What is the Best Course to Learn Excel?

Excel classes come in many different styles and employ a range of formats and pedagogical approaches. In the four decades since it was first released, Excel has become a staple of nearly all business environments and is a staple skill for professionals in fields like accounting, data analytics, retail management, business intelligence, and accounting. Since this industry-standard application has so many varied uses, Excel training can take many forms. Deciding which one is best for you is a personal decision, one that will depend on a host of factors, such as your goals for learning Excel, your budget, your professional or personal aspirations for using this software, and your time availability. This article will examine several key differences between training formats that are important to consider so you can make an informed decision about which Excel training program is best for you. 

Are You New to Working with Data or Using Spreadsheets?

A smart first step when deciding which Excel class is best for you is to evaluate your current knowledge base. Have you ever handled datasets before? Do you have any prior experience working with spreadsheets in other programs like Google Sheets? If the answer is “no” to these questions, you’ll likely need to begin with a class that focuses on introductory-level training, such as an Excel Level 1 skills course or a certificate program that begins with the basics. On the other hand, if you already know fundamental spreadsheet skills from prior study or online tutorials, then you’re likely further ahead to select courses that bypass introductory coursework, such as intermediate-level classes. If you regularly use Excel at your workplace and are interested in fully mastering its advanced functions for career advancement, you will probably be better off in a class that teaches advanced-level spreadsheet skills. 

How Much are You Willing to Pay?

For most learners, cost is an essential consideration when selecting a Microsoft Excel study option. Excel coursework varies in cost significantly from one training option to another. While Excel training is a great investment for most individuals because of how widely used this tool is across fields, coursework can be costly, especially for longer and more involved programs. Determining your budgetary constraints is important when selecting a class.

On the low end of the cost spectrum are free online videos and courses. Since there is no cost associated with this form of training, they’re a low-stakes way to get started exploring Excel or to learn a specific skill you need for a work project. On-demand classes are also available in Excel and are offered by many providers around the country. These asynchronous courses are pre-recorded and placed online, and students who pay a fee or have a platform subscription can access them on their own time, at their own pace. Self-paced Excel classes vary significantly in length and cost. Some take just a few hours or less to complete and cost under $100. Others are more involved and take weeks or even months to finish and can cost several hundred dollars. Since both paid and free on-demand content is asynchronous, no instructor will be available to help you learn Excel. While these courses are a less expensive training option than other forms of Excel study, they alone will not prepare most learners for a career that uses advanced Excel.

Excel skills classes are a largely affordable, more hands-on alternative to self-paced training material. These short classes typically take one day or less to complete and are available in person and live online for beginner, intermediate, and advanced Excel students. Cost-wise, they’re typically available for under $400, and some include a free course retake option for six months or a full year. One of the best parts about these classes is that they allow learners to select their level of study. Students don’t have to waste their time and resources revisiting basic Excel skills they may already possess and can opt instead for intermediate-level skills classes. Similarly, those who are new to spreadsheets can opt for the basic skills class, where fundamental Excel concepts will be covered, rather than floundering in advanced-level training.

More involved training in Excel is available through bootcamps and certificates. Some providers offer bootcamp classes that comprise three shorter skills classes: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. These typically cost less than it would be to enroll in each class individually and provide the same instruction. Most providers offer Excel bootcamps for under $1,000. These programs generally take several days or a full week to complete. Certificates, on the other hand, are much more involved and can cost significantly more, often several thousand dollars. These programs generally focus more broadly than just Excel training and prepare students to work with other data analytics or business analytics tools, like Tableau, Microsoft Power BI, SQL, or Python. The Data Analytics Certificate program offered by Noble is one such option and includes professional development 1-on-1 mentoring sessions with tuition.

How Quickly Do You Need to Learn New Skills? 

Another important variable you’ll have to consider when choosing an Excel course is the timeframe you have to acquire this training. Some individuals have busy schedules and must balance their Excel training with a host of other commitments, including family events and full-time employment. For these individuals, part-time study options can be a good option since it affords them the flexibility of spreading out their studies over a longer period of time. If you’re in a hurry to learn Excel for work-related reasons, part-time training may not be viable, and a full-time program is likely a better option. These immersive programs help students quickly learn spreadsheet skills and put them to use immediately. While full-time coursework is a faster learning option than part-time study (and much shorter in duration than earning a college degree), it can still take many weeks or months to graduate from a certificate program in which Excel is taught. This is why learners who are interested in learning a specific Excel skill in a relatively short time period may be further ahead to select a shorter course or even opt for an on-demand program that is sure to cover that exact skill. This option is most suited to those who already have spreadsheet proficiency and won’t need to revisit the basics.

Do You Prefer In-Person or Online Training?

Deciding whether to enroll in an in-person or live online Excel class is another consideration all learners must make. Microsoft Excel is an application that’s used on computing devices, which makes it an easy skill to learn virtually. If you’re the type of learner who prefers the flexibility of learning from the comfort of your home or office space without having to commute to or from class, then live online courses are a good option to consider. These programs still provide hands-on spreadsheet training and are led by an instructor with real-world experience working with spreadsheets. Rather than meeting in a traditional classroom, they take place virtually in real-time using a teleconferencing platform like Zoom. Students who opt for live online training receive the same instantaneous support and feedback they would through in-person study. They can even opt to share their screen with the instructor (with permission) for additional clarification or support. One downside to live online coursework is that participants have less immediate access to instructors and other students. 

For extroverted learners who do best learning alongside others in the same physical location, in-person Excel classes are for you. These programs take place in a designated training facility with a computer lab, which is likely located in or near a major city. This study environment provides students with support and a sense of community, which can help them along their learning path. They also have access to Excel, which is already installed on the computer they’ll be using. In-person study can help some learners remain focused on their studies and receive more direct feedback from the instructor. One possible drawback to this form of coursework is that it requires living near a training facility and having a reliable form of transportation. This makes it potentially a more costly and time-consuming way to learn Excel since it requires regular commuting. 

Learn Video Editing Skills with Noble Desktop

Once you’ve decided that you want to learn Microsoft Excel, it’s time to select a training option. Noble Desktop has several available classes that provide instruction at all levels. You can select from in-person and live online Excel courses for beginners, intermediate, and advanced spreadsheet users. All Noble classes, bootcamps, and certificates provide learners with hands-on training in the small class environment and come with the option of a free course retake for up to a year.

If you’re interested in enrolling in a short Excel skills class, Noble offers three levels of instruction. Excel Level I: Fundamentals is a good option for spreadsheet novices. This one-day skills class covers the essential spreadsheet concepts you’ll need to get started with this application, including how to work with cells, rows, and columns. By the end of this program, you’ll be familiar with basic calculations, functions, shortcuts, graphs, formatting, and printing. 

Students who want to build on their existing spreadsheet training and improve their skills can opt for Noble’s Excel Level 2: Intermediate course. This short class provides instruction on topics like VLOOKUP and SUMIFs. Instruction is provided on working with PivotTables to summarize data, sorting and filtering databases, and splitting and joining text. As a prerequisite, students interested in applying should have taken Excel Level 1 or possess a similar skill set, including an understanding of formatting, formulas, functions, and printing.

Advanced-level coursework is also available from Noble in the short format. In Excel Level 3: Advanced, participants work with complex functions like INDEX-Double MATCH and VLOOKUP-MATCH, and write macros to save time and improve efficiency, and use advanced analytics tools. Those who wish to enroll should already be proficient with spreadsheets and have a knowledge level equivalent to Noble’s Intermediate Excel course, such as familiarity with VLOOKUP, IF statements, and PivotTables.

Those seeking to move from Excel basics into intermediate and advanced concepts and receive more in-depth spreadsheet training can enroll in the Excel Bootcamp. During this program, students gain the hands-on training necessary to progress from Excel beginners to pros over the course of several days. This program requires that students complete the beginner, intermediate, and advanced Excel skills courses. It provides participants with the well-rounded skills needed to use Excel in the workplace, including how to create macros and use PivotTables.