Best Excel Resources: Courses, Resources, and More
Excel is one of the most widely used data tools in the online world. Millions (and possibly billions) of users trust this spreadsheet tool to handle everything from simple calculations to complex data analysis. Whether you’re a small business owner, a newly minted network engineer, or a C-suite corporate executive, Excel can help streamline your workflow, enhance productivity, and improve decision-making.
However, many people only scratch the surface of what Excel can do. With the right resources, you can become an Excel pro and unlock a whole new skill level while looking smart on your next conference call.
There’s a wealth of online courses and tutorials to help you master everything from basic formulas to advanced data visualization techniques, but it can get overwhelming. That's why we've created this guide to the best Excel resources, books, guides, and certifications.
Excel Training
Excel's more advanced features are crucial to thriving in today's data-driven world. Learning how to use this tool effectively increases efficiency, drives innovation, and can save your organization money. Whether you're looking to analyze data, create reports, automate tasks, or develop complex models, mastering Excel opens the door to countless opportunities.
Here are four of the top Excel training courses that will help you make the most of this tool:
Get Started with Microsoft Excel: A beginner's course for the basics. Learn how to get around Excel, use save, autosave, and auto recover, and how-to layout pages for printing.
Microsoft Excel (Office 365 & 2021) Online Training: This intermediate-level training teaches professionals how to create more effective spreadsheets for storing and manipulating data — including creating charts, graphs, and formulas.
Excel for Data Analysis: Beginners Online Training: Covers how to take vast amounts of data or big, confusing spreadsheets and use Excel to turn that data into actionable information. Learn how to read, write, and update formulas.
Microsoft Office Tips and Tricks Online Training: Learn to use Excel and other parts of the Microsoft Office Suite to boost productivity and improve collaboration. You will also learn about features, shortcuts, and how to present data automatically in PowerPoint.
Being able to use Excel effectively can increase your job opportunities, help your boss understand the full impact of your work, and help you look like you know what you're doing in presentations. It's a key skill for any professional at any level — even if you're not in IT.
Excel Written Articles
Sometimes, you just want a quick written explanation of how to use a specific feature. These articles explain basic concepts and include detailed images and GIFs so you can see exactly how to turn their tips into action. Here are some of our favorites:
Microsoft Excel Tips to Make Your Life Easier: Quick guide to using Excel faster and more efficiently using keyboard shortcuts, formatting features, and more.
9 Essential Excel Formulas for Beginners: Does writing more than a =SUM formula give you hives? This guide to essential Excel formulas will help you write more complex formulas like TRIM, SUMIF, VLOOKUP, and more.
5 Things You Didn’t Know Excel Does: Think you know everything Excel can do? Think again. This post will show you how to use Excel for things like financial modeling using SQL, VBA, and more.
Why Excel and SQL are Great Stepping Stones to Tableau: Excel can do a lot, but what happens when you hit its processing limits? This guide shows you why Tableau is the next skill you should learn.
Excel How-to and Learning Videos
When learning Excel, you'll start by mastering the basics to boost productivity and impress your boss. Then, as you grow more confident, you can dive into advanced features to truly make the most of the platform. If you're a beginner, this first video will help you get started.
Once you're ready to level up your Excel skills, here are a few other video videos you won't want to skip:
Excel Certifications
At the time of publication, there are two Excel certifications from Microsoft, including Microsoft Office Specialist Excel Certification and the Microsoft Certified Excel Expert Certification, both for the 2019 version.
There is also an Excel Expert for Microsoft 365 Apps called The Microsoft Office Specialist: Excel Expert (Microsoft 365 Apps).
While these official certificates will prove you know your stuff, they tend to fall under the "nice to have" umbrella for most professionals. If you're looking for a way to make sure you really understand Excel, these certs might be useful. However, most Excel skills can be learned without taking a certification test, so they might not give you much of a leg up when applying for roles.
Even More Excel Resources
While you'll find a wealth of information about Excell on the CBT Nuggets’ site, there are a ton of other resources to help you make the most of the world's favorite spreadsheet app.
Microsoft Excel 365 Bible by Michael Alexander and Dick Kusleika: Learn how to use the cloud version of Excel — including advanced topics like creating visualizations, custom functions, and using Visual Basics for Applications to script automation.
How to Use VLOOKUP in Excel: This video from the official Microsoft 365 Channel demonstrates how to find items in a table or range.
The Excel Blog: Microsoft has an entire blog dedicated to Excel. Subscribe to get notified of new updates, read about features, and even learn about in-person events.
Excel Help & Learning: This site is the support hub on the Microsoft website, where you can get tips, get help, and research new features.
Take Your Career to the Next Level with Excel
Mastering Excel can significantly improve your productivity, whether you're analyzing data, creating reports, or automating tasks. With the right resources, like Microsoft’s official learning paths, certifications, and expert tutorials on CBT Nuggets, you can unlock the full potential of this powerful tool.
Whether you're a beginner or looking to advance your skills, take advantage of the wealth of training options available. Start exploring, stay curious, and soon you’ll be using Excel like a pro, making your work easier, faster, and more efficient than ever before.
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