How Long Does It Take To Learn Excel In 2024 (Beginner’s Guide)

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If you are new to Excel, you might be able to gain a basic understanding of its interface and core functions in just a few hours. However, mastering its more complex capabilities can require additional time and study, making you wonder -how long does it take to learn Excel?

According to Noble Desktop, it takes most Excel users approximately 18-20 hours to fully learn this spreadsheet application.

This number depends on several factors, such as your experience working with spreadsheets or data. If you have a job where you have to use Excel to do your job, it will take a good 1-2 years to become “advanced.”

This article is a complete guide on how long it takes to learn Excel, what factors affect the learning process, and how you can speed up the process.

Let’s quickly get into it.

Microsoft Excel: In A Nutshell

Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet program created for data storage, statistics analysis, and data extraction. This is the first software that people consider when dealing with data and information. 

How Long Does It Take To Learn Excel- MS Excel

The time to learn Excel varies according to the level of the skill. The skill is divided into 3 levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. 

Beginner Level:

This level includes learning the basics of Excel software. It requires minimum time to master the basic level. 

Intermediate Level:

The intermediate level includes learning the basics and leveling up with some of the advanced features and operations. 

Advanced Level:

 At the advanced level, you will have to master all the functions of Excel. Advancing Excel will open many new options for your career. 

Bonus: Explore these Best Microsoft Learning Classes For Productivity to get access to the top courses. 

Time Required To Learn Excel

If you religiously allot your time to learning Excel, you will pick up the basics of the software and the operations done in the sheets within 24 hours of learning. 

Note that after dedicating this amount of time, you will only be able to make your foundations strong and work on basics. If you need to learn intermediate-level skills or master the software, you will have to dedicate approximately 3 months to learning and practicing. 

The time taken to learn depends on how much time you dedicate to practicing and in the process of learning. 

Is Excel Hard to Learn?

Learning a new skill no doubt requires time and effort. You will need to work and practice the skill to master it. 

If you are well versed in the workings of the computer, you will easily learn the advanced features of the software. However, If you are well known for the working of the computer, you will easily learn the advanced features of the software. However, if you are new to computers, you will find it difficult at the start and require more time to learn.

Uses of Excel

In today’s era, Excel is widely used in organizations and companies to maintain and store data. Excel allows you to organize any type of data and information. 

The software provides you the flexibility to perform various operations on the data. You can enter data in a cell and group them in rows or columns, perform mathematical operations on the cell or the groups, build basic charts, etc. 

Following are a few of the basic uses of Excel in day-to-day life.

  1. Analysis of data:

Data Analysts use Excel widely with other tools. Be it sales, website traffic, insurance claims, supplies, or expenditure data, Excel will serve you. 

  1. Project Management:

Excel is used in project management to manage the budget and expenditure. Also, it is used in the tasks of logistics and tracking the required details of the pieces. 

  1. Office Administration

The administrative data is stored and managed in Excel by the secretaries and the clerks. Also, invoicing, contacting clients and suppliers, etc, can be done quickly with the help of Excel.

  1. School Administration

Spreadsheets are used to manage and store students’ details, records, and reports. Also, teachers’ records are maintained using sheets. The teaching plans can be made and maintained using Excel.

Overall, Excel is used in every field of life, in every organization, and in every aspect of life. 

Tips To Learn Excel

To learn Excel, you will have to find the proper resources, hacks, and tricks to excel at it. 

  1. Fix your motive to learn Excel.

Working on skills may seem to lose track if you don’t have a proper purpose or goal for your learning. You need to set a proper motive behind learning new skills to keep your learning on track and not give up in the middle of the process. 

Always remember to set a goal like you want to learn Excel for data analysis, to be a better student, or for your job. 

  1. Find efficient learning resources. 

You will find a lot of courses on the internet that offer teaching Excel. Most of them may not be efficient enough to teach you advanced-level formulas and shortcuts. Here, the trick is to do the required research and find the best resources available.

  1. Use online free courses available. 

There are a lot of platforms that provide free courses to learn a basic and intermediate level of Excel. You can find the best courses on platforms like Coursera, edX, etc. 

You can also consider paid options for the courses if you want to learn them in depth and with one-on-one tutoring. Local classes may be an option for you, but they do not provide you with enough flexibility. 

  1. Practice. 

Practicing the tricks, formulas, and other functions is the sole key to mastering your Excel skills. You must practice and invest your time by working on the key learnings. 

  1. Learn and remember shortcut formulas and keys. 

Working with Excel becomes easy when you remember the shortcuts, the formulas, and the keyboard shortcuts. It makes you work quicker and more efficiently. It is one of the most important tips and hacks to remember the shortcuts when working in Excel.

Ways to Learn Excel

Starting the journey of learning is one of the most important parts of learning. As said, “Well begun is half done”. As mentioned earlier, you can research and look for the best available courses across the net. 

However, to ease up your task we have mentioned some of the courses that are available on the internet.

  1. Excel Free Resources

The Internet is full of free resources available for learners and enthusiasts. All you will have to do is dig to find the best resources available. 

Besides, in the Microsoft Excel help center, you will find a large variety of tutorials to help you out will all the basic learning processes. 

The giant source of learning, YouTube has it all. Go to the search menu and enter Excel tutorials; you will find many playlists that will help you out in the beginning process. 

Other resources include ExcelCentral, Excel Exposure, GCFLearnFree.org, and free courses on platforms like EdX, Coursera, SimplyLearn, etc. 

  1. Excel Online Courses

If you need flexibility and want to make your foundation of basics strong, you can opt for the paid courses available online. 

Top sites like Udemy, Coursera, LinkedIn, Udacity, etc, offer some of the best courses in the industry. You get the advantage of self-paced learning and flexible deadlines. 

Above all, getting a Microsoft Excel Expert certificate from the company that created the software adds tremendous value to your profile. 

  1. Excel Coding Bootcamps

Bootcamps are short and engaging programs created to help learners with the required skills. 

You can find Excel boot camps on General Assembly or Springboard. 

  1. Excel Degree Programs

The professional Excel certifications will help you gain an incredible amount of skills and an edge over self-learners. The certifications will validate your skills and add value to your profile and resume. 

Best Courses To Learn Excel

Here are some of the best courses that you can enroll in to learn Excel.

1. Introduction To Microsoft Excel

Platform: Coursera

Duration: 2 hours

Instructor: Summer Scaggs

Introduction To Microsoft Excel

Brief: It is a guided project that is offered by Coursera Project Network. With this course, you will learn how to create an Excel spreadsheet and how to add data entries. You will also learn about the Excel formulas that you can use within the spreadsheet. After completing the course, you will also get a shareable certificate, which you can use to apply for Excel-related jobs.

Pricing: You can enroll in this course for free, but you will need to pay for the certificate.

2. Microsoft Excel – Excel From Beginner To Advanced

Platform: Udemy

Duration: 21 hours of on-demand video

Instructor: Kyle Pew, Office Newb

Microsoft Excel - Beginner To Advanced

Brief: This course helps you learn everything about Excel from beginner to advanced. You will also learn dynamic formulas like INDEX, IF, MATCH, VLOOKUP, and more. The course has 43 sections and 257 lectures. This course is a combination of four different courses that apply to MS Excel from 2007 to 2019.

Pricing: This course costs $159.99, but you can get it for just $19.99.

Is Excel Harder To Learn Than Sheets?

Yes, Learning Excel is harder compared to Google Sheets because it has more functionalities. However, if you are a complete beginner and know nothing about spreadsheets, then learning either one of them will be challenging for you. If you are into data analysis and managing statistical data, then it is best to learn Excel rather than Sheets because it will help you in the long run.

If you want to collaborate with your team on a spreadsheet, then it is better to use Google Sheets because collaborating on Excel is difficult. The best part about Google Sheets is that you can use it offline and online, whereas you can use Microsoft Excel offline only. You can also use Google Sheets for free, whereas you will have to buy a Microsoft Office license key to use MS Excel. But to manage more statistical data, you should prefer Excel over sheets.

Which Jobs Can You Get With Excel? 

Learning Excel can provide you an advantage in many job profiles as they require intermediate to advanced level skills in Excel. As stated earlier, if you own a professional course certificate, you get an advantage over other candidates in such job profiles. 

Excel is used in finance, construction, hospitality, administration, and other sectors. 

Jobs that you can get with the help of Excel are :

  1. Administrative Assistant/ Secretary

Excel is used by administrative assistants to maintain the database of the administrative department and store the details of the books available. They also use it to schedule meetings and arrange document details. 

  1. Financial Analyst

Financial Analysts use Excel to analyze numbers. It is also used by them to maintain the financial model of the company and to keep it updated. Their responsibility is also to manage accounting ratios using Excel.

  1. Accountant

Excel is a must for accountants as they have to deal with complicated operations daily. To become an accountant, you need to possess advanced Excel skills and know the manipulation of the numbers in the spreadsheet.  

  1. Project manager

The detailed tracking of the projects and planning is done using Excel. Project managers also use Excel to visualize the expenses and the budget of the project. 

Is Excel Worth Learning?

Yes, Excel is the most widely used spreadsheet application and can be used to create budgets, track finances, and execute mathematical computations.

It is one of the most popular and widely used software programs in the world and is used in a variety of industries and job roles.

Excel skills can open doors to numerous career opportunities across various industries, from finance to project management. It also speeds up your work and improves efficiency. 

Moreover, it also allows you to perform advanced calculations, create graphical representations, and manage real-time collaboration with others.

Learning how to use Excel efficiently can help you perform more effectively in any job that requires organizing and managing lists, budgets, inventories, or finances.

Excel is an impressive skill to add to your resume, even for those in other fields.

Related Read:

Final Verdict: How Long Does It Take To Learn Excel (2024)

That’s all with the Excel. You might have received the answer to your question: How long does it take to learn Excel? 

If not, let me summarize it for you. 

  • You will require a minimum of 20 – 24 hours to learn the basics. 
  • 30-45 days to learn intermediate-level Excel. 
  • Around 3 months of dedication are required to advance your skills in Excel Software. 

 I believe that the article has helped you to clear your thoughts and provided enough knowledge to help you learn Excel. Happy learning Excel!

You can also check out this thread from Reddit to see other user’s experiences.

FAQs

How many days will it take to learn Excel?

To learn Excel, you will require a minimum of 20 to 24 hours to learn. However, you will require more time to learn intermediate and advanced-level skills. 

Is Excel difficult to learn?

To learn any new skill, you will need to invest your time and effort. However, Learning Excel is not at all difficult. You will need to learn a few basics, and you are done. 

Can I learn Excel in 2 days?

Yes, you can. You can learn Excel in even 1 day. Following a short course or tutorial will help you to grab the basics faster. 

Is learning Excel worth it in 2024?

Yes, learning Excel in 2024 is worth it. Various in-demand jobs like data Analyst, Administrative assistants, accountants, etc require the skills of excel. 

Alvin Parker

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