Best way to learn MS Excel?

[Brandon04GT]

I need to learn how to use Excel, specifically for finance/accounting related use. I've already taken finance and accounting classes so I'm familiar with the processes; I just need to learn how to use Excel. I have used it before but only for very limited purposes and whatever I've learned I have now practically forgotten.

I was wondering if anyone knew of where I can kinda get a crash course in Excel and preferably through the internet?. Free would be nice, but I'm willing to pay a bit if the tutorial is good. I don't really want to sign up for some kind of class that will last months but maybe something I can knock out in a week or so since I have the time.


Thanks

[Pandanin]

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel-help/training-courses-for-excel-2013-HA104032083.aspx

[Brandon04GT]

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/ex...104032083.aspx

Thanks. That looks like exactly what I need. Should keep me busy for a while.

[high_revs]

there's quite a few out there. for ex., http://www.brighthub.com/computing/w...les/56254.aspx

you can also search and narrow down what you want to do. for ex., do you want to do vbscripts? or someting more complex?

i believe there is an excel google forum also if you want to ask more detailed questions. i'm using google spreadsheets but you'd be surprised some complex responses to simple requests. for ex., how do i invert my rows, e.g. if it's a-b-c-d to d-c-b-a. can't believe people were giving scripts, functions, etc. when they can just use the sort command. LOL

i use excel a lot for just personal stuff. heck i use it for ammo usage tracking per gun and ammo inventory on the expensive stuff.

[DavidR310]

My gf has her BS in Accounting and is going through the same issues.

She decided to take a course at a CC for a semester length excel class. Next semester she is taking a computer accounting course which deals with quickbooks type software.

[JMP]

The best way to learn Excel is to get a job. Students will sometimes think they know Excel, but when they start working, they'll realize how quickly that they don't know ****. Building nice spreadsheets that are dynamic, logical, and efficient is an art. Rather than taking an Excel class, I'd recommend a class in C++ or another common programming language. People that have at least some programming knowledge tend to pickup spreadsheets and database work much faster.

[DavidR310]

The best way to learn Excel is to get a job. Students will sometimes think they know Excel, but when they start working, they'll realize how quickly that they don't know ****. Building nice spreadsheets that are dynamic, logical, and efficient is an art. Rather than taking an Excel class, I'd recommend a class in C++ or another common programming language. People that have at least some programming knowledge tend to pickup spreadsheets and database work much faster.

That is because C++ at least for me, requires higher thinking then excel.

A savy tech person who knows C++ should be able to grasp excel faster than a non-tech person with no programming skills.

That's like telling my parents who still get confused on how many clicks a link takes to learn C++ instead of basic excel skills. Good luck with that.

That's like saying to saying to learn Latin first if they want to know spanish because folks who know latin pick up spanish easier than someone who knows just english.


Side note. Advanced excel does require minor programming.

[high_revs]

yes, advanced level requires a little more, especially if you want to start building macro. great thing about the internet? you can potentially see solutions you can leverage.

but the basic stuff like vlookup, etc. yes you can do that w/o programming. mid-level might be that you wnat to connect excel to a database to get data anytime you want, rather than extract and import. (I used to extract like 500k lines of data, and import to do vlookups.

freaking IT won't give me back-end access even if read only. something about rogue queries. lol

Side note. Advanced excel does require minor programming.

[hermosabeach]

The only way to learn the program or any program is to have a purpose in using the program.


If you are into fantasy football, track the stats.

Tab for teams, pivot tables from other data sources.

With investments calculate duration on bonds.


Find a project and then find ways to use excel to complete the project.

[DavidR310]

The only way to learn the program or any program is to have a purpose in using the program.


If you are into fantasy football, track the stats.

Tab for teams, pivot tables from other data sources.

With investments calculate duration on bonds.


Find a project and then find ways to use excel to complete the project.

Start doing some personal budgets, shopping list with prices and have it total the shopping list with tax.

[kjv146]

Start doing some personal budgets, shopping list with prices and have it total the shopping list with tax.

great idea. Explore the program by making spreadsheets and lists for random stuff. My project for exploring was a spreadsheet for a football pool.

[HarryN]

I agree with the idea of trying to use a program in personal life as a good way to learn it.

I had an office admin use MS Project to plan her wedding as a way to get here motivated with that program. It worked out really well.

As far as excel itself, personally I think when they switched from the 2003 version to the 2007 and added the ribbons, it became much more difficult and cumbersome to use. For that reason, I ended up switching to Open Office, which is also free. My wife refuses to switch to OpenOffice, so we still have MS office as well, but I only occasionally use it.

I don't have anything against MS and use some of their products every day, but the honestly I don't like the ribbon and all of the vertical space it takes up.

[DavidR310]

great idea. Explore the program by making spreadsheets and lists for random stuff. My project for exploring was a spreadsheet for a football pool.

It was Hermosa's suggestion. I just went with it. But yeah. Start making stuff for which you already do.

Make a sheet for each of the little stuff you do. Then have those sheets linked to a master Asset/Liability & Owners Equity balance sheet for a grand total. Put nothing in the balance sheet manually. Have the balance sheet all auto populate and calculate.

[DavidR310]

One example to easily start on, assuming you have a car from your name. Is to start tracking everything you do for your car.

Initial purchase price, financing, monthly payments, maintenance costs, repair costs, tools bought specifically for the car, gas, insurance, miles driven, upcoming needed maintenance, 5-year depreciation.

Another sheet is school. Track expenses and costs. Books, supplies, tuition, parking permit, housing, etc... you get the idea.

At work, if they use excel. Talk to a supervisor/boss and tell them your situation. See if you can work on a small project that uses excel. Many will let you especially if your doing it on your own time as school work. This will help you and them plus may give you brownie points with the boss man.

[epic1856]

To continue on the theme of using excel to do things you like. Someone just posted their load test using excel in the Ammo & Reloading subforum.

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=972877