MS Excel: Working with Basic Data Analysis Techniques Explained
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
Excel is not just a tool for storing data — it’s a powerful platform for analysing information and making decisions. Even with basic techniques, you can extract insights, spot trends, and summarise data quickly.
These skills are essential for finance, administration, operations, and reporting roles.
What Is Data Analysis in Excel?
Data analysis involves examining your data to identify patterns, trends, and meaningful insights. Even simple analysis can help you answer questions like:
Which products sell the most?
Which customers have overdue invoices?
How do sales vary month-to-month?
Are there unusual values or errors in the data?
Common Basic Data Analysis Techniques
1️⃣ Sorting and Filtering
Sort data alphabetically, numerically, or by date.
Filter data to display only the values you need.
Example: Filter all invoices overdue by more than 30 days.
2️⃣ Using Formulas
SUM() – Add totals quickly
AVERAGE() – Find mean values
COUNT() / COUNTA() – Count entries
MIN() / MAX() – Identify smallest or largest values
Formulas allow you to summarize data automatically without manual calculations.
3️⃣ Conditional Formatting
Highlight trends or outliers using colours or icons.
Identify high sales, overdue payments, or duplicate entries instantly.
4️⃣ Creating Simple Charts
Visualize your data with bar, line, or pie charts.
Charts make trends and comparisons easier to understand.
Example: Monthly sales by product category displayed in a column chart.
5️⃣ Using PivotTables (Optional)
Even at a basic level, PivotTables allow you to summarise large datasets quickly:
Sum sales by region
Count transactions by customer
Compare monthly performance
Why Basic Data Analysis Matters
These techniques help you:
✔ Make decisions faster
✔ Spot errors before they affect reporting
✔ Prepare clear reports for managers or clients
✔ Understand trends and patterns in your data
They form the foundation for advanced Excel skills like PivotTables, Power Query, and dashboards.
Final Thoughts
Learning basic data analysis techniques in Excel transforms raw data into useful insights. Even simple sorting, filtering, formulas, and charts can save hours of work and make your spreadsheets more professional and impactful.
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