How long does it take to complete this course?

Plan on about 22 hours in total, or roughly 2 to 3 weeks at around 10 hours a week. The pace is steady, with short lessons followed by readings, guided exercises, and quizzes. The course includes lessons, exercises, quizzes, graded assessments, and an optional peer-reviewed assignment near the end.

Are there hands-on exercises or projects in this course?

Yes, there's guided practice throughout the course. Most of it comes through step-by-step Excel exercises where you'll create workbooks, use formulas, sort and filter data, and turn datasets into charts or PivotTables. There's also an optional peer-reviewed sales report project, so you can pull several skills together in one piece of work.

Is this course more focused on theory or hands-on learning?

It leans hands-on, but in a guided way. Most topics are introduced in short lessons and then reinforced through exercises and quizzes, so it's a better fit if you like learning Excel by doing rather than by reading about it for long stretches.

Work Smarter with Microsoft Excel

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Work Smarter with Microsoft Excel

This course is part of multiple programs.

Instructor: Microsoft

304,022 already enrolled

Included with

5 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

2 weeks to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

5 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

2 weeks to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

You will learn how to create a spreadsheet, work with formulas and functions, make your spreadsheets look professional, and print a spreadsheet.
How to manage worksheets, workbooks, tables table data, data cells and ranges, and charts
How to perform operations by using formulas and functions

Skills you'll gain

Category: Excel Formulas
Category: Data Import/Export
Category: Data Management
Category: Sales Presentation
Category: Spreadsheet Software
Category: Excel Macros

Tools you'll learn

Category: Microsoft Office
Category: Microsoft Excel

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

24 assignments¹

AI Graded see disclaimer

Taught in English

Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is available as part of

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be asked to select a specific program.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 5 modules in this course

This course is intended for learners with some experience using Microsoft Windows, who are seeking to build presentation skills with Microsoft Excel. To be successful in this course you should have an understanding of the basics of using a Windows-based computer. Experience with printing and using a web browser are an asset, but not required.

Knowing how to use Microsoft Office products is essential in any professional setting. Whether you want to expand your expertise to apply for a new role, start your own business, or simply develop a new personal skill this course is for you. This course will introduce you to Microsoft’s powerful and easy-to-use spreadsheet program, which provides you with an extensive set of tools to organize, analyze, present, and store data. If you are familiar with Excel’s basic features you can take your skills to the next level. If you are a beginner you will get the opportunity to develop basic Excel skills. In this course, you will become comfortable with creating a new spreadsheet, working with basic formulas and functions, making your spreadsheets look professional and presentable, and saving and printing a spreadsheet. By the end of this course, you will be comfortable creating advanced formulas, analyzing data with functions, analyzing data using functions and PivotTables, working with tables, visualizing data with charts, working with graphical objects, and enhancing workbooks. This course will help you prepare for Exam MO-200: Microsoft Excel (Excel and Excel 2019). You will get opportunities to demonstrate the ability to create and edit a workbook with multiple sheets and use a graphic element to represent data visually. You will also show that you can apply the correct application of the principal features of Excel and complete tasks independently.

In this module, you will get started with some entry-level basics in Microsoft Excel. By getting to know Excel, what it does, its interface, and general layout and features. You will get to start creating workbooks and working with data. Before exploring how to modify workbooks, format data, apply layout and prepare to print.

What's included

16 videos16 readings5 assignments1 discussion prompt

16 videosTotal 65 minutes

Introduction to Work Smarter with Excel3 minutes
Navigating this course4 minutes
Get to know Excel5 minutes
Create a workbook5 minutes
Save and share a workbook5 minutes
Get help in Microsoft Excel2 minutes
Work with data6 minutes
Work with rows and columns4 minutes
Format text5 minutes
Format cells3 minutes
Align cell content2 minutes
Search for and replace data5 minutes
Spell check a worksheet3 minutes
Define the basic page layout for a workbook6 minutes
Refine the page layout and apply print options5 minutes
Module summary - Getting started with Excel2 minutes

16 readingsTotal 141 minutes

Course syllabus - Work Smarter with Excel10 minutes
How to be successful in this course5 minutes
How to use the video settings on Coursera5 minutes
Exercise: Creating workbooks10 minutes
Exercise: Getting help in Excel10 minutes
Additional resources10 minutes
Exercise: Working with data10 minutes
Exercise: Working with rows and columns10 minutes
Exercise: Formatting text10 minutes
Regional number formatting10 minutes
Exercise: Formatting cells10 minutes
Exercise: Aligning cell content1 minute
Exercise: Searching for and replacing data10 minutes
Exercise: Spell checking a worksheet10 minutes
Exercise: Previewing a workbook before printing10 minutes
Exercise: Refining the page layout and applying print options10 minutes

5 assignmentsTotal 90 minutes

Knowledge check: Get started with Excel 15 minutes
Knowledge check: Get started with data 15 minutes
Knowledge check: Modifying a worksheet 15 minutes
Knowledge check: Printing workbook content15 minutes
Module quiz: Getting started with Excel30 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 5 minutes

Share your experience and objectives5 minutes

In this module, you will start working with Excel's core features: functions and formulas. You will learn how to implement and use formulas and functions with data in Excel. You will also learn how to use Sorting and Filtering tools, and define data sets by applying range names. Finally, you will explore an array of specialized, text, and logical functions that can boost your abilities in Excel.

What's included

14 videos10 readings7 assignments

14 videosTotal 55 minutes

Module introduction - Working with functions3 minutes
A closer look at formulas and functions7 minutes
Using formulas and functions5 minutes
Sort and filter Data5 minutes
Add range names5 minutes
Use range names in formulas1 minute
Function categories and syntax7 minutes
Using specialized functions2 minutes
Manage text with functions5 minutes
Trim and case text functions2 minutes
Join and transpose text functions3 minutes
Logical functions and operators1 minute
Using logical functions with conditions7 minutes
Module summary - Working with functions2 minutes

10 readingsTotal 100 minutes

Exercise: Getting started with formulas10 minutes
Exercise: Using formulas and functions10 minutes
Exercise: Sort and filter data10 minutes
Exercise: Using range names in formulas10 minutes
Exercise: Using specialized functions10 minutes
Additional resources10 minutes
Exercise: Analyzing data using text functions10 minutes
Additional resources10 minutes
Exercise: Analyzing data using logical functions10 minutes
Additional resources10 minutes

7 assignmentsTotal 120 minutes

Knowledge check: Working with formulas and functions15 minutes
Knowledge check: Sorting and filtering data 15 minutes
Knowledge check: Apply range in Excel15 minutes
Knowledge check: Specialized functions15 minutes
Knowledge check: Text functions15 minutes
Knowledge check: Logical functions 15 minutes
Module quiz: Working with functions30 minutes

In this module, you will move on to how to organize and visualize data in Excel. You will learn all about tables and charts, how to create, format, and modify them to store organize and display data in the way that you need. You will also learn how to manage large workbooks. Finally, you will be introduced to analyzing data, using Excels pivot tables and slicers.

What's included

16 videos14 readings6 assignments

16 videosTotal 67 minutes

Module introduction - Organizing and visualizing data1 minute
Create tables5 minutes
Format tables4 minutes
Modifying tables8 minutes
Name tables and use structured references6 minutes
Database functions and convert to range5 minutes
Format worksheet tabs2 minutes
Manage worksheets5 minutes
Manage the view of worksheets and workbooks4 minutes
Create charts5 minutes
Modify and format charts4 minutes
Advanced chart elements2 minutes
Create a PivotTable6 minutes
Summarize data in a PivotTable6 minutes
Filtering data using slicers3 minutes
Module summary - Organizing and visualizing data2 minutes

14 readingsTotal 140 minutes

Exercise: Creating and modifying a table10 minutes
Exercise: Modifying tables10 minutes
Subtotal function arguments10 minutes
List of database functions10 minutes
Exercise: Using table references10 minutes
Exercise: Formatting worksheet tabs10 minutes
Exercise: Managing worksheets10 minutes
Exercise: Managing the view of worksheets and workbooks10 minutes
Exercise: Creating charts10 minutes
Exercise: Modifying and formatting charts10 minutes
Exercise: Create a trendline10 minutes
Summary of DAX categories of functions 10 minutes
Exercise: Creating PivotTables10 minutes
Exercise: Filtering data using slicers10 minutes

6 assignmentsTotal 105 minutes

Knowledge check: Create and modify tables 15 minutes
Knowledge check: Table references15 minutes
Knowledge check: Managing large workbooks15 minutes
Knowledge check: Visualizing data with basic charts 15 minutes
Knowledge check: Analyzing data 15 minutes
Module quiz: Organizing and visualizing data30 minutes

In this module, you will have the opportunity to try out some of the Advanced features that Excel has to offer. These include customizing formulas, proofing, and interface options, as well as applying conditional formatting. How to customize, manage, enhance and automate large workbooks, and how to export data and use data sources.

What's included

11 videos9 readings6 assignments2 discussion prompts

11 videosTotal 39 minutes

Customizing formula options2 minutes
Customize proofing and save options3 minutes
Customize the ribbon and Quick Access Toolbar2 minutes
Conditional formatting4 minutes
Conditional formatting rules5 minutes
Customize workbooks6 minutes
Manage workbook properties4 minutes
Export data3 minutes
Use data sources7 minutes
Module summary - Advanced Excel features1 minute
Course wrap up - Work Smarter with Microsoft Excel2 minutes

9 readingsTotal 85 minutes

Exercise: Customizing formula options10 minutes
Customizing proofing and save options10 minutes
Exercise: Customizing the Quick Access Toolbar10 minutes
Exercise: Apply conditional formatting10 minutes
Exercise: Customizing workbooks10 minutes
Exercise: Managing workbook properties10 minutes
Exercise: Exporting worksheet data10 minutes
Exercise: Using data sources10 minutes
Next steps5 minutes

6 assignmentsTotal 180 minutes

Knowledge check: Customize the Excel environment15 minutes
Knowledge check: Conditional formatting 15 minutes
Knowledge check: Enhancing and managing workbooks 15 minutes
Knowledge check: Exporting and sourcing data15 minutes
Module quiz: Advanced Excel features30 minutes
Course quiz: Work Smarter with Microsoft Excel90 minutes

2 discussion promptsTotal 20 minutes

Why use conditional formatting?10 minutes
Reflect on learning10 minutes

In this module, you will undertake a hands-on project with Microsoft Excel. In this project, you will use the knowledge and experience that you’ve gained from the previous modules by applying your spreadsheet skills to analyze and present sales data, before reviewing and leaving comments.

What's included

1 video1 reading1 peer review1 discussion prompt

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Instructor

Microsoft

369 Courses2,679,177 learners

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Frequently asked questions

You'll learn how to create, format, and improve spreadsheets so you can organize, calculate, and present data clearly in Excel. It starts with workbook basics and formatting, then moves into formulas and more advanced ways to analyze and visualize information. In the guided exercises, you'll practice by building worksheets, creating charts, and turning raw data into useful summaries.

No, you don't need prior Excel expertise to start. You should understand the basics of using a Windows-based computer, and experience with printing or a web browser is helpful but not required. The course begins with the Excel interface and creating workbooks before it asks you to do more advanced tasks.

Yes, it's beginner-friendly if you're new to Excel or only know the basics. The course starts with the interface, worksheets, rows and columns, formatting, and printing before it builds into formulas, tables, and charts. It may feel less beginner-friendly only if you're not yet comfortable using a Windows computer.

The course covers the core Excel skills people use to build, clean up, analyze, and present spreadsheet data. You'll work on worksheet formatting and management, formulas and functions, sorting and filtering, then move into tables, charts, PivotTables, conditional formatting, and workbook sharing or export options. By the end, you'll have a broad set of Excel tools for handling both everyday spreadsheets and larger data tasks.

After finishing, you should be able to create and edit workbooks with multiple sheets, apply formulas and functions, and present data more clearly in Excel. For example, you could take a sales worksheet, calculate totals or averages, turn it into a chart, and summarize it with a PivotTable. You'll also be more comfortable managing tables, printing workbook content, and working with larger files.

This course is a strong choice if you want one Excel course that moves from everyday spreadsheet tasks into analysis and presentation skills. The teaching is broad rather than narrow, with guided practice in formulas, charts, PivotTables, workbook management, and advanced features like conditional formatting and data export. If you want step-by-step Excel fluency instead of a course focused on just one topic, this is likely the better fit.

¹ Some assignments in this course are AI-graded. For these assignments, your data will be used in accordance with Coursera's Privacy Notice.

Work Smarter with Microsoft Excel

Work Smarter with Microsoft Excel

What you'll learn

Skills you'll gain

Tools you'll learn

Details to know

Build your subject-matter expertise

There are 5 modules in this course

Getting started with Excel

What's included

Working with functions

What's included

Organizing and visualizing data

What's included

Advanced Excel features

What's included

Hands-on practice using Microsoft Excel

What's included

Earn a career certificate

Instructor

Offered by

Why people choose Coursera for their career

Felipe M.

Jennifer J.

Larry W.

Chaitanya A.

Frequently asked questions

What will I actually learn in this Excel course?

Do I need to know Excel before taking this course?

Is this course beginner-friendly for Excel?