Everyday Excel, Part 1 Course Syllabus

Overview: This course is designed for absolute beginners and takes approximately 21 hours to complete over five modules. You'll gain hands-on experience with Excel’s core functionalities, progressing from basic navigation to data management and visualization. Each module combines instructional content with practical in-Excel assignments, reinforcing skills through real-world tasks. By the end, you’ll be confident in using Excel for everyday business, academic, or personal applications.

Module 1: Navigating Excel

Estimated time: 5 hours

• Worksheet navigation and cell selection
• Editing and formatting cells
• Understanding relative vs. absolute cell referencing
• Naming cell ranges and basic VBA macro recording

Module 2: Expression Entry & Common Functions

Estimated time: 4 hours

• Understanding Excel syntax and order of operations
• Creating mathematical formulas
• Using SUM, COUNT, and AVERAGE functions
• Applying rounding, random, and combinatorial functions

Module 3: More Excel Functions

Estimated time: 4 hours

• Implementing logical functions (IF, AND, OR)
• Using conditional functions (SUMIF, COUNTIF, AVERAGEIF)
• Working with text functions and financial functions
• Introduction to array formulas and dynamic named ranges
• Creating user-defined VBA functions

Module 4: Managing Data

Estimated time: 4 hours

• Sorting and filtering data
• Creating Excel tables and removing duplicates
• Data validation techniques
• Consolidating data and using lookup functions (VLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH)

Module 5: Plotting, Importing & File Export

Estimated time: 4 hours

• Creating scatter plots, column charts, and pie charts
• Using sparklines and slicers for interactive visuals
• Building PivotTables for data summarization
• Importing and exporting data
• Sharing Excel content with Word and PowerPoint; printing to PDF

Module 6: Final Project

Estimated time: 4 hours

• Apply navigation and formatting skills in a real-world workbook
• Use formulas and functions to analyze data
• Create charts and PivotTables to visualize results

Prerequisites

• Basic computer literacy
• Access to Microsoft Excel (desktop version recommended)
• No prior Excel experience required

What You'll Be Able to Do After

• Navigate Excel workbooks confidently and efficiently
• Create and edit formulas using common and advanced functions
• Manage and clean datasets using filters, tables, and validation
• Perform lookups with VLOOKUP and INDEX/MATCH
• Visualize data using charts, sparklines, slicers, and PivotTables