Microsoft Office - Need to improve, fast!

rediguana

Hi.

Most of the jobs I'm applying for these days are calling for proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Excel. I've been using Word for years, and Powerpoint is no problem. However, I've never used Excel before. I'm GUESSING it's not rocket science - am I right?

Basically, I'm attending interviews at present and claiming that I am fully competent in Excel. All going well, I hope to be starting somewhere at the start of February. Is this enough time to become an Excel maestro? If so, am I better off teaching myself through an online tutorial (any site recommendations?) or should I just pay someone to give me grinds?

I "used" SPSS in college, though not fantastically - is Excel similar?

Finally, what other Microsoft Office applications should I be familiar with for an admin role? Outlook?

Any words of wisdom appreciated.

Biggins

The basics you need is Word, Excel, Powerpoint and Outlook.
Know your way around them at basic level and you are indeed off to a good start.
The better the grounding you have in Excel, will greatly increase your employment chances.
Add to that the ability to intergrate a database system (Like Access or similar) into Excel and they should be paying you more in wages.

I wish you luck for the future.

rediguana

Thanks for that.

I don't really have any grounding in Excel - can it be learned in three weeks?

I recently downloaded a free trial of Access, but I haven't used it yet. It's for building databases, right? But isn't that what Excel is, a database? How do they differ?

Slow Motion

Hi OP

SPSS is a statistical analysis package (as you know), but it doesn't really relate to being able to use excel. The best was to become proficient is practice, I would recommend one of the dummies guide books, I have tought excel and the best way is just sitting at the PC and do formulas over and over and eperiment with the functionality! Below are some basic examples I use, hope it helps

Using formulae in Excel

The sum function is used for the four basics, add, subtract, multiply and divide e.g.

=SUM(A1:A10) Note using the colon will add a range of cells A1 to A10 inclusive

=SUM(A1+A10) Note using the plus symbol will only add the named cells

=SUM(A1-A1)

=SUM(A1*A10)

=SUM(A1/A10)


Other common functions

Average:

=AVERAGE(A1:A10)


Maximum:

=MAX(A1:A10)


Minimum:

=MIN(A1:A10)


Count:

=COUNT(A1:A10)



Conditional function

=IF(A1>= A10, “Yes”,”No”)

The if function requires three parts, the condition to be checked, is the value in cell A1 greater than or equal to the value in cell A10, then what to do if the condition is true, return the value “Yes”, and what to do if the condition is false, return the value “No”.


Function Condition True False
=IF (A1>=A10, “Yes”, “No”)



Edit: Access is tougher and is basically used for storing and retrieving data, think telephone directory, whereas excel is used for calculations although some people use it as a database as well but it is very limited in that regard.

Biggins

Excel is a maths based system whereas Access is a data/information handling system.
The two can be combined but a grounding in basic excel is better to have first before jumping into both at the same time. Doing that might be very confusing at first.

Daly09

Check out website http://www.cctglobal.com/ for good step by step info on IT programmes.
Probably essential to know to know Outlook and Excel and nice to know Access and PowerPoint depending on the job

rediguana

Thanks for all the help, guys. I'll probably drop back into the thread as questions arise over the coming weeks. Danke!

Slow Motion

rediguana wrote: »

Thanks for all the help, guys. I'll probably drop back into the thread as questions arise over the coming weeks. Danke!

Feel free to drop me a pm if you are stuck on something specific!

unnameduser

I would recommend getting a training book of some sort to grasp the basics. However you may hit a brick wall with a few items. In this case 1/2 lessons after a series of self study should get you on the right track. What version of Excel do you have? PM and I'll send on some notes if you want.

Daithi McGee

I'd hit the local library and pick up an excel book or

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=excel+tutorial&search_type=&aq=1&oq=excel