Best Excel Classes Toronto: Find Courses & Onsite Training

Learn More About Toronto Excel Courses

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What is Excel?

Developed by Microsoft, Excel is a versatile spreadsheet software used around the world for organizing data and performing financial analysis. It’s one of the most popular computer applications in the professional world, and virtually everyone can benefit from knowing Excel. This software is used in finance and accounting for budgeting, forecasting, and analysis, but can also be used in your personal life to track budgets, organize trip planning, and so much more. It supports various functions, formulas, and shortcuts to enhance productivity and efficiency, making it a vital tool.

Since the release of Excel 365 and Excel 2019, Microsoft has continued to provide the most popular, flexible business application across the globe. When used with other Office apps like PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook, Excel can adapt to nearly any business process. Excel continues to provide users with core features, such as the ability to efficiently analyze and model data, create charts, and quickly identify key data points. In addition, this application now offers cutting-edge customization options, as well as the capability to use VBA to automate various operations.

In the time since Excel 1.0 was released in 1985, this application has transformed from a basic spreadsheet tool into a complex business intelligence and data analytics tool with an impressive assortment of features, functions, and tools to help users better manage data. Whether you have personal or professional goals in mind, learning Excel can help you achieve them.

What Can You Do with Excel Training?

Excel’s popularity is in part due to its versatility, so there’s a lot you can do with the software. It can help users of all skill levels organize their data, regardless of how much they happen to be working with. Additionally, a single Excel spreadsheet can be grouped with others to form a workbook. These workbooks can track data over time with a worksheet to represent each month of the year, day of the week, or task. Excel spreadsheets can hold numbers, dates, times, and formulas, which can be used to calculate new data in adjacent columns.

You can also use Excel to perform basic mathematical functions like adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing numbers. These functions can be programmed to use specific cells or numeric values and are often used for budget management or calculating a final total. Going even further, you can use the software to perform basic statistics on data, including mean, average, mode, permutations, and quartiles.

Excel also has a number of advanced data analysis, processing, and visualization features. Users can automate significant calculations and tasks by building complex functions and macros within their spreadsheets, turn their spreadsheets into elaborate and functional databases, and use data visualization tools to transform raw data into charts, graphs, and maps. Professionals like Data Analysts can also use it to communicate information with stakeholders and other invested parties.

What Will I Learn in an Excel Class?

For each section, include the name of the skill you’ll learn and then write a paragraph explaining what that skill is and why it is applicable to Excel. Most of the focus should be on technical skills you’ll learn (for subjects like animation, graphic design or data science, these should be things like After Effects, Photoshop, SQL, etc.), but at least one skill mentioned should be a ‘soft skill’ (programming teaches you logic, Photoshop teaches you composition).

Basic Functions

Learning the foundational skills of Excel are crucial as they set you up to perform much more complex tasks in the future. There are five basic Excel functions that everyone should know:

VLOOKUP Function: A powerful function, VLOOKUP searches for a value in the first column of a range (table or array) and returns a corresponding value in the same row from a specified column. The “V” stands for “vertical,” indicating that it searches vertically (downward) in a table.
Concatenate/CONCAT Function: This handy function combines text from multiple cells into one cell. The CONCAT function is the replacement for the CONCATENATE function in Excel 2016, Excel Mobile, and Excel for the web. CONCATENATE is still available for backward compatibility, but it may not be available in future versions of Excel.
Text to Columns: You can use this feature tosplit text into multiple columns or convert numbers to text.
Remove Duplicates: Fairly self explanatory, this feature can be used to improve data organization, avoid errors, reduce storage space, handle larger data sets, and ensure unique data sets.
Pivot Tables: You can use pivot tables to summarize, analyze, and present large amounts of data in a user-friendly way. They can help you compare data, identify trends, create reports, and answer questions.

Data Entry

Whether you’re keying in data yourself or importing data from another source, mastering data entry will be covered in an Excel training. You’ll learn to navigate a spreadsheet, add new rows of data, and use the autofill handle to help save you time and energy when entering data.

Formatting and Conditional Formatting

Formatting changes the appearance of cells, including the font color, style, size, text alignment, or formatting effects of cells. In comparison, conditional formatting highlights specific values or cells based on certain conditions. For instance, you can change the appearance of a cell range based on a condition, such as the value of the cell or the value of a formula in the cell. This can help make patterns and trends in data more obvious.

PivotTables

A PivotTable is an interactive way to quickly summarize large amounts of data. You can use them to analyze numerical data in detail and answer unanticipated questions about your data. A PivotTable is especially useful for querying large amounts of data in many user-friendly ways; subtotaling and aggregating numeric data, summarizing data by categories and subcategories, and creating custom calculations and formulas; expanding and collapsing levels of data to focus your results; moving rows to columns or columns to rows (or "pivoting") to see different summaries of the source data; and much more.

Analyzing and Visualizing Data

Analyzing and visualizing data is important because it can help you understand your data, identify patterns and trends, make better decisions, improve communication, and save you time. It isn’t enough just to know your data, you also need to be able to represent that data in a clear, concise, and engaging visual format to the various stakeholders or partners that you work with.

How Hard is it to Learn Excel?

Learning Excel can be challenging for those without previous experience in managing data or spreadsheets. Thankfully though, mastering the initial basic skills is considered fairly easy regardless of experience. Plus, the more you use Excel, the more comfortable you’ll become with its functionality. Daily practice can help you quickly master beginner features and, eventually, even advanced features. Anyone can learn Excel with the right amount of commitment and passion to fuel their education.

What Are the Most Challenging Parts of Learning Excel?

Perhaps one of the most challenging aspects of learning Excel is combining multiple functions into a formula, also known as nested functions. You may also have trouble choosing the right function for a specific task. Additionally, data manipulation is an advanced skill that involves using complex formulas to change data sets. Examples include combining columns, extracting data, consolidating lists, and removing duplicate data, all of which will take time and practice to master.

How Long Does it Take to Learn Excel?

How quickly you can learn Excel depends on two main factors: your previous experience and what skills you want to learn in Excel. You can learn the basics of Excel, like data entry and simple formulas, in 1–2 weeks with regular practice. If you’re looking to master intermediate skills like PivotTables and VLOOKUP, you can expect to take a bit longer, around one to two months of consistent learning. Advanced proficiency, including macros and complex data analysis, can take three to six months or more. As previously mentioned, these estimates will depend on your previous experience. If you’re familiar with data analytics, the basics of finance, or are well-versed in math, learning Excel may take less time. If you don’t have these pre-existing skills, don’t fret. A quality Excel training will teach you everything you need to know in a concise amount of time.

Should I Learn Excel In Person or Online?

There are many factors to consider when answering this question. Firstly, you’ll need to decide what learning environment is best suited for you. Do you excel in a collaborative environment that allows you to interact with your peers and receive instant feedback from your instructor? Or, do you prefer a more solitary learning environment, perhaps one where you can learn at your own speed?

You’ll also need to decide how much time you can commit to your education and what level of flexibility your schedule requires. Are you looking to dive deeply into an intensive program? Do you work full-time and require your classes to be scheduled for evening and weekend hours?

In-person classes offer face-to-face interaction with both your fellow students and your expert instructor. This collaborative environment is available for both full-time and part-time classes and provides structure and accountability, two things that can help you succeed. Online courses may lack this in-person interaction, but they make up for it with increased flexibility. Live virtual courses still offer instant feedback from your instructor and interactions with other students, while on-demand virtual training allows for the most flexibility since you can decide where and when you learn.

The good news is that, no matter which version you attend, you can obtain a quality data analytics education with a top-notch curriculum and expert instructors.

Can I Learn Excel Free Online?

Technically, it is possible to learn Excel for free online. YouTube videos, blogs, and free short workshops can all be a great way to learn the basics without investing financially. (Don’t forget to watch the most recent uploads so you’re learning the latest trends and techniques.)

But, when it comes to the more advanced skills, an in-depth training course is going to be your best bet. These courses will consist of a curriculum developed and taught by experts with the chance to receive feedback or troubleshoot any issues with your instructor or a support team. Formal training can also provide the structure and accountability that some students need to stay focused, creating an environment where you’re more likely to succeed. So, if you’re looking to master more than just the basics, a formal workshop or class is a better choice than free online resources.

What Should I Learn Alongside Excel?

There are some additional skills and subjects to consider learning either alongside or after learning Excel. Complementary tools like VBA, Tableau, SQL, and Python can help enhance your data management and analysis skills further. A brief explanation of these tools is below:

Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) can be particularly useful for automating repetitive tasks in Excel.
Tableau is an intuitive tool for creating visually stunning, interactive visualizations, making it a great addition for those who frequently use Excel for data visualization.
SQL is a powerful database programming language for interacting with large datasets, providing a more efficient alternative to Excel in some cases.
Python is a popular programming language that can be used to process data in Excel. You type Python directly into a cell, the Python calculations run in the Microsoft Cloud, and your results are returned to the worksheet.

Any of these tools will help expand your capabilities in Excel, taking your knowledge one step further.

Industries that Use Excel

Toronto is a highly desirable location for many, and it isn’t hard to see why. A beautiful landscape, diverse and vibrant city, and plenty of professional opportunities make it a fun and exciting place to live and work. The top industries in Toronto are outlined below, each of which will need Excel experts to help them achieve their goals.

Finance

Toronto has the second largest financial industry in North America and is the biggest financial center in Canada. Some of the nation’s largest banks such as the Royal Bank of Canada, Scotiabank, Bank of Montreal, and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) are headquartered in Toronto. One in 12 jobs in the Toronto area is in financial services and many of these will use Excel for financial modeling, budgeting, and forecasting.

Real Estate

The construction, rental, and housing market is the second biggest industry in Toronto which should come as no surprise since Toronto has the highest population among Canadian cities.

Home to Canada’s largest real estate agencies, the Toronto housing market has exploded due to an influx of new residents. In fact, 47% of Toronto’s population was born outside of Canada, causing a high demand for new homes, rental space, and affordable housing options. Excel can be used in real estate to store client information, track leads, and perform financial analysis.

Technology

Toronto’s tech industry is the fastest growing tech sector in North America and has created more jobs than the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and Washington DC combined. The city is also home to many digital media and video game producers including Ubisoft, Zynga, and Gameloft.

Additionally, many IT directors also find Toronto-based managed service providers (MSPs) appealing, as they offer the same quality IT services as international firms, but at a more affordable price.

Life Sciences

Toronto’s Discovery District is the densest biological research hub in the world, hosting over 30 different research medical facilities. Some of the world’s biggest pharmaceutical companies have sites in Toronto too, including Pifzer and AstraZeneca, creators of two of the most popular COVID-19 vaccines. Many researchers and pharmaceutical companies benefit from being close to major medical device manufacturers, so Toronto’s thriving manufacturing scene provides a boost for the life sciences industry. Researchers and scientists will use Excel for data analysis, quantitative analysis, and visual representation of their results.

Excel Job Titles and Salaries

Excel is arguably one of the most popular tools for data tracking and analysis, so it comes as no surprise that it’s used in a wide variety of professional fields. A few of these are outlined below with general job descriptions and expected pay ranges included, to help give you an idea of how you can apply your Excel skills professionally.

Accountant

Accountants are financial professionals who perform a variety of tasks to help businesses and individuals manage their finances. They use Excel to track cash flows, income statements, and tax returns to help keep businesses profitable. The average salary for an accountant in Toronto is CA$60,244, slightly above the national average.

Project Manager

Existing in almost every industry, a Project Manager (PM) is responsible for the success of a project from start to finish. They work with stakeholders and clients to define the project's concept and create a process that brings it to life. PMs use Excel to manage budgets and resources and make around CA$88,509 in Toronto.

Data Analyst

Data Analysts gather, organize, and analyze data to help businesses make strategic decisions. They’ll use a variety of tools and methods to gather data from internal and external sources, like surveys, software, and data collection specialists. Data Analysts use Microsoft Excel to organize, interpret, and evaluate data with the help of PivotTables, conditional formatting, and VLOOKUP. An entry-level Data Analyst can make CA$68,261, while senior-level professionals can earn over six figures.

Cost Estimator

Cost Estimators collect and analyze data in order to assess the time, money, materials, and labor required to manufacture a product, construct a building, or provide a service. They use Excel to calculate estimates for the money, time, and labor needed to finish projects. The average salary of a Cost Estimator in Toronto is CA$82,630.

Excel Classes Near Me

Attending an Excel class in-person or online can help you become a master in no time. While Toronto currently has limited in-person offerings, make sure to check Noble Dekstop’s classes near me often for updated listings. Below are a few of the top courses available, both online and in Toronto.

Microsoft Excel Training

Rapid Computer Training, Inc. offers several Excel online and in-person courses in Toronto. Their Excel Beginner Course is a foundation course designed for office users and anyone planning to work in an office. You’ll master the Excel interface; practice data entry, navigation and data selection; learn basic formulas; and discover how to format, manage, and print workbooks.

They also offer an Intermediate Course and an Advanced Course, as well as several other formulas, functions, data analysis, PivotTable reports, and more.

Microsoft Excel - Part One

New Horizons offers this online entry-level course that provides a foundation for Excel knowledge and skills which you can build upon to eventually become an expert in data manipulation. This course covers Microsoft Office Specialist Program exam objectives to help you prepare for the Excel Associate (Office 365 and Office 2019): Exam MO-200 and Excel Expert (Office 365 and Office 2019): Exam MO-201.

If you’re interested in learning even more, New Horizons also offers several other Excel courses (Part Two, Part Three, and several skill-specific classes) that can all be taken on a part-time or full-time schedule.

Certificate in Microsoft Excel and Data Analytics (Advanced)

CPA Ontario offers this certificate course that’s designed specifically to help CPAs expand their skills. This course covers a variety of topics like text functions; date, time functions, and circular references; conditional counts, sums and averages; conditional formatting; pivot tables; advanced chars and controls; and descriptive statistics. Made up of several courses, you’ll gain credit for each one, and after completing the program, you'll receive a certificate to boost your resume and prove you've put in the work to enhance your skills. This course is offered online and on-demand to suit any schedule.

Excel Bootcamp

This three-day bootcamp from Noble Desktop will take you from beginner to pro as you progress through the three included courses. You’ll start with Excel for Business Fundamentals where you’ll learn the essentials including calculations, basic functions, charts, formatting, and printing. You’ll then move on to Intermediate Excel for Business that covers more complex functions such as VLOOKUP and SUMIFs; summarize data with Pivot Tables; Sort & Filter databases; and split and join text. Finally, you’ll attend Advanced Excel for Business where you’ll master advanced database functions like INDEX and MATCH; create basic macros; and use What-If Analysis for Goal Seek and Data Tables. Each of these courses can also be taken on their own so that you can find the best fit for your current level of knowledge.

Excel Corporate Training

If you’re looking to offer in-person or online training to your office or team, Noble Desktop can help. They offer a variety of corporate training programs, including in social media marketing. You can order vouchers in bulk at a discount, choose which courses are available to employees, and even let your employees choose their own schedule. Plus, you can choose to have your training hosted at a location of your choosing, live online, or at Noble Dekstop’s Manhattan office.

With a top-notch customizable curriculum and instructors who are experts in their industries, Noble Desktop’s corporate training is designed to cater to your business or organization’s needs. For more information or to schedule a free consultation, you can reach out to Noble Desktop at corporate@nobledesktop.com.

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Key Insights

Learn More About Toronto Excel Courses

What is Excel?

What Can You Do with Excel Training?

What Will I Learn in an Excel Class?

Basic Functions

Data Entry

Formatting and Conditional Formatting

PivotTables

Analyzing and Visualizing Data

How Hard is it to Learn Excel?

What Are the Most Challenging Parts of Learning Excel?

How Long Does it Take to Learn Excel?

Should I Learn Excel In Person or Online?

Can I Learn Excel Free Online?

What Should I Learn Alongside Excel?

Industries that Use Excel

Finance

Real Estate

Technology

Life Sciences

Excel Job Titles and Salaries

Accountant

Project Manager

Data Analyst

Cost Estimator

Excel Classes Near Me

Microsoft Excel Training

Microsoft Excel - Part One

Certificate in Microsoft Excel and Data Analytics (Advanced)

Excel Corporate Training

Toronto Excel Courses by School

Excel Specialist Certification Program

Microsoft Excel Bootcamp

Beginner Microsoft Excel

Excel for Business Bootcamp

Excel for Business Fundamentals

Intermediate Excel for Business

Excel 2019 - Part 1

Excel 2019 - Part 2

Excel 2019 - Part 3

Microsoft Excel for Office 365 - Part 1

Excel Level 1

Excel Level 2

Excel Level 3

Advanced Formulas & Functions

Excel Bootcamp: Formulas & Functions (Online) Not currently offered

Advanced Excel Training (Online) Not currently offered

Excel Bootcamp (Online) Not currently offered

Toronto Excel Corporate & Onsite Training Noble Desktop

Excel Training Locations in or Near Toronto

Toronto Careers & Salaries Related to Excel

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Toronto Excel
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