Help! Can anyone recommend a complete Excel course from beginners?

[soisealta]

I've started trying to teach myself Excel. I've been trying some free resources, but I think what I need is a comprehensive course from beginner upwards.

Preferably in book form, but I could also do it online. I'm on a low income so not too expensive if possible.

I'd really appreciate some personal recommendations because the selection is dazzling!

Thanks

[quote soisealta]**@Lougle* The =sum(C3C4) works to multiply that particular cell, but when I drag it down the table and press enter - nothing happens?

@TildaRae Thanks I am having a look.[/quote]
What are you dragging down the table and what are you hoping it will do? Sorry, I didn't quite understand.

I’m a regular but inexpert Excel user, and I’m completely un-techie, so it can be a struggle at times. When I don’t know how to do something, I find the ‘JFGI’ command is often very useful.

Just F***g Google It.

This is on my mobile phone, but you can see that I've clicked in one cell and dragged down the next 4, so it's put the range in the formula. In desktop Excel, the colours of the first cell and second cell in the range would be different.

@Lougle

I'm not very good at explaining sorry!

So when I put in the formula in the text box at the top - to multiply two cells in a row eg C3D3 , and press enter, it does multiply those cells correctly in the next 'total' column. However I am supposed to know how to export that calculation down to for example C4D4. So I highlight the first cell with the solution, and I drag it down and press enter. Nothing happens.

@PlanetNormal Believe me, I've tried that! It just confuses me more. I think my mind just doesn't work like this (!) so I'll need to put in serious effort and repetition to 'get' this.

Oh, so what I would do is click on the cell with the first answer, hold down Ctrl + C (copy), then click and drag all the other cells you want to put the formula in, and press Ctrl + V (paste).

Are you grabbing the corner of the cell with the formula?

If you hover in the bottom right corner of the cell containing the formula until a cross appears, and then drag down, this should copy the formula into the cells below. Or copy the cell (CTRL + C), highlight the cells you want to copy to, then paste (CTRL + V). You can also choose paste special / paste formula.

Look up how to sum column and watch a video!

When you drag down you need to click on the cell, then click on the bottom right corner of the cell border (the cursor changes to a "+" if you've clicked in the right place) and drag down. Is that how you're doing it? It sounds as though you're just highlighting a range of cells instead.

@LittleFriendSusan

If you hover in the bottom right corner of the cell containing the formula until a cross appears, and then drag down, this should copy the formula into the cells below. Or copy the cell (CTRL + C), highlight the cells you want to copy to, then paste (CTRL + V). You can also choose paste special / paste formula.

This is my method too. I think that you need to click away from the box you’ve just typed the formula in to, before you can then click back on it and ‘grab’ the handle to pull it down the rest of the row - could this be why it’s not working for you?

[quote soisealta]@PlanetNormal Believe me, I've tried that! It just confuses me more. I think my mind just doesn't work like this (!) so I'll need to put in serious effort and repetition to 'get' this.[/quote]
<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DAY3Ef5VHB-Q&ved=2ahUKEwiKkqL5pK31AhVIQMAKHTDNDEAQxa8BegQIDBAE&usg=AOvVaw1St5G3AgGPckITpAw2cxuI" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">YouTube video try this

Hi,

Not sure what sort of specific things you need for excel but just with you simple C3*D3 (which should be simple ) it sounds like excel is not isolating the data so I would suggest highlighting the above formula in the formula bar and clicking f4 and then enter then hovering over the right bottom corner of the box displaying the correct calculation and double clicking this should automatically pull down all data correctly!

How to books/ even training programmes can be a minefield, it’s not because someone is clueless just a direct explanation and positive outcome can help the information stick in your memory and become a building block!

Google is massively helpful but before you can understand the instructions properly you need a good round all knowledge.

If there’s anything I can help with directly just drop me a pm

@soisealta

I'm a self taught but very keen Excel (XL) user who would love to help. It would be much easier for someone to help you if they could see your screen.

You are welcome to PM me, I'd be happy to screen share with you to get over any specific problems. I can't imagine what would be stopping that cell from being copied but am confident that I would know immediately if I could see the screen.

I'd be glad to support your efforts to learn Excel.

Also I see you’ve mentioned IF formulas obviously I would need to see your spreadsheet to help exactly!

Personality when I am teaching colleagues how to use excel I prepare generic formula which is copied on to a word document which they can then apply to their spreadsheet only needing to change particular trigger cells

It’s unlikely you will need to use vast differences of the same formula unless you work to an advance level

The customisable formula based on your needs are a real help to people with a basic knowledge of excel

Anyway happy to help if you want to pm either way just have confidence! Wishing you the best of luck with your new future career x

www.excel-easy.com/

This is a good resource for getting to grips with excel. Don’t be scared of formulas, you’ll get your head round the basics quickly!

I'm self taught at excel and would love to do a course but I think that I would struggle because although there are some basics I'm missing, there are a few areas that I don't think they would teach for a while (drop down boxes, developer mode, multiple books). My main problem is how to write more complex equations (if a1= b6 and c5 then do action x if a1=b6 or c7 then do y, etc).

I find online tutorials for each task are fab. The last thing I learnt to do was import a data sheet to save writing it and sort into usable data.

Thank you so much everyone, I really appreciate all your help.

I'm going to bed soon as I've just finished my current job but I will be off tomorrow and attempting Excel once again so I will come back and reply.

Thanks again.

Excel for dummies is a good book.

I reckon that would be cheap second hand.

Good luck.

This isn't excel for me, but more specific Office... is there a "system" or technique around learning the new Excel/Office interface?

In the early days of Office, you had a simple toolbar that said File Edit View Format Help etc, and I learnt where everything was.

Then in the 2010s, that toolbar changed so it says Home Design Layout Review with multiple rows of commands and I can't memorise where the old commands were. I'm having to google every time where the old commands are.

Is there a system for learning the above? It's been around for 10+ yhears now and I still can't memorise the new command placements!

[quote soisealta]@Lougle

I'm not very good at explaining sorry!

So when I put in the formula in the text box at the top - to multiply two cells in a row eg C3D3 , and press enter, it does multiply those cells correctly in the next 'total' column. However I am supposed to know how to export that calculation down to for example C4D4. So I highlight the first cell with the solution, and I drag it down and press enter. Nothing happens.[/quote]
Why are you putting the formula in the text box and not the cell where you want the answer?

@TrickorTreacle

I can't memorise where the old commands were.

The version of Excel that I use has a search box in the top bar, something like 'what do you want to do'. I type the old command in there and it responds with a list of things which match. If I select one of these options it takes me to that command.

After using it a few times, I start to remember the new location action.

It is at sort or 'tailored' google search.

You should find YouTube to be very helpful

Go Skills

We’ve used Go Skills before to learn Excel. It seemed a good course.

@TrickorTreacle

This isn't excel for me, but more specific Office... is there a "system" or technique around learning the new Excel/Office interface?

In the early days of Office, you had a simple toolbar that said File Edit View Format Help etc, and I learnt where everything was.

Then in the 2010s, that toolbar changed so it says Home Design Layout Review with multiple rows of commands and I can't memorise where the old commands were. I'm having to google every time where the old commands are.

Is there a system for learning the above? It's been around for 10+ yhears now and I still can't memorise the new command placements!

If you're doing the same sort of thing all the time on it, you'd be best to create a template which uses the font you like, line spacing, margins, etc., so that all you really need is to be able to adjust bolding, font size, justification, etc., as you go.

Control commands are worth learning. Google 'keyboard shortcuts' if you're not familiar with them. You'll get a list such as CTRL + B = Bold