All Microsoft 365 training

Live training with Eithne Dolan

Microsoft Excel Intermediate

Move beyond the basics

I’ll help you organise data, create reliable formulas, control data entry, highlight important information and present results clearly: time-saving techniques you can apply immediately to everyday spreadsheets and reports.

Course outline: PDF, 2 pages

Group size
Recommended maximum: 10
For an interactive session
Delivery
Live virtual
Demonstrations, guided practice and supplied exercise files
Duration
6 hours
One 6-hour session or two 3-hour sessions

Is this course for you?

Does any of this sound familiar?

You may be comfortable entering data and creating basic formulas, yet find that larger spreadsheets, inconsistent data, repeated calculations and reporting tasks take too long or are difficult to manage. Do you...

  • Use Excel regularly but feel there are gaps in your knowledge?
  • Rely on manual formatting, copying and pasting to organise information?
  • Find it difficult to keep formulas correct when copying them?
  • Want to understand when to use relative, absolute and mixed cell references?
  • Work with lists that need to be sorted, filtered or checked for duplicates?
  • Want to create drop-down lists and control what users can enter?
  • Need to highlight deadlines, exceptions, trends or duplicate values?
  • Spend time preparing worksheets and reports for other people?
  • Want to create clearer charts and summaries from your data?
  • Know there must be a quicker way to complete common Excel tasks?
  • Want a stronger foundation before progressing to advanced Excel or Power Query?

If any of the above resonates, this course is for you.

What you’ll be able to do

  • Use Excel Tables to organise, filter and calculate data.
  • Create formulas using relative and absolute references.
  • Apply common statistical, logical, date and text functions.
  • Control data entry with validation and highlight information with conditional formatting.
  • Sort, filter, present and print larger worksheets effectively.
  • Create and format charts and protect important worksheet content.

Your course outline

Six modules. Real-world application.

From working faster to presenting clear reports, these are the high impact features that make the biggest practical difference to the way you work.

01Working More Efficiently in Excel
  • Navigation and selection shortcuts
  • Freeze Panes
  • Multiple windows
  • Quick Access Toolbar
  • Find & Replace
  • Go To Special
  • Flash Fill
02Excel Tables & Managing Data
  • Create and format Tables
  • Structured references
  • Table formulas
  • Sort and filter
  • Remove duplicates
  • Total Row
  • Slicers
  • Set Print Area
  • Repeat Print Titles
  • Scale to fit
  • Add headers, footers and page numbers
03Building Reliable Formulas
  • Calculations
  • Percentages
  • Relative/Absolute/Mixed references
  • Named Ranges
  • MIN, MAX, AVERAGE
  • COUNT, COUNTA, COUNTBLANK
  • SUBTOTAL
04Intermediate Functions
  • Lookup & Reference: XLOOKUP
  • Logical: IF, SUMIF, COUNTIF, IFERROR
  • Dates: TODAY/NOW, DATE/DAYS/WORKDAYS, DATEDIF
  • Text: LEFT, RIGHT, MID, TEXTBEFORE/TEXTAFTER, TEXTSPLIT, CONCAT / &
05Controlling & Highlighting Data
  • Data Validation: drop-down lists
  • Restrict numbers/dates/text
  • Input messages and error alerts
  • Conditional Formatting: Highlight Cells rules, Top/Bottom
  • Data Bars, Colour Scales, Icon Sets and heat maps
  • Manage Rules
06Presenting & Reporting Data
  • Charts
  • Recommended Charts
  • Basic PivotTable introduction
  • Printing larger worksheets
  • Linking charts to Word/PowerPoint

What you’ll learn to do

This isn’t just a tour of Excel features. You’ll work through realistic exercises and learn techniques you can apply immediately.

Work more efficiently

  • Navigate and select data efficiently
  • Use Freeze Panes and multiple worksheet views
  • Use Find & Replace and Go To Special
  • Apply Flash Fill and Quick Analysis

Organise data with Excel Tables

  • Sort, filter and remove duplicates
  • Automatic formula expansion
  • Total Row and Table slicers
  • Structured references in formulas

Use functions for everyday work

  • IF, SUMIF, COUNTIF and IFERROR
  • Dates with TODAY, NOW, DATE, DAYS and DATEDIF
  • Text with LEFT, RIGHT, MID, LEN, CONCAT and &
  • An introductory exact-match XLOOKUP

Protect and re-use your work

  • Lock formula cells while allowing data entry
  • Protect worksheets and workbook structure
  • Create reusable Excel templates
  • Calculate across worksheets

Build confidence through practical exercises

The final exercise brings the skills together in one controlled reporting workbook: organising the source data, adding formulas, validating entries, highlighting key results and presenting the information clearly.

Before you join: a basic working knowledge of Excel, including entering and formatting data, navigating worksheets and creating simple formulas.

Let’s make Excel work for you

Book a free 20-minute consultation with me to discuss your team, your Excel experience and your training goals.

Book a Free Consultation