If you are a business analyst, some Excel skills will come in handy when you need to quickly summarize data.

Some skills are necessity for salespeople. It can help them determine which customers are most likely to buy your product or service, so they can concentrate their efforts on those people.

Managers must to understand business in order to be successful. Some Excel skills will help them do just that.

 

Skills for Managers

Managers often excel at Excel because they need to be able to quickly analyze their data and make decisions.

Sum Tables: The SUM function adds up all values in a list of cells. This skill is particularly useful for employees who need to add up many numbers, or you could use it to see how much money your company has made this year.

Automatic/Conditional Formatting and Sorting: Excel’s conditional formatting allows users to set rules for how cells are formatted depending on a certain variable, such as date or number. You can also sort data quickly and easily by using the automatic sorting feature in Excel.

Matching Cells: This skill is helpful when trying to find the specific row or column that contains a specific value.

Matrix: If you need to create an intricate matrix form with dozens of different rows and columns, this skill will come in handy.

Time Functions: The TIME function calculates elapsed time between two dates and the DATE function lets you convert dates from one format into another format.

Autosum: Like the SUM function, this skill automatically calculates subtotals for each column in a list, adding up all of the values within that column.

Data Validation: When a cell contains formulas, it’s important to validate that the data values are consistent with the formula. These formulas should always be entered into cells in a way that shows how much each column is worth.

Data Tables: Data tables create a visual representation of your data set. They’re typically used for presenting your data to others or for reporting on specific information.

 

Skills for Business Analysts

Totals: The total function in Excel automatically calculates the sum of all values within a column.

Graphs: With graphs, you can see how your data is trending or even identify anomalies that could signal a problem.

Pivot Tables: A pivot table is designed to summarize massive amounts of data and identify trends and patterns. This skill can help employees better manage their schedules by quickly analyzing trends and identifying the best employees for the job.

Data Scraping: If you’re looking for specific information, scraping allows you to pull specific data from websites without having to create a whole new database.

Charts: With charts, you can visualize your data in an easily digestible format and quickly compare it with other sets of data.

Subtotals: The subtotal function in Excel automatically calculates subtotals for each column in a list, adding up all of the values within that column.

Macros: Macro refers to small pieces of computer code that perform specific tasks automatically when they’re triggered by an event or command. Excel has a variety of built-in macros that can help employees automate repetitive tasks, making their work more efficient and productive.

Dynamic Panels: With dynamically sorted sets of information, employees can quickly find whatever information they’re looking for without having any difficulty navigating through their document or spreadsheet file.

 

Skills for Salespeople

This would be an excellent skill for salespeople, helping them identify which customers are most likely to buy your product or service.

Slicers: A slicer is a tool that allows you to filter a list of data and then show only the information you want. This makes it easier for employees to analyze large sets of data and pinpoint trends.

Conditional Formatting: Conditional formatting allows users to set rules for how cells are formatted based on specific criteria, such as numbers or dates. This skill could be especially helpful for salespeople, helping them identify which customers are most likely to buy your product or service.

Importing and Exporting Data: Excel is a powerful program–but sometimes it’s not enough. That’s why it can be so helpful to have access to other data sources through importing and exporting. Salespeople who rely on this skill will know that they’ll always have access to their current data in case they need it in the future.

Pivot Tables: A pivot table is designed to summarize massive amounts of data and identify trends and patterns. This skill can help employees better manage their schedules by quickly analyzing trends and identifying the best employees for the job.

Column Calculation: When you use column calculation, you can calculate values across columns with one simple formula instead of having to enter numerous formulas individually into each cell of your column.

 

Conditional Formatting

-Can Help You Target Your Audience

Conditional formatting can help you target your audience. For example, if you want to highlight the cost of a product, conditional formatting is a good way to distinguish this information in order to increase sales. In the example below, “Price” is formatted to be red and bolded when it’s between $50-100.

 

Vlookup and Cross-referencing

The Vlookup function is helpful for finding the value in one cell that matches a range of values in another cell. It uses a logical “AND” to find the value in one cell that matches a range of values in another, similar column. For example, you could use it to find out how much each employee earns by finding the highest salary and then comparing it with their total number of hours worked.

Cross-referencing is also helpful for looking up data across multiple spreadsheets. When you cross-reference two cells within a spreadsheet, Excel will display the corresponding values from other sheets so you can easily see what’s happening across different sheets of your workbook.

 

Interpreting Excel Data

Employees who have a solid understanding of Excel’s Interpreting Data feature will be the most valuable. This skill can help employees better manage their schedules by quickly analyzing trends and identifying the best employees for the job, as well as better track their expenses.

 

Conclusion

Excel is a powerful tool that can help you manage and organize data, create dynamic reports and graphs, and facilitate employee collaboration. However, it can also be difficult to learn and use effectively, which is why we have compiled these nine skills to help you master Excel in the business world.