Learn Microsoft Excel Online for Free

January 6

Microsoft Excel is a program that is included with the Microsoft Office package. Excel allows users to enter data into spreadsheets; creating tables, graphs and trend lines; and completing calculations such as averages and totals. Excel can be useful for those conducting research, as well as monitoring progress of students or tracking household budgets. Although learning to use all the features of Excel can be a challenge, it is well worth the time invested to become proficient in the program. Tools offered through Excel can make an individual more efficient at analyzing data, while offering a simple method to monitor budgets or household incomes.

Instructions

1

Access the Microsoft Office website. This is one of the best resources for information on products contained in Office, such as Excel.

2

Move your mouse or cursor over the "Support" tab in the gray bar on the main page. Click the second item on the list, "Excel."

3

Select the version of Excel you are planning to use from the list on the right side of the screen. Options listed are: Excel 2010, Excel 2007 and Excel 2003. This presents a menu of options that may be of interest, depending on what you are planning to do with Excel. Click the topic of interest. If subcategories are offered, select categories that apply. Articles about Microsoft Office will be presented.

4

An alternative method to gain training in the software is to select "Office Training" under the gray "Support" tab at the top of the screen. Again, several options are presented. Select the year of Excel that you are planning to use and choose information that applies from the articles presented.

Tips & Warnings

After gaining information through the articles and tutorials offered by Microsoft, attempt to use the functions in an Excel file. This is not a purposeful file, but a "practice" file to learn basic functions you will be using. Continue to use your "practice" file as you learn new skills. If you make an error in a file, just do not save it. Close the file without saving and open the previous version to start over.
Be particularly cautious with sorting in Excel until you are knowledgeable with how to do so. Some errors that can occur during sorting can be irreversible. If you do not save the file after it is sorted incorrectly, you can always start over.