using advanced functions like XLOOKUP and LAMBDA.

· Analyse complex datasets by building dynamic Pivot Table reports with Slicers, Calculated Fields, and Pivot Charts

· Visualize data insights using advanced charts, trendlines, and formula-based conditional formatting.

Automate repetitive Excel tasks by recording macros and developing simple VBA procedures using loops and conditions.

This course aims to develop participants’ ability to structure, analyze, and automate data processes in Excel using advanced features such as Power Query, PivotTables, and VBA. The training follows a hands-on, task-based methodology, combining instructor demonstrations, guided practice, and real-world exercises. Learners will work through progressively complex scenarios, culminating in a capstone challenge that integrates the tools covered. Collaborative exercises, AI-assisted examples, and group discussions reinforce key skills and promote knowledge transfer to professional contexts.