Excel

Excel Functionality That Every Accountant Should Know

LevelBasic CPE Credits4 Field of StudySpecialized Knowledge

📋 Overview

Excel is the default program for many financial professionals–and highly effective–if used correctly. It can be used for everything from simple tabular analysis to creating in-depth aggregate pivot tables. This course will give participants the necessary tools to turn data into meaningful information and will examine cutting edge ways to store, retrieve, report, and analyze data using Excel and plugins. It will provide recommendations on how to more efficiently use Excel and potential traps to avoid.Participants are encouraged to bring their technology devices to follow along with the interactive discussions, technology demonstrations, sample spreadsheets, and demo tools. Financial professionals will walk away from this course with valuable tools and insights into understanding, managing, and utilizing data in an organized and meaningful manner inside their organizations.

👥 Who Should Attend

Prerequisites

None

Advanced Prep

None

🎯 Learning Objectives

Describe the features and functions of Excel Tables and data modeling.
List and detail Excel functions that are the most useful for financial professionals.
Outline the main features and functionalities of Power Query and how it can be used to improve organizational reporting.
Demonstrate how to create a pivot table in Excel and how to utilize their major functions.
Describe the purpose and intention of Microsoft Power BI. Explain how it can be a great complement to Excel for financial reporting.

🚀 What You'll Walk Away With

You'll stop manually cleaning data and start using Power Query to automate your reporting workflows.
You will build pivot tables that actually answer the questions your leadership is asking.
You'll replace fragile formulas with Excel Tables that keep your data organized and reliable.
You will decide exactly when to use Excel and when to move a project into Power BI.
You'll identify common spreadsheet traps that lead to reporting errors before they happen.

🏷️ Topics

ExcelTips & Tricks

❓ Questions

Do I need to be an expert in Excel to take this course?

No. This is a basic level course that starts with fundamental concepts like Excel Tables and builds up to more advanced tools like Power BI. It's designed for any financial professional who wants to work more efficiently.

What software do I need to have installed?

You should have Microsoft Excel available on your device. We will also be looking at Power Query and the Power BI plugin during our technology demonstrations.

Is there any homework I need to do before we start?

There is no advanced preparation required for this session. You can show up ready to learn, though bringing your own device will help you follow along with the sample spreadsheets.

Will we cover how to fix specific errors in my current workbooks?

While we won't do individual troubleshooting, we will examine common traps to avoid and look at cutting-edge ways to store and retrieve data safely. You'll learn the right way to structure your data to prevent those errors in the first place.

Does this course cover financial reporting specifically?

Yes. We focus on functions that are most useful for financial professionals and how tools like Power BI can complement Excel specifically for organizational reporting.

✍️ A Note from the Author

I spent years watching colleagues struggle with manual data entry before I realized we were all just fighting the tools we should have mastered on day one. I wrote this course because you shouldn't have to spend your entire weekend cleaning up messy spreadsheets. My goal is to help you move past the basics so you can spend your time on the actual analysis that matters.

🎤 About the author

Stephen is a certified public accountant, the CEO and partner of Devmatics, LLC, a continuing education instructor for financial professionals, a professional speaker at live events, and a licensed pyrotechnician. While his interests and skills are varied, they all share a common thread—his love for and skill in finding technology-based solutions. Whether it’s teaching in the classroom, consulting clients in a boardroom, or shooting a fireworks display, Steve brings passion, hard work, value—and above all else—technological expertise to each of his clients. With an open, honest approach, he creates a unique strategy for each client specifically designed to benefit their needs and streamline their operations in order to create efficiency and maximize their financial potential.

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