Foundations of Excel Data Analysis

This unit introduces core data preparation, summarization, and basic analytic techniques in Microsoft Excel, including tables, importing/exporting data, PivotTables/PivotCharts, Data Models, and descriptive statistics. Students will practice organizing and validating data, applying summary and visualization tools, and using Excel’s analytical add-ins to produce actionable insights—building on basic spreadsheet skills and preparing learners for advanced modeling and automation in later units.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze datasets by creating and formatting Excel tables, importing and exporting external data, and managing data models to ensure data integrity and usability
• Apply PivotTables, PivotCharts, subtotals, and summary calculations to summarize and visualize data, including adding trend lines and modifying field arrangements
• Demonstrate use of Excel analytical tools—such as Analysis ToolPak functions, descriptive statistics, sampling, counting/averaging functions, and Goal Seek—to compute summary measures and simple forecasts
• Evaluate and retrieve specific information from datasets using lookup and database functions, conditional formatting, and basic Power Pivot techniques to prepare data for advanced analysis