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Owen Avedi
Owen Avedi

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Introduction to Ms Excel for Data Analytics

#beginners #analytics #data

Excel Basics

What Is Microsoft Excel?

Ms Excel is a tool used for working with data. It's super easy to use, and you don't need any fancy tools installed, just the same Excel on your desktop or laptop.

What Does Excel Do?

  • Organize and clean data

  • Calculate data

  • Find highest and lowest value

  • Filter data to narrow on specifics

  • Create summary tables for your data

  • Make appealing visuals and charts for your data

  • Highlight numbers or characters in your data

Now to the steps...

1. Getting Your Data to Excel

If you already have data saved in your device, open it in Excel by clicking open then browse and look for youra data.

If you're starting from scratch, click on new then open blank workbook.

Clean your data correctly if you do have an existing data uploaded on your Excel by following these steps:

  1. Format the cells to auto fit in the cells if they aren't by clicking on the Home ribbon, then the Format tab and choose the cells you ant to autofit.

  1. Format the columns to their respective inputs. Right click on any column you want to format cells, then click format and format as desired , if text format to Text, if dates Date e.t.c

2. Easy Calculations

The biggest strength in Excel is formulas. Here are some beginner formulas:

  • =SUM(B2:B32)→ total of numbers in B column

  • =AVERAGE(C2:32) → average

  • =COUNT(D2:D32) → how many cells have numbers

  • =MAX(E2:E32) → highest value

  • =MIN(F2:F32) → lowest value

3. Sort and Filter

Steps:

  • Click anywhere in your data table

  • Go to Data tab → Sort & Filter → Filter
    → little arrows appear in every header

Now you can sort from highest to lowest, filter dates or even search for specific names.

Clicking the dropdown arrow beside the title shows sort options and checkboxes to filter.

4. Conditional Formatting (Excel Highlights Important Stuff)

This basically makes patterns appear visually so you can sort or update data as desired. Steps to do this:

Click on the Home tab → Conditional Formatting
→ little arrows appear in every format you want.

5. PivotTables – The Most Powerful Beginner Tool

This let's you summarize hundreds of rows in seconds.

How to create one:

  • Click anywhere in your data

  • Go to Insert tab → PivotTable → OK (new sheet usually best)

  • In the PivotTable Fields pane (right side)

6. Charts (Turn Numbers into Pictures)

Make beautiful Charts in just 2 clicks. There are several charts in Excel, but for starters you only need this main 3: Column bar chart, Line chart and Pie Chart.

How:

  • Select your data (including headers)

  • PivotTable Analyze tab → PivotChart → pick one

You can change colors,titles, e.t.c

Quick Summary

  1. Paste or type data → make it a proper table (headers!)
  2. Home → Format as Table (optional but nice look + auto-filters)
  3. Add quick calculations at the bottom (SUM, AVERAGE…)
  4. Add filters / sort to explore
  5. Use Conditional Formatting to spot patterns
  6. Create a PivotTable for summaries
  7. Insert a chart from the PivotTable or raw data

That's already real data analysis, now you are on your way to becoming a pro.

Next Steps for Beginners

  • Practice with free sample datasets (search "Excel sample sales data csv")
  • Learn these extra helpful functions: IF, VLOOKUP, COUNTIF, SUMIF
  • Get comfortable with Tables (Insert → Table) — they make formulas and charts much smarter

Excel is friendly just start small, make mistakes and you'll be a pro in no time.

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