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Excel Training: Advanced Tricks and Techniques

The Excel Training: Advanced Tricks & Techniques course helps you master advanced Excel functions like SUMPRODUCT, INDEX, and COUNTIF, enabling you to work more efficiently and create dynamic, interactive charts and reports.

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Nitty Gritty

Last audited and Updated on : September 2025

Learning Outcome

Course Overview

The Excel Training: Advanced Tricks & Techniques course is designed for individuals who already have a basic understanding of Excel and want to take their skills to the next level. In this course, you’ll explore a wide range of powerful techniques and functions that can dramatically improve your productivity, data analysis, and overall efficiency in using Excel. This course will provide you with the skills needed to tackle complex problems, streamline your workflow, and use Excel in innovative ways to get the most out of your data.

The course begins with an Introduction to advanced Excel techniques, setting the stage for the in-depth lessons that follow. In the Neat Tricks to Supercharge Your Productivity section, you’ll discover how to work faster and smarter by utilizing lesser-known Excel tricks that can help save time and effort. You’ll then learn how to use Wildcards with Formulas—a feature that many users overlook but can be a game-changer in complex searches and data manipulations.

The SUMPRODUCT Function section introduces you to this Swiss Army knife of Excel functions, demonstrating how it can be used for a variety of applications such as conditional summing and complex calculations. You’ll also master Advanced PivotTable Tricks, which are crucial for analysing large datasets and summarising information with ease. The MOD Function is often underutilised, but in the Hidden Power of the MOD Function section, you’ll see how it can be used to handle a variety of mathematical and financial problems that are commonly encountered in Excel.

The INDIRECT Function section explores this dynamic function, which allows you to reference cells indirectly and make your formulas more flexible and robust. Next, you’ll dive into the INDEX Function, a powerful tool that can replace VLOOKUP in many situations, offering more flexibility and speed in finding data across large tables. The COUNTIF Function is also explored in-depth, showcasing its ability to count specific data that meets certain conditions—an invaluable tool for data analysis.

Custom Number Formatting and Advanced Custom Formatting are covered to help you create visually appealing spreadsheets that are not only functional but easy to read. The course then moves into Advanced Chart Tricks, where you will learn how to create Dynamic Interactive Charts, a powerful way to visualise data and make your reports more engaging.

As a bonus, the course includes additional materials to help reinforce the lessons, and the course concludes with a Final Quiz to test your understanding of the advanced Excel techniques covered. Upon completion, you will be able to apply these advanced tricks and techniques to your daily Excel tasks, significantly boosting your efficiency and productivity.

Who This Course Is For:

  • Excel users who are familiar with basic functions and want to deepen their knowledge.
  • Data analysts looking to improve their skills in Excel.
  • Business professionals who regularly work with large datasets.
  • Financial analysts and accountants seeking more advanced Excel techniques.
  • Project managers who need to organise and visualise data more efficiently.
  • Office workers looking to increase productivity using Excel.
  • Students who want to develop advanced Excel skills for their careers.
  • Anyone interested in mastering Excel to enhance their work processes.

Requirements:

  • Basic knowledge of Excel functions and formulas.
  • Familiarity with Excel’s basic tools and navigation.
  • No prior advanced Excel knowledge required—just a willingness to learn.

Course Instructor

Alan Murray​

Alan Murray is an experienced Excel instructor with years of hands-on expertise in advanced Excel techniques. Having worked with various industries, Alan is passionate about helping professionals optimise their use of Excel through real-world examples and practical applications. His clear, step-by-step teaching style ensures that learners can master advanced features, improving their productivity and data analysis skills.

Accreditation

This Excel Training: Advanced Tricks & Techniques course is accredited by CPDQE, ensuring the training meets professional development standards. The CPDQE accreditation guarantees that the content is relevant, comprehensive, and recognized across industries. Completing this accredited course will help you enhance your Excel skills, demonstrating your commitment to efficiency, productivity, and data management in the workplace. The certification is valuable for both career advancement and building credibility in data-driven roles.

What Students say about us

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to now about he product billing.

An Excel course is a training program that teaches you how to use Microsoft Excel for tasks like data entry, calculations, analysis, and creating charts. Courses range from beginner to advanced levels, covering everything from basic formulas to complex data tools like PivotTables and macros.

An Excel course in computer refers to training that teaches how to use Microsoft Excel, a spreadsheet software used for organising, calculating, analysing, and visualising data. The course typically includes lessons on formulas, functions, charts, data management, and automation tools like macros.

The best way to learn Excel is through a combination of online courses, hands-on practice, and real-world projects. Start with beginner tutorials, then progress to intermediate and advanced topics. Use platforms like Coursera, Udemy, or Microsoft Learn, and regularly apply what you learn to tasks like budgeting, data analysis, or reports to reinforce your skills.

Here are five commonly used basic functions in Excel:

  1. SUM() – Adds a range of numbers

     

  2. AVERAGE() – Calculates the mean of a range

     

  3. MIN() – Returns the smallest number in a range

     

  4. MAX() – Returns the largest number in a range

     

  5. IF() – Performs a logical test and returns different values based on TRUE or FALSE

VLOOKUP (Vertical Lookup) is an Excel function used to search for a value in the first column of a table and return a related value from another column in the same row.

Syntax:
=VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, [range_lookup])

Example:
If you have a list of employee IDs and names, you can use VLOOKUP to find an employee’s name based on their ID.

It’s commonly used for data lookup, matching, and reporting tasks.

An Excel formula is an equation used to perform calculations or operations on data in a spreadsheet. Formulas begin with an equals sign (=) and can include numbers, cell references, operators (like +, -, *, /), and functions.

A PivotTable is a powerful Excel feature that lets you summarize, analyze, explore, and present large amounts of data quickly. It allows you to group and reorganize data dynamically without changing the original dataset.

The best method to learn Excel is a mix of structured learning and hands-on practice:

  1. Start with beginner tutorials 
  2. Follow along with real examples to practice formulas, charts, and functions

     

Use Excel daily for tasks like budgeting, tracking, or reports

Excel can be easy to start but challenging to master. Basic tasks like entering data, using simple formulas (like SUM or AVERAGE), and formatting are beginner-friendly. However, more advanced features—such as PivotTables, macros, and complex formulas—can take time to learn.

Course Curriculum

Section 1: Introduction
Introduction and What to Expect 00:03:00
Section 2: Neat Tricks to Supercharge your Productivity
10 Paste Special Tricks used by the Pros 00:12:00
Excel’s Best kept secret and 3 ways to Use It 00:07:00
The Unsung Hero of Excel for Cleaning Messy Data 00:12:00
Edit Multiple Sheets at the Same Time with Ease 00:05:00
5 Reasons your Excel Formulas are not Calculating 00:06:00
TOP SECRET – How to Make Sheets VERY Hidden 00:05:00
My Favourite Excel Shortcuts 00:11:00
Section 3: Using Wildcards with Formulas
Using Wildcards with VLOOKUP 00:04:00
Using wildcards with COUNTIF and SUMIF 00:03:00
Validate that Text is a Specific Number of Characters 00:04:00
Care for a Feedback 00:01:00
Section 4: The Awesome SUMPRODUCT Function - The Swiss Army Knife of Functions
The Definitive Guide to the SUMPR 00:08:00
Example 1-Count and Sum the Sales 00:07:00
Example 2 – Count the Occurrences 00:05:00
Example 3-Count the Unique Values 00:04:00
Example 4 – Sum the Top 3 Values 00:03:00
Example 5-Two Way Lookup Formula 00:05:00
Section 5: Advanced PivotTable Tricks
Two Reasons your PivotTable Counts instead of Sums 00:07:00
You Must Do this One Thing 00:07:00
Grouping Dates and Times 00:10:00
Using the GETPIVOTDATA Function to Pull Data from a PivotTable 00:10:00
Going Beyond the Sum-3 More PivotTable Calculations 00:10:00
Calculating the Difference to Previous Years Months Weeks 00:06:00
Create Your Own Calculated Fields 00:04:00
Using Conditional Formatting with PivotTables 00:07:00
Using Conditional Formatting with PivotTables 00:07:00
Five Useful PivotTable Settings 00:09:00
The Power of Slicers 00:11:00
7 Slicer Settings you Will Want to Change 00:09:00
Section 6: The Hidden Power of the MOD Function
An Introduction to the MOD Function 00:02:00
Example 1- Extracting the Time from a Date-Time Cell 00:03:00
Example 2 – Prevent the Entry of Odd Numbers in a Range 00:03:00
Example 3- Calculate Total Balls Bowled from Overs in Cricket 00:04:00
Example 4 – Sum Every 3rd Row in a List 00:07:00
Section 7: The Magic of the INDIRECT Function
Example 1 – INDIRECT with Named Ranges 00:03:00
Ezample 2 – Referencing other sheets with Indirect 00:05:00
Example 3 – Return the Last Value from a Row 00:05:00
Example 4 – INDIRECT with VLOOKUP 00:03:00
Example 5 – Create Dependent Drop Down Lists 00:04:00
Section 8: The Incredible INDEX Function
Example 1 – Using INDEX and MATCH for an Advanced Lookup 00:12:00
Lecture 48 Example 2 – Create a Picture Lookup 00:08:00
Example 3 – Return the Value from the Last Row 00:03:00
Example 4 – Create a Dynamic Named Range 00:13:00
Example 5 – Sum the Last 6 Values Only 00:05:00
Example 6 – Retrieve a Range from a List of Ranges 00:06:00
Section 9: COUNTIF Function - A Mega Useful Excel Function
Using Cell Values with COUNTIF 00:05:00
Count values Between Two Dates 00:03:00
Prevent Duplicates in a Range 00:05:00
Compare Two Lists to Identify Missing Items 00:05:00
VLOOKUP for the Last Match in a List 00:08:00
Uniquely Rank Items 00:05:00
Section 10: Introducing Custom Number Formatting
Combine Text and Numbers in a Cell 00:04:00
Show the Weekday of a Date 00:03:00
Keep the Leading Zeroes of a Value 00:04:00
Display Negative Values in Red 00:04:00
Show Zero Values as Blank Cells 00:03:00
Section 11: Advanced Custom Formatting Examples that Users did not know was Possible
Display Symbols 00:08:00
Conditional Colour 00:06:00
Setting Thresholds 00:05:00
Section 12: Advanced Chart Tricks for Dynamic Interactive Charts
The Easiest Way to Create a Dynamic Data 00:05:00
Drop Down Menu to Select a Chart 00:07:00
Get Creative by Building a Dynamic Chart Title 00:08:00
Highlight the Max and Min Values Differently 00:08:00
Create a Scrollable Chart 00:14:00
Use Cell Values for Data Labels to Show 00:05:00
Rolling Chart for the Last 6 Months Only 00:10:00
Visualise Targets v’s Actuals 00:04:00
Using Check boxes to ShowHide Chart Data 00:06:00
Bonus Materials
advanced-excel-tricks-exercises [Download] 00:05:00
custom-number-format-characters 00:03:00
custom-number-format [Download] 00:05:00
Final Quiz: Excel Training: Advanced Tricks & Techniques
Final Quiz: Excel Training: Advanced Tricks & Techniques 00:10:00
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