The “Essentials of MS Excel and MS Project for Project Managers Training Course” by Oxford Training Centre is a dynamic one-week training programme designed to enhance project managers’ practical skills in MS Excel Project Managers Training and Project Planning, Microsoft Tools. As part of our IT and Computer Science Training Courses, this hands-on course equips project leaders and coordinators with the essential technical competencies to manage, analyse, visualise, and control projects using the industry’s most reliable software applications: Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Project.
Participants will engage in instructor-led sessions, real-world case studies, and interactive exercises that cover both foundational and advanced functions of Excel and MS Project, tailored to the needs of contemporary project management roles. This course aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice, making it a highly relevant and results-driven offering for professionals across industries.
Course Objectives
By the end of this intensive training course, participants will be able to:
- Utilise advanced Excel functions to conduct cost-benefit analysis, resource tracking, and project dashboards.
- Create Gantt charts, PivotTables, and status reports to monitor progress efficiently.
- Apply project scheduling and resource management techniques using MS Project.
- Plan, execute, and monitor project tasks, deliverables, dependencies, and timelines.
- Integrate MS Excel and MS Project for seamless project reporting and control.
- Improve data-driven decision-making and project transparency for stakeholders.
Target Group
This course is ideally suited for:
- Project Managers and Assistant Project Managers
- Programme Coordinators and Team Leaders
- Engineers, Analysts, and Planners involved in project execution
- PMO staff and business analysts
- Professionals transitioning into project management roles
- Anyone involved in Project Planning, Microsoft Tools or reporting functions
Participants are expected to have basic knowledge of Excel and general project management principles. Prior experience with Microsoft Project is helpful but not required.
Course Content
The training is delivered across five intensive days and includes the following key modules:
Day 1 – Foundations of Excel for Project Managers
- Overview of Excel in a project context
- Using formulas for calculations: SUMIFS, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH
- Data validation and conditional formatting for tracking project status
- Creating dynamic tables for task and resource management
- Introduction to structured data and Excel Tables
Day 2 – Advanced Excel for Analysis and Visualisation
- Creating professional dashboards using charts, slicers, and dynamic ranges
- Leveraging PivotTables and PivotCharts to analyse project performance
- Performing cost-benefit analysis with Excel models
- Building interactive ranking systems to prioritise project initiatives
- Automating status reports with simple macros and templates
Day 3 – Introduction to Microsoft Project
- Navigating the MS Project interface
- Creating and defining new projects: tasks, milestones, and deliverables
- Understanding calendars, constraints, and dependencies
- Establishing the critical path and float/slack analysis
- Resource assignment and load balancing
Day 4 – Project Monitoring, Baselines, and Reporting in MS Project
- Setting baselines and tracking project progress
- Earned Value Management (EVM) basics in MS Project
- Managing delays and rescheduling techniques
- Generating built-in and custom reports
- Exporting project data to Excel for further analysis
Day 5 – Integrated Project Planning Using MS Excel and MS Project
- Combining Excel dashboards with MS Project outputs
- Scenario analysis and risk management with spreadsheet models
- Generating one-page project summaries and Gantt timelines
- Practical case study: From project brief to final report using both tools
- Final assessment and feedback session
Training Methodology
- Live instructor-led training
- Hands-on exercises and guided practice files
- Case-based learning simulations
- Q&A and collaborative discussions
- Take-home templates and tools
Training Materials and Resources
- Access to downloadable course workbooks and project templates
- Exercise files including Gantt chart templates, cost calculators, dashboards
- Sample project schedules and planning documents
- Certificate of Completion from Oxford Training Centre
Why Choose This Course?
This course stands apart by focusing specifically on the dual power of MS Excel Project Managers Training and MS Project, ensuring you leave equipped to handle small to mid-sized projects with confidence. Many organisations rely on Excel as a core reporting tool, even when using other platforms. MS Project remains the go-to for task scheduling and tracking. This training shows you how to use them both in tandem—effectively, practically, and efficiently.
Whether you’re preparing stakeholder reports, aligning project schedules, or simply improving your data-handling capabilities, this course will empower you with tools used by top-tier professionals in sectors such as construction, IT, finance, and healthcare.
Enroll now to master the essentials of Project Planning, Microsoft Tools and enhance your role as a capable and tech-savvy project manager.