Microsoft Excel is the industry-standard spreadsheet program used by businesses of all sizes and types. It helps users with tasks like entering, formatting, and organizing data, managing projects, performing advanced calculations, and visualizing numerical information. Once you’ve decided to study Excel, the next important question is deciding how you plan to learn these skills. Most students find that they learn better when they receive guided training, and there is no shortage of available options for students to receive guidance in their Excel training. To learn more about the different Excel training options and what advantages and disadvantages they carry with them, read on.

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.

Why Training Format Matters

It’s easier than ever before to learn Excel, thanks to the range of training options available. Choosing the best learning format for you will likely depend on several key factors, such as whether you prefer to study in-person or remotely, if you are able to attend synchronous classes, and how much time you have to commit to your studies. In addition, your reasons for learning Excel will also inform the training format you select. Because there are a variety of beginner-friendly, intermediate, and advanced Excel courses available, you’ll want to ensure that the training format and class type you choose are most in line with your skills and professional goals.

Types of Training Formats

If you’re interested in learning Excel, several training formats are currently available from top educational providers. If you’re an extroverted learner interested in hands-on training, in-person study options are a good option. For those who prefer the virtual learning format, live online and self-paced study options are also available. The following sections will briefly explore the unique benefits and drawbacks of each of these learning formats.

Live In-Person Classes

The most interactive and engaging way available to learn Excel is in the in-person live environment. These courses are taught in most major metropolitan hubs, such as New York City, Houston, and Chicago. Because these classes are taught by a live instructor, students can receive in-the-moment support and guidance. In-person study also allows Excel learners to connect with others on the same learning path, which is an excellent chance to network. In-person Excel study also provides learners with access to a computer lab that has the most up-to-date software and tools available.

Live Online Classes

If you’re the kind of learner who prefers studying Excel in the virtual format, live online coursework is an excellent option. Similar to in-person study, live online coursework provides Excel learners with access to a live instructor. This means they can ask questions as they arise and even share their screen with the instructor (with permission) for more individualized feedback. Instead of having to battle rush-hour traffic or search for parking for each class meeting, live online classes can be completed remotely from any location, which makes them a much more flexible learning format than in-person study. Although these courses still require attending regularly scheduled meetings, these classes can be attended from your own home or office space.

On-Demand Classes

Another virtual study option for learning Excel is through on-demand coursework. Unlike in-person and live online study options, which meet at regularly scheduled intervals and are conducted in the live format, on-demand Excel classes occur asynchronously. Course content, such as videos, tutorials, and quizzes, are pre-recorded, which means they are available so that students can complete them at their own pace as time permits. Asynchronous Excel study is the most flexible learning format since it doesn’t require commuting or taking off work to attend regular meetings. This learning format is a good option for those who need to balance their Excel studies with other commitments, such as full-time work, travel, or family events. It also provides a good way for individuals who don’t live near major metropolitan hubs to learn spreadsheet skills.

If you choose to study Excel in the on-demand format, it’s important to ensure the course you select is up-to-date on the most current Excel content. Because of the number of available self-paced learning options, it can be challenging for some to select a course that provides the appropriate level of instruction and offers the most current information. In addition, since you won’t have access to an instructor in the self-paced study format, you’ll need to find answers to questions independently. This is why on-demand coursework is typically good for introductory-level Excel study, but to master more complex Excel concepts like working with macros and VBA, a more structured learning format, such as in-person or live online, may be preferable.

Free Courses

If you’re new to Excel and don’t want to invest a lot of money in studying this spreadsheet application, free courses are available from many top educators, such as Udemy and Coursera. A range of free content is online, such as YouTube videos and channels, online tutorials, blogs, and other resources. Free content is a low-stakes way to get started working with spreadsheets. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on a bootcamp or thousands on a certificate program, free Excel coursework can provide you with a basic Excel foundation, as well as an overview of how to work with this application. It’s a great first step in your path toward mastering Excel.

Depth of Training Formats

When deciding which training format is best for helping you learn Excel, you may wonder about the depth of training provided by various types of coursework. Introductory-level coursework typically offers a relatively short overview of working with Excel and is a great starting point. For more in-depth study, bootcamps and certificate programs are also available. The following sections will briefly discuss the depth of Excel instruction provided in the different training formats so that you can select the one most appropriate for your learning needs. 

Certificate Programs

Certificate programs in Excel are generally the most intensive, in-depth way to study this spreadsheet application. Certificate study often spans weeks or months. These rigorous programs are intended for individuals who are interested in mastering Excel for professional needs or to advance in their careers. Excel certificates are completion-based programs that provide hands-on training in various useful spreadsheet skills, such as creating PivotTables, working with macros, and exporting workbooks. 

Certificate programs typically are the most expensive learning option outside of a traditional four-year degree from a college or university. Most certificates range in cost from thousands to tens of thousands of dollars. They are also the longest, usually spanning weeks or several months. Those who earn a certificate in Excel can demonstrate to employers that they’ve acquired a range of useful spreadsheet skills and that they can use them with real-world datasets. Noble Desktp’s Data Analytics Certificate provides students with training in Excel, as well as other data tools like Tableau, SQL, and Python. This certificate is available in person in New York City, as well as in the live online format. All students receive one-on-one mentoring and can take this class for free for up to one year to revisit relevant material.

Training Bootcamps 

In addition to certificate programs that teach Excel, another great learning option is to enroll in a bootcamp. Whereas certificates often teach a range of skills, bootcamp study offers more focused instruction specific to Excel. Bootcamp study is typically shorter than a certificate program. Many bootcamps can be completed in several days or weeks, making them a convenient alternative for those who need to fill a skill gap for their job. In addition, these programs typically cost much less than certificate study, costing several hundred to several thousand dollars. Bootcamps are offered in the in-person and live online format. 

Noble Desktop’s Excel Bootcamp provides learners with expert Excel instruction in various topics, such as creating macros and PivotTables, as well as working with a range of functions and formulas. This bootcamp is offered in the in-person and live online format. Throughout this bootcamp, students progress from beginner-level Excel instruction to intermediate and advanced lessons.

Introductory Courses

If you’re just starting out learning Excel or haven’t studied this application since high school, an introductory-level class is an excellent place to begin. Unlike bootcamp or certificate study, which can take weeks or months to complete, these classes are typically much shorter. Some beginner-level Excel courses can even be completed in just one day. Introductory-level Excel study can help you acquire any spreadsheet skills you might have missed in your education and prepare you to work with spreadsheets at work. In addition, introductory courses are generally much more affordable than a bootcamp or certificate, typically costing several hundred dollars. This makes them an accessible learning option for many students.

Noble Desktop offers Excel Level 1: Fundamentals. Those enrolled in this hands-on class don’t need to have any prior Excel training. Participants work with basic Excel formulas and functions and learn to enter data and create basic visualizations, such as graphs or charts. For learners who wish to take their Excel studies further upon completing Excel Level 1, Level 2 and 3 coursework is also offered.

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 Takeaways

• Learning Microsoft Excel is easier than ever, thanks to the range of in-person and online training options available for learners at all levels.
• In-person Excel classes are the most interactive way to study this tool. For students who wish to learn Excel virtually, live online, and self-paced study options are also available. Live online courses meet in real-time, whereas self-paced training is asynchronous.
• Various Excel learning formats offer different depths of training. The most rigorous, expensive, and longest form of Excel study is a certificate program. Bootcamps are generally shorter and more focused. Introductory-level coursework is the shortest and least expensive option, save for free classes.
• You can receive comprehensive Excel training through Noble Desktop, either in person or online.