The “Certified Excel Specialist in Business Reporting & Data Analysis” course, proudly offered by Oxford Training Centre, is an intensive and hands-on training programme tailored to professionals who seek mastery in Microsoft Excel for the purposes of business reporting, data analytics, and decision support. As part of the broader Data Science Course offerings at Oxford Training Centre, this specialized programme equips participants with the skills required to manipulate data effectively, build impactful reports, develop powerful dashboards, and uncover valuable insights from raw information—all using the capabilities of Microsoft Excel.
Excel remains one of the most widely used tools in business analytics, financial modeling, and corporate reporting. Despite the emergence of more advanced software tools, Excel continues to be a staple across industries due to its flexibility, accessibility, and robust feature set. This course takes full advantage of Excel’s capabilities and integrates them into practical business applications, aligning with the current needs of data-driven environments.
The course is designed for those who already have basic familiarity with Excel and want to take their skills to the next level. It focuses on the advanced features and functions within Excel that allow users to go beyond spreadsheets and turn data into actionable business intelligence.
Course Objectives
By the end of the Certified Excel Specialist in Business Reporting & Data Analysis course at Oxford Training Centre, participants will have achieved a high level of competence in advanced Excel functionalities. Specifically, they will:
- Master Excel’s advanced features for data manipulation, including formulas, conditional logic, nested functions, and lookup operations.
- Develop the ability to create dynamic, interactive reports using PivotTables, slicers, timelines, and named ranges.
- Gain practical skills in developing real-time dashboards that visualize trends, KPIs, and performance metrics clearly and effectively.
- Learn how to clean, filter, and transform large volumes of raw data for analysis using Excel tools such as Power Query and Data Validation.
- Understand how to analyze, interpret, and summarize data for business decision-making and communication to stakeholders.
- Build confidence in using automation tools like macros and Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) to simplify repetitive tasks and streamline workflows.
- Acquire the skills needed to integrate Excel with other business applications (e.g., Power BI, Access, and ERP systems) to enhance reporting and analysis capabilities.
- Draw actionable insights from complex datasets, improving data-driven decision-making across departments such as finance, sales, operations, and marketing.
Target Audience
This course is ideal for professionals and individuals who want to elevate their Excel skills specifically for the context of business data analysis and reporting. It is suitable for:
- Business professionals who rely on data to make strategic and operational decisions and want to become more efficient in their daily tasks.
- Data analysts and financial analysts seeking to expand their analytical toolkit and automate standard reporting procedures.
- Project managers and team leaders looking to track project metrics, build performance dashboards, and communicate results effectively using Excel.
- Entrepreneurs and small business owners aiming to manage their business data more effectively, including budgets, forecasts, and sales analytics.
- Students and recent graduates aspiring to pursue careers in data science, business intelligence, or finance.
- Anyone interested in mastering Excel as a core tool for business reporting, analytics, and decision-making within their organization.
Course Content
The Certified Excel Specialist in Business Reporting & Data Analysis course is structured around a comprehensive curriculum that covers both foundational and advanced topics. Participants will go through the following modules during the training:
- Introduction to Advanced Excel Functions and Features
- Review of essential Excel interface elements
- Logical functions (IF, AND, OR)
- Lookup functions (VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP, INDEX-MATCH, XLOOKUP)
- Dynamic arrays and new Excel functions (FILTER, SORT, UNIQUE)
- Review of essential Excel interface elements
- Data Cleaning and Transformation Techniques
- Data preparation best practices
- Removing duplicates and inconsistencies
- Using Power Query for advanced data transformation
- Handling text, date, and number formats efficiently
- Data preparation best practices
- Building Reports with PivotTables and PivotCharts
- Creating multi-dimensional PivotTables
- Sorting, filtering, and grouping data
- Generating PivotCharts for visual summaries
- Applying slicers and timelines for interactivity
- Creating multi-dimensional PivotTables
- Creating Dynamic Dashboards
- Principles of dashboard design and user interaction
- Using form controls and dynamic ranges
- Integrating charts, KPIs, and visual indicators
- Real-time dashboards for business performance tracking
- Principles of dashboard design and user interaction
- Advanced Data Visualization Techniques
- Building charts with storytelling elements
- Using conditional formatting for highlighting trends
- Creating heat maps, waterfall charts, and sparklines
- Customizing visuals for different stakeholders
- Building charts with storytelling elements
- Automating Repetitive Tasks with Macros and VBA
- Introduction to macro recording and editing
- Basics of VBA programming
- Writing custom functions and automating reports
- Error handling and debugging techniques
- Introduction to macro recording and editing
- Analyzing Large Datasets
- Working with Excel’s Data Model and Power Pivot
- Optimizing Excel for large-scale data handling
- Using What-If analysis and Goal Seek
- Statistical analysis tools in Excel
- Working with Excel’s Data Model and Power Pivot
- Integrating Excel with Other Tools
- Exporting and importing data from external sources
- Linking Excel with Power BI for enhanced analysis
- Using Excel with Microsoft Access and SQL databases
- Sharing and protecting workbooks for collaboration
- Exporting and importing data from external sources
Training Approach
Oxford Training Centre takes a hands-on, practical approach to learning. Participants will engage in real-world case studies, scenario-based exercises, and guided projects that mimic the challenges professionals face in the workplace. All materials are provided, including workbooks, sample datasets, and templates.
The course is delivered by experienced trainers with industry knowledge in data science, finance, and business analytics. Participants also receive post-course support and access to updated Excel templates to apply their skills immediately in their professional roles.
The Certified Excel Specialist in Business Reporting & Data Analysis course by Oxford Training Centre is more than just an Excel class—it is a transformation in how professionals approach data. As part of Oxford Training Centre’s prestigious Data Science Course category, this program is designed to build valuable technical skills while enabling better decision-making and communication through data.
Whether you’re seeking a promotion, looking to become more efficient at your current job, or preparing to enter the field of data analytics, this course will provide the foundation and confidence to make Excel your go-to business intelligence tool.