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Description

Excel — Spreadsheet Data Analysis: Prepare, Cross-Tabulate and Visualise Your Figures

Two days to turn a raw data export into a dashboard that can be read in under a minute

  • 2 days — 14 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • All levels
  • Up to 6 participants

The raw export runs to several thousand rows. The summary is built through successive filters and totals copied across to another tab. The resulting chart stacks every series together and no one can read the message. When the next version arrives the work starts again from scratch.

These 14 hours focus on the path from a raw dataset to a readable output. Participants clean and structure their data, cross-tabulate it using PivotTables, then select representations suited to the message. The programme concludes with a one-page dashboard that updates with a simple refresh.

Learning objectives

  • Structure a raw export into a usable database
  • Cross-tabulate data with PivotTables to answer a specific question
  • Select a chart type suited to the message being conveyed
  • Build a one-page dashboard that updates on refresh
  • Identify misreadings caused by a poorly chosen representation

What makes this programme different

Each participant works on an export taken from their own department
The same dataset represented several ways to compare interpretations
A one-page dashboard delivered by the end of the programme

Programme

1From Export to Database

Making data usable

  • Flat database structure and common data entry errors
  • Cleaning duplicates and missing values
  • Converting to tables and dynamic ranges
  • Calculation columns to prepare for analysis

2Cross-Tabulation and Summaries

Making the rows speak

  • PivotTables and grouping
  • Percentage and running total calculations within a PivotTable
  • Slicers and period filters
  • Lookup functions to enrich the dataset

3Charts and Visual Representation

Choosing the right form

  • Matching the message to the chart type
  • Readability of axes, scales and labels
  • Comparison, trend, distribution and correlation
  • Misleading representations and how to avoid them

4Dashboard

Fitting on one page

  • Selecting the indicators that matter to a given recipient
  • Visual layout of a one-page output
  • Conditional formatting and alert indicators
  • Refreshing and distributing the dashboard

Who is it for

Anyone required to work with data exports in a spreadsheet, whatever their current level of practice.

Prerequisites

Ability to enter data and use simple spreadsheet formulas.

Dates & locations

36 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.