Is Excel Hard to Learn?

Last Updated on June 24, 2024 by Amanda Milligan

Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet software primarily utilized by businesses for collecting, analyzing, and presenting qualitative and quantitative data. Businesses across all industries use Excel to support their analytics, from simple calculations to complex analyses through numerous formulas. 

Excel offers various levels of proficiency, from beginner to advanced, allowing users to gradually build their skills.

The software consists of cells within the spreadsheets, each representing a unique data point. Formulas implemented within Excel can help professionals uncover the connection between different data points. 

Excel can also be programmed to access information from external databases, which can be useful for data modeling, statistics, or financial applications. 

In this article, we’ll learn how hard it is to learn Excel and explore the best ways to master this MS Office tool.

Starting With Excel 

Excel skills are essential for employees in any industry, whether it be information technology, finance, business intelligence, computer science, or healthcare.

Learning Excel can be challenging for beginners with no prior experience in managing data or spreadsheets. However, understanding the basics is a straightforward first step. The more someone uses Excel in everyday operations, the more familiar they will become with its functionality. Daily practice allows one to master more complicated features and tools in Excel. Anyone can learn Excel by making a time commitment and engaging with online learning modules.

Excel skills can help anyone gain valuable insights through analysis. The more familiar someone gets with Excel, the more they can accomplish. 

To truly understand how to master Excel, we must also explore its best use cases. The difficulty of learning Excel can vary depending on what you want to learn to do.

This spreadsheet software allows users to organize almost any type of data and perform various tasks, such as data analysis, project management, office administration, performance reporting, or people management. 

These represent various skill sets, and different users can focus on different areas based on their needs and roles.

Best Ways to Learn Excel

You can learn Excel independently, hire professional assistance, or enroll in a course to make the learning process as straightforward as possible. 

Here are some of the best ways to learn Excel effectively:

• Identify Your Learning Goals: Understand why you want to learn Excel and what specific functions and features are relevant to your needs. This helps you focus your learning on the most applicable areas.
• Take a Professional Course: Enroll in an online course or a professional Excel training program. These courses provide structured learning paths, expert guidance, and comprehensive coverage of Excel’s features.
• Use Online Tutorials and Resources: Utilize free online tutorials, videos, and articles. There are several Excel videos on YouTube and other educational platforms that offer step-by-step guides to help you learn various Excel functions.
• Practice Regularly: Daily practice is one of the best ways to mastering Excel. Create your own spreadsheets, experiment with different functions, and work on real-world projects to practice what you learn. 
• Learn Shortcuts: Familiarize yourself with Excel keyboard shortcuts to improve your efficiency and speed. Shortcuts can help you execute tasks quickly.
• Focus on Core Formulas and Functions: Start by learning essential Excel formulas and functions, such as SUM, AVERAGE, VLOOKUP, and IF statements. These are fundamental tools that you’ll use frequently.
• Utilize Excel’s Built-in Help and Templates: Excel offers built-in help and templates for various tasks. Use these resources to understand how to structure your spreadsheets and apply functions correctly.

Typically, it will take beginners a few days to learn the basics of Excel. 

Learning the ins and outs of Excel should not be rushed. Excel has numerous functions and learning will be easier if users take the time to understand the concepts and features. If users rush the process or opt for self-learning, this can take longer than a professional class.

Moving Forward With Learning Excel

Excel is one of the most useful programs to learn for anyone seeking employment or needing to streamline data management. It is also a transferable skill that can be utilized across numerous sectors. While mastering Excel may take some time,  you can learn and understand it at a beginner level relatively quickly.

ONLC offers premium Excel classes to take your business to the next level! We recommend training a few key employees through a professional service so that those employees can train others in an organization or company. 

Our expert-led courses will help you and your team master Excel’s functionalities, leading to improved productivity and data management. 

Contact ONLC today to learn more about our Excel training programs and start your journey toward Excel proficiency!