Excel for Beginners

Breni's Excel for Beginners path takes someone who has barely opened a spreadsheet to building budgets, trackers and reports. Its 7 courses cover the workbook basics, formulas and references, sorting and tables, lookups such as XLOOKUP, pivot tables, charts and everyday templates. Learners finish able to write formulas that copy correctly, combine data from two sheets and summarise thousands of rows in a pivot table. Lookups open only after formulas are done, since every course in the path unlocks after the one before it.

  • 7 courses
  • 15 learning objectives
  • Level: beginner
  • Language: English
  • Price: Subscription, free trial

What you will be able to do

  • Write formulas with SUM, AVERAGE and IF that copy correctly using absolute references
  • Sort, filter and convert a range into an Excel Table with data validation
  • Combine data from two sheets with XLOOKUP or INDEX and MATCH
  • Summarise a large dataset with a pivot table, grouped dates and slicers
  • Build a monthly budget and a project tracker from a blank workbook

Full curriculum

Part 1 · Getting started

1. Excel Basics: Getting Started with Spreadsheets

Find your way around a workbook and enter and format data neatly. Units, in order: Workbooks, sheets, cells and ranges; Entering numbers, text and dates; Number formats and cell styles; Rows, columns and freezing panes; Saving and file types.

  • — Workbooks and Sheets
    Learn the basic layout of an Excel file.
    • Open a Workbook
    • Switch Worksheets
    • Cells and Ranges
  • — Entering Data
    Type numbers text and dates into your sheet.
    • Type Text and Numbers
    • Enter Dates Correctly
    • Fix Typing Mistakes
  • — Formats and Styles
    Make your data look clean and easy to read.
    • Apply Number Formats
    • Use Cell Styles
    • Change Font Styles
  • — Rows and Columns
    Manage layout and keep headers visible while scrolling.
    • Resize Rows and Columns
    • Insert and Delete
    • Freeze Panes
  • — Saving and Files
    Save your work and choose correct file types.
    • Save Your Workbook
    • Choose File Types
    • Open Existing Files

2. Excel Formulas and Functions

Write formulas that calculate correctly and keep working when copied. Units, in order: How a formula is built; SUM, AVERAGE, COUNT, MIN and MAX; Relative and absolute references; IF and nested conditions; Text functions such as LEFT, TRIM and TEXTJOIN.

Part 2 · Working with data

3. Sorting, Filtering and Tables

Organise a list of data so it stays tidy and easy to query. Units, in order: Sorting by one or more columns; Filters; Excel Tables and structured references; Data validation and drop-down lists; Removing duplicates.

4. Lookups in Excel

Pull matching values from another table instead of copying them by hand. Units, in order: VLOOKUP and its limits; XLOOKUP; INDEX and MATCH; Handling #N/A with IFERROR.

5. Pivot Tables

Summarise thousands of rows into a clear report in a few clicks. Units, in order: Creating a pivot table; Rows, columns and values; Grouping by month and year; Slicers for quick filtering; Pivot charts.

Part 3 · Excel at work

6. Charts and Conditional Formatting

Show trends and problems in a sheet so they stand out at a glance. Units, in order: Choosing a chart type; Building and formatting a chart; Sparklines; Colour scales and data bars; Highlighting rules.

7. Everyday Excel Projects

Build the spreadsheets people use most often at work and at home. Units, in order: A monthly budget; A project tracker; Cleaning imported data with Power Query; Printing and sharing a workbook; Keyboard shortcuts that save time.

Sample: Excel Basics: Getting Started with Spreadsheets

The opening tier, (Workbooks and Sheets). Learn the basic layout of an Excel file.

Open a Workbook

Learn how to open a new blank spreadsheet file.

Switch Worksheets

Move between different pages inside your Excel file.

Cells and Ranges

Find single cells and select groups of cells.

Questions about Excel for Beginners

Can I learn Excel as a complete beginner?

Yes. Excel for Beginners on Breni starts with cells, sheets and entering data, and builds up to lookups and pivot tables.

How long does it take to learn Excel?

The basics come quickly with regular practice, and the path is self-paced. Each Breni lesson takes about three minutes.

Does this Excel course cover XLOOKUP and pivot tables?

Yes. The fourth course covers VLOOKUP, XLOOKUP and INDEX with MATCH, and the fifth is all about pivot tables.

Does it work for Google Sheets too?

Most of it does. Formulas, references, sorting and charts work much the same in Google Sheets, though XLOOKUP, Power Query and some menus differ.

Do I get a certificate in Excel?

Finishing all 7 courses earns a Breni certificate of completion. It shows you completed the path and is not a Microsoft credential.

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