Visual Analytics with Excel

Course 1295 Advantage Plan Course

  • Duration: 2 days
  • Labs: Yes
  • Language: English
  • Level: Foundation

Data doesn’t speak for itself, but with the right visuals, it can tell a story that drives real decisions. This two-day, hands-on course teaches participants how to unlock the full power of Microsoft Excel for visual data analytics. Through practical exercises and real-world examples, learners will explore foundational visualization principles, advanced charting techniques, interactive dashboards, and even AI-supported analysis.

By the end of the course, participants will know how to design clear, accurate, and engaging visuals; build dynamic dashboards; interpret patterns and insights; and confidently present data-driven stories to stakeholders.

Visual Analytics with Excel Delivery Methods

  • In-Person

  • Online

  • Upskill your whole team by bringing Private Team Training to your facility.

Visual Analytics with Excel Course Information

Course Benefits

  • Transform raw data into compelling visual narratives using Excel’s full suite of charting, formatting, and dashboarding tools.
  • Learn both the “why” and the “how” by combining strong visualization theory with step-by-step, real-world practice.
  • Build polished dashboards that highlight trends, outliers, and insights for business decision-making.
  • Avoid common visualization mistakes and learn to design visuals that are accurate, intuitive, and trustworthy.
  • Understand how AI fits into Excel workflows and how to structure data for AI-driven analysis and insights.
  • Boost confidence and credibility when presenting charts, dashboards, and data stories to colleagues and leadership. 

Important Information:

Prerequisites

  • Basic knowledge of Excel (data entry, formulas) highly recommended but not required.

Visual Analytics with Excel Course Outline

Chapter 1: Understanding Visual Data Analytics

  • Define Data Analytics
  • Discuss the relationship between Data Analytics and decision-making
  • Review the fundamentals of data visualization
  • Identify the data processing chain used in data mining

Chapter 2: Excel and Power Query Clean, Structure, and Use Data

  • Import and transform data with Power Query
  • Structure data with Power Pivot
  • Create queries or data tables in Excel
  • Work with the basics of data manipulation

Chapter 3: Using AI for Data Analysis with MS365 Copilot

  • Introduce AI
  • Discuss the benefits and drawback of using AI
  • Use AI with Excel Dashboards

Chapter 4: Using Excel’s Charting Tools

  • Overview of Excel Charting
  • Discuss Chart types and usage
  • Create Excel charts
  • Edit charts using chart items
  • Modify colors and styles for clarity
  • Work with data series
  • Consider chart templates

Chapter 5: Visual Analytics for Decision Making

  • Highlight use of trends and outliers
  • Create time series visualizations
  • Leverage conditional formatting

Chapter 6: Dashboards in Excel

  • Review principles of dashboard design
  • Integrate multiple charts and data sources
  • Create interactive elements
  • Build a functional dashboard

Chapter 7: Course Summary

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Visual Analytics with Excel FAQs

Target Audience: Business professionals, analysts, students, and anyone interested in enhancing their data visualization skills.

No. Basic familiarity with Excel—such as entering data or using simple formulas—is helpful but not required. The course starts with foundational concepts and builds progressively.

Yes! Day 2 includes step-by-step guidance on designing and assembling interactive dashboards using charts, slicers, and form controls.

Not at all. The material is ideal for business professionals, managers, students, and anyone who wants to improve how they analyze and communicate data.

Yes. The course introduces how AI can support data analysis, how to prepare your data for AI tools, and how AI can enhance dashboards and insight generation.

Absolutely. Each day includes guided exercises where you’ll work directly with datasets to create charts, visuals, and a completed mini-dashboard.