Course Information
Intermediate/Advanced Excel Features Beneficial for Auditors & Accountants
Parking for SAO, Professional Development courses is in Garage B (1511 San Jacinto Blvd.). The Garage signage may read 1511 San Jacinto or Garage B. The elevator in Garage B is not reliable. If you are unable to walk the stairs, please contact the professionaldevelopment@sao.texas.gov for alternate parking arrangements. Handicapped parking is free at the meters around the downtown area.
A course coordinator will email you a parking permit prior to the course start date. A permit must be displayed or you will be ticketed.
Course Description
This class is continually updated to include many of the new Excel features that have been added in recent years. Microsoft has added many new features to Excel that are especially helpful to accountants and auditors. This class is an “Excel buffet” that covers a large variety of the most popular capabilities of the Excel program and many of the new features that have been introduced in the recent software upgrades. The curriculum will explain how to accomplish a task using Excel 2016, 2019, 2021 and Office 365. Regardless of your version, this class will benefit you.
In this course you will learn how to work with formulas such as IF, IFS, VLOOKUP, XLOOKUP, COUNT, CONCATENATE, TEXTJOIN and more. You will learn how to use absolute addressing and range names in more complicated formulas. The class looks at Excel’s data tools features such as sorting, advanced sorting and filters. We will dive more deeply into the importance of using Table with PivotTables. You will learn to work with multiple sheet workbooks and create linking formulas. This class is loaded with shortcuts that will help you be more productive when using Excel.
Course Objectives
Build more advanced formulas and use Excel’s data features such as sorting, filters, tables and PivotTables. You will also understand how to create and modify charts and learn shortcuts that will improve your efficiency when using Excel.
FORMULA BASICS AND ABSOLUTE REFERENCES
• Review Basic Formulas
• Work with Relative and Absolute References
• Use Formula Auditing Tools
• Work with Shortcuts and Common Keystrokes
ADVANCED FORMULAS
• Identify Comparison Operators and Parts of a Function
• Use Auto-Calculate
• Create Subtotals and Grand Totals
• Work with Order of Calculation
• Learn the IF and IFS Function; Nest IF Functions
• Understand Named Ranges
• Learn the VLOOKUP Function
• Use Office 365 XLOOKUP Function
• Work with text functions like CONCATENATE, LEFT, and RIGHT
• Use functions like CONCAT and TEXTJOIN
• Learn how to change the case of text with UPPER, LOWER and PROPER
• Use the Text-to-Columns feature
• Look at the Flash Fill feature
• Use Paste Special
• Protect your formulas
• Password protect formulas and files
• Work with Date Functions like TODAY, NOW, WEEKDAY, WORKDAY and DATEDIF
SORT, FILTER AND USE TABLES
• Go Beyond Basics sorting. Learn to sort by multiple options such as colors, icons and custom lists
• Learn Basic and Advanced Filters
• Understand Tables and their importance
PIVOTTABLES
• Create and Format PivotTables
• Work with Value Field Settings and Options
• Drilldown into Data
• Look at changing you data source and refreshing
• Work with Slicers and Timelines
• Group and Ungroup Data
WORKING WITH MULTIPLE SHEETS AND LINKS
• Learn to quickly navigate sheets
• Learn to Copy and Insert sheets
• Rename and Color sheet tabs
• Group sheets and work with all sheets simultaneously
• Ungroup sheets
• Move sheets within the workbook and to new workbooks
• Create three-dimensional references
• View multiple sheets at the same time
• Link workbooks and manage the links
Prerequisites
Intermediate Excel knowledge.
Instructors
Darla Cloud has been teaching computer classes for over 27 years. She has earned the various Microsoft Office certifications acknowledging her expertise in Microsoft products. Darla is also a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Technical Trainer. In addition to Darla’s years of teaching, she has over seven years of accounting experience. Darla’s accounting experience and love of teaching help make her an excellent trainer. She has spent years learning tips, tricks and shortcuts that she will pass on during her classes.
Additional Information
TAC Rule 523.142(g) requires the CPE Sponsor to monitor individual attendance and assign the correct number of CPE credits. Participants will be asked to document their time of arrival and departure in compliance with this Rule. Additionally, attendance will be monitored throughout the day and CPE certificates will reflect actual attendance of each participant.
If you are making travel plans to come to Austin, we recommend making "refundable" air and hotel reservations or waiting until 14 days before the class to actually book your reservations. Courses are occasionally canceled or rescheduled due to low enrollment. We determine whether a course has enough participants 16 days prior to the course date. If we cancel or reschedule, we will email the participant and his or her billing contact no later than 14 days before the original class date.
To see answers to our Frequently Asked Questions, visit Texas State Auditor's Office - Professional Development FAQs