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The Excel Evolution: Navigating from Data Entry to Data Artistry without stress

#luxdev #beginners #excel #datascience

Introduction

Microsoft Excel is one of the tools that might look simple at first - But the deeper you dive, the more powerful and insightful it gets. Regardless of whether one is tracking expenses, analyzing business or building dashboards, Excel can handle it all. This article servers to give a roadmap to preventing you from getting stuck or overwhelmed. Each stage in the article builds on the previous one just like levelling up in a game.

STAGE 1: Understanding the Interface

Excel consists of:

  • Workbooks - The Excel file.

  • Worksheets - Individual sheets inside a workbook.

  • Cells - Boxes that contains data e.g. A1, B2, C7

  • Rows and Columns - Rows run horizontally, columns vertically.

Microsoft Excel Interface

Basic Data Entry

  • Enter texts, Numbers and dates
  • Edit and Delete cell content
  • Copy & paste data.

  • Use autofil to quickly fill patterns.
    Basic Formatting

  • Formatting makes your data legible

  • Change font size, color, and style

  • Apply borders and cell colors

  • Format numbers (Currency, Percentage and Dates)

  • Change row height and column width.

Simplple Formulae

`=SUM (A1:A10)`
`=AVERAGE (A1:A10)`
`=MIN ()` & `=MAX ()`
`=COUNT ()
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At this stage, Excel may start to feel like a smarter calculator and thats fine. It should feel like that.

Stage 2: Logical and Conditional Formatting

Here, Start thinking logically with excel.
These functions help Excel 'think.'


=IF() -Makes Decisions
=AND()Combines conditions
=OR() Also Combines conditions

Working with data

  • Relative and Absolute cell referencing. (A1 vs $A$1 Relative cell referencing is the Default Excel referencing; Makes changes based on relative position. On the other hand, Absolute Cell referencing is locked- Always points to the same exact cell.
  • Sortinng & and Filtering. Sorting rearrages rows alphabetically or numerically(A-Z, Z-A, Smallest-Largest) Where as Filtering hides rows that do not meet the specified or desired criteria, displaying only the relevant data for analysis.
  • Remove duplicates. This functions gets rid of repetitive unnecessary data. In Excel, select Data tab, click Remove duplicates, check the relevant columns in the columns in the dialog box(Ensuring headers are noted if present), Press OK.
  • Texts to columns
  • Page set up and printing.

Stage 3: Data Handling

You should concentrate on the following areas to help in handling large datasets.

  • Data Validation. This function restricts excel from accepting data entry in cells to specific types, values or formats using the rule Data>Data Validation
  • Remove duplicates. This function removes duplicates contents in a dataset via the Data>Remove dumplicates
  • Texts functions. e.g; LEFT , RIGHT, LEN, TRIM, CONCAT Excel text functions make changes to strings, extract data, format numbers, and clean data for smooth working.

LOOKUP functions

LOOKUP FUNCTIONS
VLOOKUP() and HLOOKUP()
VLOOKUP function searches for a specific value in the leftmost column of a table and returns a corresponding value from another column in the same row. On the other hand, HLOOKUP searches for a value in the top row of data table and returns a corresponding value from a specified row in the same formula.

XLOOKUP()
This function finds data in the table or range by row, serving as a more effective and flexible alternative to VLOOKUP,HLOOKUP, And INDEX/MATCH.
INDEX() + MATCH()
This function allows lefward serches, column insertions, and faster processing on large data sets. INDEX returns a value from a range, while MATCH finds the row number of a value creating a dynamic, resilient, and Non-volatile LOOKUP tool.
Altogether, these functions allow excel to pull data from massive tables and data sets instantly.
Charts and Visuals
Excel has the ability to turn large, uncleaned data into insights and visializations.
Tools include; Column, bar, line, and Pie charts. - Custom charts formating, adding lables, titles and legends.

Stage 4: Advanced Excel - Becoming a Pro.

  • Pivot Tables This is an important segment that one cannot ignore. These tables summarize large data sets within seconds without having to write formulas. Before using pivot tables, ensure your data is cleaned. Select your data by clicking anywhere inside the data set, Insert Pivot table, Choose from Table/Range, and Click OK.

When Should one use Pivot Tables?

  • Summarize large datasets quickly

  • Compare totals, averages and Counts.

  • Group data by date, country, category and customer.

  • Build Dashboards and reports.

  • Avoid complex formulas like SUMIFS, COUNTIFS

    Creating a Pivot table.

  • Select ypur data

  • Insert Pivot table(New Worksheet)
    Pivot table
    Group data by category.
    Calculates totals, averages, and counts
    Rearrange data dynamically without formulas
    Creating Pivot charts
    Advanced formulas include;

  • =SUMIFS()

  • =COUNTIFS()

  • =AVERAGEIF()

  • Array formulas

  • Nested functions

  • Dynamic formulas; FILTER, SORT(), and UNIQUE()

IF Functions

NOTE: It is important to understand that the difference between beginner and a Pro isn't speed - It's confidence and accuracy.

Conclusion

Excel is a big ocean, More than just a speadsheet tool - It is a career skill especially in a data driven world. Starting with basic data entry and formulas, moving into analysis and Visualizations, and finally mastering automation and advanced functions. Just identify the right tool for the given problem. You will move from beginner to pro.

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