My Skill Lab
Data ScienceBeginner

Excel for Data Analysis

Clean, summarise and chart data in Excel — the analyst's first tool.

Taught by Niraj Thapa · Analytics Lead

What you'll learn

  • Convert raw ranges into structured tables and use structured references in formulas
  • Sort, filter and clean data with TRIM, text functions, Remove Duplicates and Text to Columns
  • Summarise data with SUMIFS, COUNTIFS and AVERAGEIFS across multiple conditions
  • Look up values across sheets with XLOOKUP and INDEX/MATCH and handle missing matches
  • Write IF, IFS and IFERROR logic that categorises rows without nested-formula sprawl
  • Build pivot tables and charts that turn a raw export into a one-page report

About this course

Excel is still the first tool most analysts open, and using it well is a job skill in its own right. This beginner course teaches Excel for data analysis in Microsoft 365: structured tables, sorting and filtering, cleaning messy data, SUMIFS and COUNTIFS, XLOOKUP and INDEX/MATCH lookups, IF and IFS conditional logic, charts that communicate, and quick pivot tables for summaries. It is for new analysts, students, and finance, marketing or operations staff who want to move beyond basic formulas and produce reports people trust. You need a copy of Excel (Microsoft 365 recommended; Excel 2021 or later works for most lessons) and no prior formula experience. By the end you will take a raw export, clean it, summarise it with pivot tables and formulas, and present the result as a tidy one-page report.

Course content

7 lessons
  1. 1Tables and Good HabitsTurn a raw range into a structured table and set up a workbook you can maintain.Preview
  2. 2Sorting, Filtering and Cleaning DataFix spaces, cases, split fields and duplicates so summaries are correct before you start.
  3. 3Summarising with SUMIFS, COUNTIFS and AVERAGEIFSAnswer how-much and how-many questions across several conditions with one formula each.
  4. 4Lookups with XLOOKUP and INDEX/MATCHBring related information into your table from other sheets and handle missing matches gracefully.
  5. 5Conditional Logic: IF, IFS and Error HandlingCategorise, flag and calculate with clear logic instead of deeply nested formulas.
  6. 6Charts That CommunicateChoose the right chart, remove clutter and write titles that state the finding.
  7. 7Quick Pivot Tables and the One-Page ReportSummarise thousands of rows in seconds with pivot tables, then assemble a report that refreshes.