Physical, Mathematical, Computer and Life Sciences › Information Technology and Computer Sciences
Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet Skills for Business Training
Description
This course equips learners with the practical skills to create, edit, and manage spreadsheets for business purposes. Learners will be able to perform calculations, format data, and generate reports using spreadsheet software such as Microsoft Excel. The course focuses on applying spreadsheet functions to solve real-world business problems and improve data management efficiency.
Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate the ability to create and modify spreadsheets using basic formatting and data entry techniques.
- Apply formulas and functions to perform calculations and analyze data in a business context.
- Design and produce professional-looking spreadsheets with charts and graphs for reporting purposes.
- Implement data sorting, filtering, and validation techniques to manage and organize spreadsheet data effectively.
- Evaluate spreadsheet outputs for accuracy and make adjustments to ensure data integrity.
- Apply printing and layout settings to produce hard copies of spreadsheets for distribution.
Target Audience
This course is designed for administrative staff, data capturers, managers, and any professionals who need to use spreadsheets as part of their daily work. It is suitable for beginners or those seeking to formalize their spreadsheet skills.
Prerequisites
None — open enrollment. Basic computer literacy is recommended but not required.
Course Outline
Objectives:
• Navigate the Excel interface and manage workbooks efficiently
• Enter, edit, and format data using basic and custom formats
• Create and apply formulas and functions for common business calculations
• Generate and customise charts to present data visually
• Prepare and print spreadsheets professionally
Topics:
• Understanding the Excel environment: ribbons, tabs, and shortcuts
• Data entry, editing, and basic formatting (fonts, alignment, borders, number formats)
• Cell references (relative, absolute, mixed) and essential functions (SUM, AVERAGE, COUNT, MAX, MIN)
• Sorting and filtering data
• Creating and formatting charts (column, bar, line, pie)
• Page setup, headers/footers, and printing options
Practicals
Overview
Hands-on practicals reinforce theoretical concepts through guided exercises. Learners build a business spreadsheet from scratch, apply formatting and formulas, create charts, and prepare the workbook for printing.
Practical Activities
- Practical 1: Building a Sales Spreadsheet — Create a sales data table, enter sample data, apply number formatting, and use SUM and AVERAGE functions. (1h)
- Practical 2: Data Analysis and Charting — Sort and filter the sales data, then create a column chart and a pie chart to visualise results. (1h)
- Practical 3: Finalising the Workbook — Add headers/footers, adjust page setup, and print preview the spreadsheet. Save the workbook in appropriate formats. (1h)
Summatives
Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course via daily exercises, scored practical assignments, and a final summative test at the end.
Practical Assignments — 30%
Practical assignments are observed and scored against a rubric during the practical sessions. Each delegate's practical mark is averaged into a single 100% score and contributes 30% to the final total.
Daily Exercises — 20%
Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 20% to the final total.
Final Test — 50%
On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 50% to the overall mark.
Final Total
| Component | Out of | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Practical Assignments (rubric-scored) | 100% | 30% |
| Daily Average (multiple choice) | 100% | 20% |
| Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice) | 100% | 50% |
| Final Total | — | 100% |
All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.
Certificate
How it works
- Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
- Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
- You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
- If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.
Where to find it
Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.
Training Discounts
Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.
| Delegates | Discount |
|---|---|
| 5 | 3% off |
| 10 | 6% off |
| 15 | 9% off |
| 20 | 12% off |
| 25 | 15% off |
| 30 | 18% off |
| 50 | 30% off |
| 75 | 40% off |
| 100 | 40% off |
3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.
Let us know you're interested and we'll arrange a session that suits you.
Let us know you're interested and we'll arrange a session that suits you.
Let us know you're interested and we'll arrange a session that suits you.
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