2-Day Instructor-Led Training
Hands On Labs
After-Course Instructor-Coaching Included
Visual Analytics with Excel
Course 1295
- Duration: 2 days
- Language: English
- Level: Foundation
Data doesn’t speak for itself, but with the right visuals, it can tell a story that drives real decisions. This two-day, hands-on course teaches participants how to unlock the full power of Microsoft Excel for visual data analytics. Through practical exercises and real-world examples, learners will explore foundational visualisation principles, advanced charting techniques, interactive dashboards, and even AI-supported analysis.
By the end of the course, participants will know how to design clear, accurate, and engaging visuals; build dynamic dashboards; interpret patterns and insights; and confidently present data-driven stories to stakeholders.
Visual Analytics with Excel Delivery Methods
In-Person
Online
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Visual Analytics with Excel Course Information
Course Benefits
- Transform raw data into compelling visual narratives using Excel’s full suite of charting, formatting, and dashboarding tools.
- Learn both the “why” and the “how” by combining strong visualisation theory with step-by-step, real-world practice.
- Build polished dashboards that highlight trends, outliers, and insights for business decision-making.
- Avoid common visualisation mistakes and learn to design visuals that are accurate, intuitive, and trustworthy.
- Understand how AI fits into Excel workflows and how to structure data for AI-driven analysis and insights.
- Boost confidence and credibility when presenting charts, dashboards, and data stories to colleagues and leadership.
Important Information:
Prerequisites
- Basic knowledge of Excel (data entry, formulas) highly recommended but not required.
Visual Analytics with Excel Course Outline
Chapter 1. Understanding Visual Data Analytics
- What visual data analytics is
- Why visualisation matters
- Types of data
- Principles of effective visualisation (clarity, accuracy, simplicity)
Chapter 2. Getting Started with Data in Excel
- Importing and cleaning data
- Structuring data for analysis
- Using Excel tables and named ranges
- Sorting, filtering, and summarising data
Chapter 3. Exploring Excel’s Charting Tools
- Overview of chart types (column, bar, line, pie, scatter, area, combo)
- When to use each chart type
- Creating basic charts
Chapter 4. Customising and Formatting Charts
- Editing titles, axes, legends, data labels
- Adjusting colors and styles
- Adding/removing data series
- Using chart templates
Chapter 5. Avoiding Common Pitfalls
- Identifying misleading visuals
- Ensuring data integrity
- Accessibility considerations
Hands-On Activity: Create and customise charts from a sample dataset
Q&A and Discussion
Chapter 6. Advanced Charts and Tools
- PivotTables and PivotCharts
- Dynamic charts with filters and slicers
- Sparklines
- Histograms, box plots, waterfall charts
Chapter 7. Visual Analytics for Decision Making
- Highlighting trends and outliers
- Time-series visuals
- Conditional formatting for visual cues
- Data storytelling techniques
Chapter 8. Dashboards in Excel
- Principles of dashboard design
- Integrating multiple charts and data sources
- Interactive elements (form controls, slicers, hyperlinks)
- Building a simple dashboard
Hands-On Activity: Build your own dashboard
Chapter 9. Sharing and Presenting Visualisations
- Preparing visuals for reports and presentations
- Exporting images/PDFs
- Embedding visuals in PowerPoint and Word
- Using OneDrive and SharePoint for collaboration
Chapter 10. Troubleshooting and Optimisation
- Solving common visualisation issues
- Working with large datasets
- Maintaining and updating dashboards
Chapter 11. Using AI for Data Analysis
- Benefits and drawbacks of AI
- Structuring data for AI
- Using AI with Excel dashboards
Final Q&A and Participant Presentations
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Visual Analytics with Excel FAQs
Target Audience: Business professionals, analysts, students, and anyone interested in enhancing their data visualisation skills.
No. Basic familiarity with Excel—such as entering data or using simple formulas—is helpful but not required. The course starts with foundational concepts and builds progressively.
Yes! Day 2 includes step-by-step guidance on designing and assembling interactive dashboards using charts, slicers, and form controls.
Not at all. The material is ideal for business professionals, managers, students, and anyone who wants to improve how they analyse and communicate data.
Yes. The course introduces how AI can support data analysis, how to prepare your data for AI tools, and how AI can enhance dashboards and insight generation.
Absolutely. Each day includes guided exercises where you’ll work directly with datasets to create charts, visuals, and a completed mini-dashboard.