This presentation by Excel expert David Ringstrom, CPA, is designed for those who haven’t worked with Excel spreadsheets before or who haven’t used them in several years. David explains spreadsheet basics, different file types you can create, keyboard shortcuts to simplify repetitive tasks, Excel’s rows and columns grid, and much more.

David demonstrates every technique at least twice: first, on a PowerPoint slide with numbered steps, and second, in Excel 2016. He draws your attention to any differences in Excel 2013, 2010, or 2007 during the presentation as well as in his detailed handouts. David also provides an Excel workbook that includes most of the examples he uses during the webcast. 

Topics Covered:

  • Using a custom number format to hide zero amounts within a specific area of a spreadsheet.
  • Getting familiar with Excel’s grid of rows and columns.
  • Preventing errors from the start by choosing from thousands of free Excel spreadsheet templates.
  • Learning the nuances of copying formulas within Excel spreadsheets.
  • Saving paper and eliminating frustration by monitoring the Print Scale setting.
  • Handling situations where numbers are presented as # signs on-screen and in Print Preview.
  • Discerning the nuance of entering text into worksheet cells.
  • Surfacing hidden Excel commands instantly by way of the Tell Me feature in Excel 2016.
  • Copying formulas efficiently down one or more columns at the same time.
  • Understanding Excel’s Freeze Panes feature.
Learning Objectives
  • Identify how to skip confusing menus by way of time-saving mouse tricks and keyboard shortcuts.
  • Recognize some basic data analysis techniques.
  • Discover Excel’s Freeze Panes feature.
Last updated/reviewed: March 20, 2024
40 Reviews (148 ratings)

Reviews

5
Anonymous Author
It was a good review of Excel basics to include shortcuts which I had forgotten about. It was innformative and will be helpful introductory course with other Excel courses. Would recommend as a good refresher to peers if they haven't worked in Excel recently.

5
Anonymous Author
By far the best excel course ever taken. The instructor does a great job explaining the material and I never lost interest. I'm planning to take additional courses presented by this instructor as this one was excellent and I learned a lot.

4
Member's Profile
Excel is a very helpful tool to do a lot of different things. Illumeo requires reviews in order to access CPE credit. At times reviews may not be helpful, particularly if they are only written to fill text count requirements.

4
Member's Profile
I have used Excel previously and still found many items in this course that helped me increase my knowledge, When working, I picked up Excel as I used it, and never took a class to learn it. So, this class was nice.

5
Member's Profile
Amazingly helpful! I use Excel constantly but obviously I'm only skimming the surface because I learned many useful tips in this basics course. I will be taking more of David Ringstrom's Excel courses!

5
Anonymous Author
Great refresher course. There are always 2-3 different ways to make something happen in Excel. Loved the illustrations and supporting materials. I will be keeping these as reference tools.

5
Member's Profile
What I appreciated about the course was how it showed 2 ways of having us learn the excel sheet. I didn't like how the course wasn't as interactive. Overall good course.

5
Anonymous Author
Great overview and learned multiple approaches for same end result. Also learned some MS 365 features not known / used from prior MS editions. Recommend this course.

5
Member's Profile
This course offers a fair review of the basic excel functions. I find it will be helpful if the instructor introduces more excel short cuts in the course.

4
Anonymous Author
This was a good excel course. I found the freeze pane section to be helpful as I oftentimes forget how to do it. I also learned some new excel tricks.

5
Anonymous Author
This was so informative! I have used excel for a long time but never knew so many of the shortcuts described in this course. Excellent!

5
Member's Profile
The instructor was very easy to follow. I found the direct use of Excel was so much easier to follow than the diagrams with notes.

5
Member's Profile
Very easy to follow/great refresher after not working much in Excel for awhile. Reminds me that I should refresh more regularly.

5
Member's Profile
This had some cool tricks that I was not aware having worked in Excel for years. Ctrl Z to undo your last action is pretty cool.

5
Anonymous Author
I'm a beginner, this was so helpful and answered some very basic thing I saw and did not know what they were for.

5
Anonymous Author
David Ringstrom, CPA, author, Microsoft Excel trainer and consultant is explained very nicely to understand easily.

5
Anonymous Author
Quite a few tips and shortcuts and alternative methods of doing things even for relatively experienced users.

4
Anonymous Author
A very basic course in excel, was helpful but more of just a refresher. Instructor was very easy to follow.

4
Member's Profile
Great course. Very helpful for both beginners & proficient excel users. Glad resource is available.

5
Anonymous Author
The instructor provides very useful information about Excel. All topics are well-explained.

4
Anonymous Author
I would have preferred the screenshots of items go left to right, rather than up and down.

4
Anonymous Author
I believe this is a great course for anyone to take as a self guided learning experience.

5
Anonymous Author
It is a fundamental course. Simply and easy to understand the key point of each lesson.

5
Member's Profile
there is so much to remember in excel, and sure enough i saw things that i didn't know

5
Member's Profile
This was an excellent course and I learned so much. This helps me so much in my job.

3
Anonymous Author
There is no Closed Captions on these videos for those that are hearing impaired/deaf

4
Anonymous Author
Great Course of excel efficiency : spreadsheets basics parts 1 which added value

5
Anonymous Author
I thought this was an interesting course and a good refresher on excel basics.

3
Anonymous Author
This course had a lot of information. The supporting slides were helpful.

5
Anonymous Author
Decent refresher course, plus you learn a few items to make excel easier.

5
Anonymous Author
chance to learn new functions available in excel that we are not aware of

5
Anonymous Author
I learned a lot and even re-learned a few things I had forgotten about.

4
Anonymous Author
Learned a lot of new tricks which can be used in my daily activities.

5
Anonymous Author
A great review of several basic things and the how and why and how to's

5
Anonymous Author
This course was very helpful and has sharpened my excel skills.

5
Member's Profile
great course! looking forward to many more of his courses

4
Anonymous Author
Was able to gain information I have not used in Excel.

5
Anonymous Author
Basic information with refreshers on important tricks.

5
Anonymous Author
Explanations and directions were clear to understand

5
Anonymous Author
Good refresher course that did the job just fine.

Prerequisites
Course Complexity: Foundational

Program Prerequisites: None

Advance Preparation: None

Education Provider Information
Company: Illumeo, Inc., 75 East Santa Clara St., Suite 1215, San Jose, CA 95113
Contact: For more information regarding this course, including complaint and cancellation policies, please contact our offices at (408) 400- 3993 or send an e-mail to .
Instructor for this course
Course Syllabus
INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW
  Introduction to Excel Efficiency: Spreadsheet Basics Part 17:23
  Saving Excel Files10:33
  Managing Column Widths9:28
  Formatting Numbers9:07
  Creating a Center Text Shortcut8:05
  Working with Dates9:07
  Excel's Order of Operations9:11
  Copying Formulas8:29
  Monitoring Print Scale9:44
  Duplicating Excel Worksheets6:37
  Minimize Workbook Clutter7:24
  Filtering Data7:38
CONTINUOUS PLAY
  Excel Efficiency: Spreadsheet Basics Part 11:42:50
SUPPORTING MATERIALS
  Slides: Excel Efficiency: Spreadsheet Basics Part 1PDF
  Excel Efficiency: Spreadsheet Basics Part 1 Glossary/IndexPDF
  Workbook: Excel Efficiency: Spreadsheet Basics Part 1XLSX
  12 Month Income StatementXLSB
REVIEW AND TEST
  REVIEW QUESTIONSquiz
 FINAL EXAMexam