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Honestly, courses aren’t the answer. Hard to retain info from watching videos aimlessly. School of hard knocks is the best way to learn, and google google google. Easier to retain when you are faced with a problem and you have a goal in mind, and then that formula (or combination of formulas) will be in your arsenal forever.
Sure, there are classes you can do for basics, but they won’t be any better than simple YouTube videos that teach you basics like SUM, AVERAGE, etc.
School of YouTube with a major in practice and a minor of correcting your mistakes
I highly recommend that you check out these brilliant people who have great content on YouTube and LinkedIn; Oz du Soleil, Claire Squibb, Wyn Hopkins, Paula Guilfoyle
Quite a lot is considered more advanced stuff but there is some beginners info there as well.
However, best advice is dive in with actual spreadsheets from your sector. When I first tried to learn pivot tables it didn't sink in at all however when using actual data from my workplace that I understood it was a lightbulb moment.
Google is also your friend.
Check out the courses on LinkedIn Learning. They include activity files so you can follow along and practice
Check out the “learn excel and get a job” or something similar on YouTube by ExcelIsFun. Great stuff to get caught up.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrRPvpgDmw0n34OMHeS94epMaX_Y8Tu1k
Microsoft offers a bunch- but haven’t personally tried them.
Leila's videos on YouTube (and Udemy). i like her soothing voice. the best way to learn is to ask yourself "how can i do this with a formula" and then go figure it out
I like the ucolorado one on coursera because one of the courses in the specialization is just practice exercises, which I found very helpful
Glad to know that banks are still hiring token liberal arts majors (jk, I was one). Here are some starter tips which may help:
1. Cells are where x is solved for. You will be writing the equation on the right side of x= . f(x), if you will. You can only pull data into a cell, you can’t push it out (experts excepted).
2. Don’t move forward until you learn how to use absolute and relative cell notation - know the difference between using A3, $A3, A$3 and $A$3 in a formula.
3. For your ease in editing & troubleshooting your own work, don’t be embarrassed to write simple and short formulas at first. If you need to choose the larger of the sum of two sets of numbers, write the formula for the first sum in one cell, the second in another cell, and the formula comparing and choosing the largest in a third cell. This will help with your logic, too.
Linked in courses are good, but you will learn best with real problems that you must solve. Sketch out the logic first, if you need.
Many industries and professionals with different needs use Excel, and you should make sure that the class targets your need. Statistical analysis? Database manipulation? Financial forecasting? Calculating the opening balance sheet of two merged firms? Calculating the tax loss carry forward on a VC backed growth company? If you’re involved in calculating debt compliance ratios or workouts, knowledge of how to pull together a 3-statement analysis is fundamental. Some of those classes are expensive, though. To see what I mean by taking the right course, look at all that is offered by www.wallstreetprep.com. I’m not endorsing them, have never taken a class from them. But the list of courses & descriptions should give you a good idea as to what direction you should go with training.
Thanks everyone for your inputs. Highly appreciated
I’m probably showing my age by recommending a book instead of a video or class. But “The Excel Bible” was a good one. The same author also wrote a book about Excel and VBA, which was also very helpful in automating some grunt work.