Excel is a spreadsheet program designed by Microsoft that helps with data analysis and documentation. This application organizes content into columns and rows comprised of individual cells, which makes it easier to find specific information. An important factor that goes into deciding to learn a new skill is researching complementary and related skills. Doing so will help you make more informed decisions about what you want to learn, and it will help you decide whether studying a specific skill is the right decision for you. You will also discover what kind of skills you may want to learn to complement your training later on. Read on to learn more about related Excel training options, such as working with programs like ClickUp, Google Sheets, or Numbers, as well as learning other programming languages.

What is Excel?

Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet application created by Microsoft in 1985. Excel is a powerful and valuable resource for organizing data and numbers using functions and formulas. It also comes with graphing tools to help visualize data findings, a programming language known as Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) used to create macros, and advanced calculation capabilities. Excel works on both Mac and Windows operating systems. 

The cells within an Excel spreadsheet each contain data, like formulas, numbers, or text, which can be organized and analyzed. Excel is a useful tool for performing various calculations on spreadsheets. It can calculate statistics, perform repeated and advanced calculations, analyze data, and create graphical representations of the data, such as graphs, charts, and PivotTables. 

Read more about what Excel is and why you should learn it. 

What Can You Do with Excel Skills?

Excel has hundreds of features and tools that help users organize, manage, analyze, and visualize data. The following are just a few of the tools and features that make Excel the go-to for professionals around the globe:

• In Excel, users can add or average numbers in cells, locate high, median, or low values, count cells containing numbers, and find a product by multiplying cells. It’s also possible to delete extra white space and truncate numbers by removing fractions.
• Excel can learn your patterns the more you use it so that it can organize your data and ultimately save time. 
• Users can share workbooks with others in real-time to ensure that all collaborators have the most up-to-date version. 
• It’s possible to work on Excel files from the web and mobile and desktop devices.
• Users can now add data right into Excel from a photo. The Excel app enables users to take a picture of printed data with their iPhone or Android, then convert this image into an editable Excel table. This helpful trick helps users avoid manually entering hard copy data and is made possible through Excel’s image recognition capabilities. 
• Financial transactions can be imported into Excel so that users can organize and review their financial information and receive helpful insights toward making more informed financial decisions.
• Excel’s PivotTables help users perform analysis and summaries of datasets, regrouping spreadsheet data for more effective comparisons. By seeing data from different perspectives, it’s possible to get a more comprehensive picture of revenue sources and other vital information.

Skills & Programs Related to Excel

If you work with Excel for data-related tasks, you may be interested in learning other spreadsheet software like ClickUp, Google Sheets, and Numbers. You may also wish to brush up on programming skills to help you learn how to work with VBA to create macros for automating repetitive Excel tasks. The following sections will briefly explore several programs and skills related to Excel.

ClickUp

ClickUp is a popular tool for product management and productivity tasks. It has a range of applications for both small and large organizations. This tool provides users with many spreadsheet solutions and features for managing tasks. It’s also free, which makes it a good alternative to Excel. Like Excel, which allows users to edit, manage, and organize data, ClickUp provides a way to do so with tasks. ClickUp’s table view provides a way for users to sort their tasks, as well as details like status, due date, and assignee, in a grid format.

In addition to ClickUp’s features for task management, this software also has an intuitive user interface, which makes it easy for users from a non-technical background to work with. It also includes features like Comments and Chat View that facilitate real-time collaboration with team members. ClickUp can be used in offline mode as well, in instances when you don’t have an internet connection. Similar to Excel, this app also offers a range of keyboard shortcuts. With over 50 automations, ClickUp helps you quickly complete repetitive tasks. This powerful tool can also integrate with other applications, such as Salesforce, Zoom, and Time Doctor.

Google Sheets

Google Sheets is an online spreadsheet editing tool that provides users with many of the same features and functions as Excel. Just like Excel has an internet-based option (Excel Online), Google Sheets runs online and provides users with cloud storage. For collaborative projects, this spreadsheet tool allows multiple team members to simultaneously work on the same sheet. Google Sheets supports macros, which are used to automate a range of repetitive tasks.

Some of the main features that make Google Sheets a good alternative to Excel are its auto-save features, which allow users to continuously save the information contained in a sheet. Users can also leave comments directly in a Google Sheet, which can help them provide quick feedback to other team members. This application has a user-friendly interface and can integrate with other Google tools, like Google Slides and Google Docs. Although Google Sheets has fewer keyboard shortcuts and data visualization options than Excel, it is free to use, which makes it a popular Excel alternative. 

Numbers

Numbers was designed by Apple to be an alternative to Excel. One of the best features of this application is how easy it is to use. This makes it a good choice for those who are new to working with spreadsheets, as well as those interested in using them for personal tasks. Numbers helps users create a range of beautiful data visualizations, such as diagrams and charts. With the help of this tool’s smart categories, data can easily be organized and analyzed. In addition, online videos from places like Vimeo or YouTube can be embedded directly into this spreadsheet tool. 

Users like working with Numbers because it has a clean and accessible user interface, which lends itself well to touchscreen devices. Its real-time collaboration tools make it a good option for those working on group projects. One of the best features of Numbers is that it’s compatible with Excel files and functions, such as VLOOKUP. Even though Numbers doesn’t have as many advanced features, formulas, and equations for data analytics as Excel, it’s a free and intuitive product.

Computer Programming

Although it’s not necessary to be a Computer Programmer to work with Excel, coding knowledge is a plus that can help you master more advanced Excel functions. Visual Basic for Applications, or VBA, is a Microsoft-specific programming language. VBA allows Excel users to create macros, which enable them to create reports, data visualizations, and custom forms, as well as to quickly execute many repetitive auctions. 

Excel users often consider VBA to be one of the most difficult aspects of this application to learn. This is why having a background working with other programming languages can help. Studying Python for Automation or learning more about JavaScript through Noble Desktop’s JavaScript Development Certificate program can help you develop a range of coding skills that will make working with VBA easier.

Learn Excel Skills with Noble Desktop

Are you looking to learn how to use Microsoft Excel, the industry-standard spreadsheet application? If so, Noble Desktop currently offers a variety of Excel courses in NYC and live online. Classes are available for those new to Excel and for learners who regularly work with this spreadsheet application and wish to improve their skills. In addition, in-person and live online Excel courses are available through Noble Desktop or one of its affiliate schools. A variety of course options are offered, ranging in duration from three hours to two days and costing between $229 and $1,099. 

Noble Desktop’s Excel Bootcamp provides an excellent option for those who want to master core Excel concepts, such as working with PivotTables and What-If Analysis. Students who enroll in this rigorous, 21-hour course can elect to study in person in Manhattan or learn in the live online environment. This small class comes with the option of a free retake and covers a variety of Excel concepts applicable to the business world.

Key Takeaway

• Microsoft Excel is a widely popular application for creating spreadsheets and visualizing data.
• If you’re interested in free Excel alternatives, you may consider using ClickUp, Google Sheets, or Numbers.
• For those interested in mastering Excel’s programming language VBA, studying other coding languages like Python or JavaScript can be beneficial.
• Noble Desktop offers a range of in-person and live online Excel courses for those who are interested in receiving comprehensive training on this industry-standard spreadsheet application.