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PivotTables are one of Excel’s most powerful tools. They allow you to summarise, analyse, and explore large datasets  quickly — without writing complex formulas. If you regularly work with tables of data, PivotTables can save hours of manual work and help you create professional reports. What Is a PivotTable? A PivotTable is an interactive table that: Organises data dynamically Summarises totals, averages, counts, or other calculations Allows you to filter and sort data insta

Excel isn’t just for numbers and text — it’s also powerful for working with dates and times . Date and time functions allow you to calculate durations, track deadlines, and organise schedules automatically. Mastering these functions saves time and reduces errors, especially in finance, project management, and reporting roles. Common Date Functions 1️⃣ TODAY() Returns the current date. =TODAY() Use it for deadlines, age calculations, or dynamic reporting. 2️⃣ NOW() Returns the

The CONCATENATE  function in Excel is used to combine text from multiple cells into one cell. It is a simple yet powerful function that helps organise and structure data more effectively. In newer versions of Excel, CONCAT  is used instead of CONCATENATE — but both perform the same task. What Does CONCATENATE Do? CONCATENATE joins text strings together. For example, if: Cell A1 contains John Cell B1 contains Smith Using the formula: =CONCATENATE(A1," ",B1) Excel will return:

Excel isn’t just for numbers — it’s also extremely powerful when working with text. Text functions allow you to extract, combine, and manipulate text within cells. Four of the most commonly used text functions are LEFT, RIGHT, MID, and CONCATENATE . 1️⃣ LEFT Function The LEFT  function extracts characters from the beginning of a text string. Structure: =LEFT(text, number_of_characters) Example: If cell A1 contains INV-2024-001 , then: =LEFT(A1,3) Returns: INV This is useful f

Data Validation is a powerful Excel feature that controls what users can enter into a cell. It helps prevent errors, improve accuracy, and create more professional spreadsheets. One of the most common uses of Data Validation is creating drop-down lists . What Is Data Validation? Data Validation allows you to: Restrict entries to specific values Limit numbers within a range Control date inputs Create selectable drop-down lists Display input messages and error alerts It ensures

Named Ranges are one of Excel’s most underrated features. They allow you to give a meaningful name to a cell or range of cells, making your formulas easier to read, understand, and manage. Instead of referencing A1:A12 , you could name it Monthly_Sales . This makes your spreadsheets more professional and easier to maintain. What Is a Named Range? A Named Range is a custom label assigned to a specific cell or group of cells. For example: A1:A12 → Named as Sales_Data B2 → Named

As your Excel skills grow, you’ll quickly move beyond using just one sheet. Working with multiple worksheets allows you to organise data more clearly and build structured, professional workbooks. A workbook is the Excel file itself. A worksheet is an individual tab within that file. Using multiple worksheets helps keep data organised and easier to manage. Why Use Multiple Worksheets? You might use separate worksheets to: Store raw data on one sheet Create calculations on anot

VLOOKUP is one of the most well-known and widely used Excel formulas. It allows you to search for a value in a table and return related information from another column. It is commonly used in administrative, finance, HR, and reporting roles. What Does VLOOKUP Do? VLOOKUP searches for a value in the first column of a table and returns matching data from a specified column in the same row. In simple terms: It helps you automatically pull information from a table instead of sear

Conditional Formatting is one of Excel’s most powerful visual tools. It allows you to automatically format cells based on rules or conditions. Instead of manually checking data, Excel highlights important information for you. What Is Conditional Formatting? Conditional Formatting changes the appearance of a cell when certain criteria are met. For example, you can: Highlight values over budget Show overdue invoices in red Identify duplicate entries Display colour scales for pe

Logical functions allow Excel to make decisions based on conditions. Instead of just calculating numbers, Excel can now “think” and return results depending on specific criteria. The three most commonly used logical functions are IF, AND, and OR . 1️⃣ The IF Function The IF  function checks whether a condition is true or false and returns a result accordingly. Structure: =IF(logical_test, value_if_true, value_if_false) Example: =IF(A2>1000,"Over Budget","Within Budget") If th

If you work with data in Excel, XLOOKUP  is one of the most powerful and useful formulas you can learn. It replaces older lookup functions like VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP, making it easier, more flexible, and more reliable to retrieve information from a table. What Does XLOOKUP Do? XLOOKUP searches for a value in one column and returns matching information from another column. In simple terms: It finds data for you automatically. For example, you can: Look up an employee ID and retu

If you are looking to start a career in finance but don’t yet have hands-on experience, our Starter Finance Course  is designed to bridge that gap. This course teaches you how entry-level finance roles actually work — and how to complete the key tasks using Microsoft Excel. It is practical, structured, and based on real workplace processes. This course teaches you not just finance theory, but how to perform real finance tasks using Excel — exactly as you would in an entry to

Our Advanced Excel Course  is designed for professionals who already use Excel confidently and want to move into high-level data analysis, automation, and reporting. This course focuses on working smarter with large datasets, building powerful reports, and using Excel as a true analytical tool. If you already understand formulas, PivotTables, and basic lookups, this course will take your skills to a professional level. Who Is This Course For? This course is ideal if: You alre

If you already understand the basics of Excel but want to work more efficiently, confidently, and professionally, our Intermediate Excel Course  is the next step. This course is designed for users who can already create simple spreadsheets and basic formulas but want to move into more structured data handling, smarter calculations, and reporting tools. It bridges the gap between basic use and advanced data analysis. Who Is This Course For? This course is ideal if: You already

Excel is one of the most widely used workplace tools across council services, administration, finance, HR, and project management. Our Basic Excel Course  is designed for complete beginners or anyone who uses Excel but has never had formal training. This course builds strong foundations so you can work confidently, accurately, and efficiently in Excel. Who Is This Course For? This course is ideal if: You are new to Excel You only use Excel for simple typing You rely on others