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Beginning Excel: From Basics to Practical Data Skills (Excel Bootcamp Series)

Class Code Date Delivery Method Cost
ITS-1525
  • Thu Jan 16, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Live Online - 1 session $300
ITS-1525
  • Tue Feb 25, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Live Online - 1 session $300
ITS-1525
  • Tue Feb 25, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Main Campus - 1 session $300

Before each session, Tech Training will provide a Zoom link for live online classes, along with any required class materials.

Note: This class offers an option for online and in-classroom sessions. Participants attending an in-person class will need to adhere to the Stanford Health Check guidelines.


This course will introduce the basics of the Excel user interface including spreadsheet terminology, navigation techniques, formatting best practices, and commonly-used formulas and functions to assist with efficient and effective data transformation.

This is session one of the Stanford University Technology Training Excel Proficiency Certificate program. The program includes four half-day training sessions and an optional final exam challenge. In order to obtain your certificate of completion, you must attend at least three of the four sessions and successfully pass the final exam challenge.

VIEW THE ENTIRE EXCEL BOOTCAMP SERIES AND LEARN MORE >>
 

Note: It is not required to take the final exam challenge if you are just interested in the training session.

 

Learning Objectives

During this course, you will have the opportunity to:

  • Gain an understanding of the basic framework of spreadsheets
  • Learn key terminology and shortcuts when working with data within Excel
  • Observe the benefits of using simple summary formulas and functions
  • Identify formatting techniques to enhance usability and visuals within data sets

 

Topic Outline

This session focuses on:

  • Spreadsheets¿framework and terminology
  • Excel's user interface
  • Robust data entry and navigation techniques
  • Creating, renaming, copying, formatting, and deleting sheets
  • How Excel handles text, numbers, and dates
  • Take advantage of the Fill-Series tool
  • Make smart tags work for you
  • How to transform data with Flash Fill
  • The secrets of Excel's copy-paste
  • Working with merged cells
  • Introduction to formulas and functions
  • Cell references in Excel formulas
  • How to AutoSum
  • Insert-function and function-arguments dialogue boxes
  • Summary functions: SUM, AVERAGE, MAX, MIN, COUNT, COUNTA, COUNTBLANK
  • The auto-calculate feature
  • Basic text functions: UPPER, LOWER, PROPER, TRIM
  • Range formatting tips and techniques

Igor Ovchinnikov

Igor Ovchinnikov has been teaching software productivity classes for over 20 years. Stanford staff have enjoyed his training since around 2007. His training philosophy stems from a strong belief that learning is a perpetual cycle of new discoveries and improvement.

Custom training workshops are available for this program

Technology training sessions structured around individual or group learning objectives. Learn more about custom training


University IT Technology Training sessions are available to a wide range of participants, including Stanford University staff, faculty, students, and employees of Stanford Hospitals & Clinics, such as Stanford Health Care, Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley, Stanford Medicine Partners, and Stanford Medicine Children's Health.

Additionally, some of these programs are open to interested individuals not affiliated with Stanford, allowing for broader community engagement and learning opportunities.