Microsoft Excel: Data Analysis with Functions, Dashboards and What-If Analysis Tools

Microsoft Excel Training Series | Level 3

Course Details

Duration: 2 days (9 am – 4 pm)

Microsoft^® Excel^® Versions: 2016 | 2019 | 2021 | 2024 | 365 (Windows)

Delivery Methods (Instructor-led): In-person (Live classroom) | Online in virtual classroom

Course Dates: August 20/21, 2026 (Online in virtual classroom or In-person) | View schedule  

Course Fee: $495 CAD per person + HST (Virtual classroom), $545 CAD per person + HST (Bring your own device for in-person courses) or $595 CAD per person + HST (Avantix Learning provides device for in-person courses)*

Timing: Public scheduled courses run from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm (Eastern Time).

Virtual classroom courses: Our instructor-led virtual classroom courses are delivered in a virtual classroom environment. Students will be sent a virtual classroom invitation prior to the course.

In-person classroom courses: Our instructor-led, live classroom (in-person) courses are held in downtown Toronto at 18 King Street East, Suite 1400, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Some courses are also held at an alternate downtown Toronto location.

Custom training: This course may be delivered at your site or ours as an instructor-led virtual classroom or in-person solution. Contact us at info@avantixlearning.ca for more information including savings for custom group training.

Some public courses and / or formats and may be subject to a minimum enrollment requirement.

Course Overview

This Microsoft Excel course (formerly Microsoft Excel: Intermediate / Advanced Part 2) is designed for the user who wants to learn to use more advanced Excel features and functions including text functions, date functions, INDEX / MATCH functions, logical functions, information functions, trend functions, and forecast functions. While working on hands-on examples, students will also learn to clean data sets, use advanced pivot table techniques, create dashboards using pivot tables and pivot charts and use what-if analysis tools including Goal Seek, Scenario Manager, and one and two input Data Tables. During this course, students will practice their skills and have the opportunity to ask questions and interact with the instructor. Each student will also receive a full course manual with tips, tricks and shortcuts as well as sample and exercise files.

Prerequisite: Microsoft Excel: Intermediate / Advanced or equivalent knowledge and skills.

Next course(s) in this series: Microsoft Excel: Introduction to Power Query to Get and Transform Data, Microsoft Excel: Introduction to Power Pivot and Data Models, Microsoft Excel: Introduction to Dynamic Arrays or Microsoft Excel: Introduction to VBA (Visual Basic for Applications).

Related training: View all Microsoft Excel courses >

INCLUDED IN THIS COURSE

• Comprehensive course manual or published book
• Keyboard shortcuts quick reference
• Sample and exercise files
• Refreshments (for classes conducted in Avantix Learning classrooms)
• Certificate of completion
• Follow-up email support

Course Topics

Combining INDEX and MATCH Functions to Extract Data

• Combining INDEX and MATCH functions to extract data
• Other uses for the INDEX function

Finding Top Values and Ranking

• Calculating top values such as the 1st, 2nd and 3rd highest values
• Calculating rank in relation to a range of cells
• Highlighting top values using conditional formatting

Manipulating Text with Text Functions

• Using text functions to manipulate text strings (8+ text functions)
• Extracting text strings from the left, middle or right of cells
• Finding and replacing text using formulas
• Joining strings of text from two or more cells
• Changing case using text functions
• Using text functions in conditional formatting

Manipulating Dates with Date Functions

• Understanding how Excel interprets dates
• Entering valid dates in Excel
• Using date functions to manipulate dates (10+ date functions)
• Extracting date increments from cells such as year, month and day
• Calculating the number of days or working days between two dates
• Calculating the date a specific number of working days from a date
• Finding the last day in the current month or a future month
• Creating calculations for fiscal months and quarters
• Using conditional formatting to highlight data within specific date periods

Cleaning Data Sets

• Splitting data into multiple columns in different ways
• Converting text to valid dates
• Converting text to numbers
• Removing extra characters from data in different ways
• Using various strategies to remove blank rows and columns
• Replacing blanks with zeros, dashes or text
• Using advanced find and replace techniques

Matching Patterns using REGEX Functions

• Getting started with REGEX functions in Excel for pattern matching (available in Excel 365)
• Using codes to match patterns

Understanding Legacy Arrays vs Dynamic Arrays

• Recognizing legacy array formulas
• Getting started with formulas that return dynamic arrays (available in new versions of Excel)

Using Trend and Forecast Functions

• Using the TREND function to evaluate trends
• Using FORECAST and FORECAST.LINEAR functions
• Creating a Forecast Sheet

Performing What-If Analysis

• Using Goal Seek to change cells to achieve a result
• Creating one and two-input data tables
• Adding and saving scenarios to test different possible outcomes such as best case and worst case
• Generating a summary of scenarios for comparison
• Tips when working with the Scenario Manager in Excel
• Using Solver (time permitting)

Creating Advanced Table Calculations

• Adding running totals in a table
• Calculating percent of total in a table

Using Advanced Pivot Table Techniques

• Creating and editing calculated fields in pivot tables
• Calculating percent totals in pivot tables
• Using grouping in pivot tables
• Moving pivot tables and pivot charts to other sheets

Combining Data from Multiple Worksheets

• Creating pivot tables from related data on different sheets using the data model
• Combining or appending data from multiple worksheets
• Loading combined data into Excel
• Creating a pivot table from combined data

Creating and Formatting Dashboards using Pivot Tables and Pivot Charts

• Common components and functions used in dashboards
• Creating dashboards that include multiple pivot tables and pivot charts
• Setting dashboard components to consistent sizes
• Connecting slicers to multiple pivot tables and pivot charts
• Tips for formatting dashboards

*Prices subject to change

Our instructor-led courses are delivered in virtual classroom format or at our downtown Toronto location at 18 King Street East, Suite 1400, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (some in-person classroom courses may also be delivered at an alternate downtown Toronto location). Contact us at info@avantixlearning.ca if you'd like to arrange custom instructor-led virtual classroom or onsite training on a date that's convenient for you.

Copyright 2025 Avantix^® Learning