Big Data and AI

Lesson 1.1 – What Is Excel and Why It Matters Worldwide This lesson introduces Microsoft Excel from a practical and professional perspective. The objective is to understand what Excel is, why it is used globally, and how it supports everyday work in business, finance, operations, and data analysis. The explanations are designed for learners with no prior experience. 1. What Excel Is Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet application used to store, organize, calculate, and analyze data. It is part of the Microsoft 365 suite and is available on Windows, macOS, and the web. Excel is based on a grid structure composed of rows and columns, which allows users to work with numerical and textual information in a structured and scalable way. Excel is commonly used for: data entry and data organization mathematical and statistical calculations financial analysis and budgeting reporting and data visualization business planning and forecasting ...

Excel Basic Course – International Beginner Guide Welcome to the Excel Basic International Course , a complete beginner-friendly learning path designed to help you master the world’s most widely used spreadsheet tool. Whether you are starting from zero or refreshing your skills, this course will guide you step by step through the essential features of Microsoft Excel. By the end of this course, you will be able to create spreadsheets, use formulas, analyze data, build tables, create charts, and work efficiently using shortcuts and best practices adopted in professional environments worldwide. Why This Course Matters Excel is a global standard in business, finance, data analysis, project management, and everyday productivity. This course follows international standards aligned with: ICDL / ECDL – Spreadsheets MOS Excel Associate Microsoft 365 Fundamentals Corporate Excel onboarding programs Each lesson is clear, structured, and practical, wit...

Lesson 1.4 – Data Types in Excel: Text, Numbers, and Dates Excel interprets data differently depending on its type. Understanding how Excel classifies text, numbers, and dates is essential for accurate calculations, sorting, filtering, and data analysis. This lesson explains how each data type works and how Excel behaves when processing them. 1. Text (Strings) Text is any content that Excel does not recognize as a number or date. Text is aligned to the left by default. It is commonly used for labels, names, categories, and descriptive information. Examples of text: Product A January Invoice #4521 ABC123 Even numeric-looking values may be treated as text if they contain leading zeros, spaces, or non-numeric characters. 2. Numbers Numbers are values Excel can use in calculations. They are aligned to the right by default. Numbers can represent quantities, prices, percentages, measurements, or any numeric data. Examples of ...

Lesson 1.2 – The Excel Interface: Ribbon, Tabs, Groups, and Formula Bar This lesson provides a clear and structured explanation of the Excel interface. Understanding the interface is essential before entering data or using formulas. Each component of the interface has a specific purpose, and learning how these elements work will allow you to navigate Excel efficiently and perform tasks with accuracy. 1. Overview of the Excel Interface When you open Excel, the screen is divided into several functional areas. Each area is designed to help you perform specific actions such as formatting data, inserting formulas, creating charts, or managing files. The main components are: Title Bar Ribbon Tabs Groups Formula Bar Worksheet Area (Grid) Status Bar The following sections describe each component in detail. 2. Title Bar The Title Bar is located at the top of the Excel window. It displays the name of the current workbook (...

Lesson 3.1 – How Formulas Work Formulas are the core of Excel. They allow you to perform calculations, analyze data, and automate tasks. Every formula in Excel follows a simple structure and always begins with an equal sign (=). Understanding how formulas work is essential before learning specific functions. 1. The Structure of a Formula All Excel formulas follow this basic pattern: =operand operator operand Example: =5 + 3 =A1 * B1 =SUM(A1:A10) Excel calculates the result and displays it in the cell, while the formula remains visible in the Formula Bar. 2. The Equal Sign (=) Every formula must start with = . Without it, Excel treats the entry as text. Examples: =10+5 → Excel calculates 10+5 → Excel shows “10+5” as text 3. Operators in Excel Operators tell Excel what type of calculation to perform. Operator Meaning Example + Addition =A1 + B1 - Subtract...

Lesson 4.5 – Removing Duplicates Duplicate values can cause errors, incorrect calculations, and misleading analysis. Excel provides a simple and reliable tool to remove duplicates from your dataset in just a few clicks. In this lesson, you will learn how to identify and remove duplicate rows safely. SEO Description Learn how to remove duplicate values in Excel using the built‑in Remove Duplicates tool to clean data quickly and accurately. Publication date: 19 March 2025 1. What Are Duplicates? A duplicate occurs when one or more rows contain the same information. Duplicates often appear when data is imported, copied from other files, or collected from multiple sources. Examples of duplicates: Two identical customer names Repeated product codes Duplicate email addresses Rows with the same values across all columns 2. How to Remove Duplicates Steps: Select your dataset (or click inside an Excel Table). Go to Data → Remove Dupl...

Lesson 2.1 – Entering Data In this lesson, you will learn how to enter clean and structured data in Excel. Correct data entry is essential for accurate calculations, sorting, filtering, and all types of data analysis. Excel recognizes different types of data such as text, numbers, dates, and times, and each behaves differently inside the worksheet. 1. Entering Text Text is used for labels, names, categories, and descriptions. Excel aligns text to the left by default. Examples: Product A Customer Name Category To enter text, click a cell and type. Press Enter to confirm. 2. Entering Numbers Numbers are used for quantities, prices, percentages, and calculations. Excel aligns numbers to the right by default. Examples: 150 3.75 -20 Avoid adding spaces or symbols (except decimal separators), otherwise Excel may treat the value as text. 3. Entering Dates and Times Dates and times must follow a valid format...

Lesson 1.3 – Workbooks, Worksheets, Cells, and Ranges This lesson introduces the fundamental structural elements of Excel: workbooks, worksheets, cells, and ranges. Understanding these components is essential before working with data, formulas, or analysis tools. The concepts explained here form the foundation of all Excel operations. 1. Workbooks A workbook is the Excel file itself. Each workbook can contain one or more worksheets. Workbooks are used to organize related data within a single file. For example, a financial model, a budget, or a project plan is typically stored in one workbook with multiple worksheets. Examples of workbook names: Budget_2024.xlsx Sales_Report_Q1.xlsx Inventory_Tracking.xlsx Workbooks can be saved in different formats, such as .xlsx (standard), .xlsm (with macros), or .csv (comma-separated values). 2. Worksheets A worksheet is a single page inside a workbook. Worksheets are used to separate d...

Interacting with external data sources is a fundamental skill for any data analyst or scientist. In R, you have a rich ecosystem of functions and packages designed to read and write data in formats ranging from plain text CSVs to Excel workbooks, and even full-fledged SQL databases. This post dives deep into the mechanics, best practices, and advanced techniques for importing and exporting data in R. You’ll learn: How to use read.csv() and write.csv() for tabular data When and why to leverage the readr package for faster I/O Best practices for reading and writing Excel files with readxl , writexl , and openxlsx How to establish database connections via DBI and RSQLite , run queries, and manage transactions Tips for handling large datasets, ensuring reproducibility, and optimizing performance By mastering these tools, you’ll build reproducible pipelines, eliminate manual data wrangling, and streamline collaboration across teams. Let’s get started. Table of Contents Working with CSV ...

Lesson 2.4 – AutoFill and Flash Fill AutoFill and Flash Fill are two powerful Excel tools that help you enter data faster and reduce repetitive work. AutoFill extends patterns and formulas, while Flash Fill recognizes patterns automatically and fills the remaining values for you. 1. What AutoFill Does AutoFill uses the small square at the bottom-right corner of the active cell (the Fill Handle ) to copy or extend data. You can use AutoFill to: Copy values Extend sequences (1, 2, 3…) Extend dates (Mon, Tue, Wed…) Copy formulas and adjust references 2. Using AutoFill Steps: Select a cell or a range. Drag the Fill Handle down, up, left, or right. Release the mouse to apply the pattern. Examples: Type January → drag → Excel fills February, March… Type 1 and 2 → select both → drag → Excel continues 3, 4, 5… Type 15/03/2024 → drag → Excel fills the following dates 3. AutoFill with Formulas When you drag a formu...

Lesson 5.2 – Quick Analysis Tool The Quick Analysis Tool is one of Excel’s most powerful features for beginners. It allows you to instantly apply formatting, create charts, add totals, and perform basic analysis with just one click. This tool helps you understand your data faster and make quick decisions without navigating multiple menus. 1. What Is the Quick Analysis Tool? The Quick Analysis Tool appears automatically when you select a range of data. It provides a small menu with shortcuts to the most common analysis features, including: Formatting – Data bars, color scales, icon sets Charts – Column, line, pie, and more Totals – Sum, average, count, running totals Tables – Convert data into an Excel Table Sparklines – Mini‑charts inside cells This tool is perfect for quick insights and fast visualizations. 2. How to Use the Quick Analysis Tool Steps: Select a range of data (at least two rows or columns). Look for the ...

Lesson 4.1 – Creating and Formatting Tables Excel Tables transform a simple data range into a dynamic, structured, and easy-to-manage dataset. Tables automatically expand, apply formatting, update formulas, and provide powerful tools for sorting, filtering, and analysis. In questa lezione impari come creare e formattare una Tabella in modo corretto. 1. What Is an Excel Table? An Excel Table is a structured data container with built-in features such as: Automatic formatting Filter buttons on each column Dynamic expansion when adding new rows Structured references in formulas Optional Total Row for quick calculations Tables are essential for working with real datasets, reports, and dashboards. 2. How to Create a Table Method 1 – Using the Ribbon: Select your data range (e.g., A1:D20). Go to Insert → Table . Confirm the range and check “My table has headers”. Method 2 – Using the Shortcut: Ctrl + T This is the fastest and...

Lesson 3.2 – Relative vs Absolute References When you copy a formula in Excel, the cell references inside it may change automatically. This behavior is extremely powerful, but only if you understand how it works. In this lesson, you will learn the difference between relative , absolute , and mixed references. 1. What Are Cell References? A cell reference tells Excel where to find the data used in a formula. Examples: A1 → column A, row 1 B5 → column B, row 5 C10 → column C, row 10 When you copy a formula, Excel may adjust these references automatically. 2. Relative References (A1) Relative references change when a formula is copied to another cell. This is the default behavior in Excel. Example: =A1 + B1 If you copy this formula from row 1 to row 2, it becomes: =A2 + B2 Excel “moves” the references based on the direction of the copy. 3. Absolute References ($A$1) Absolute references do not change when copi...

Lesson 2.3 – Number Format Number formats control how Excel displays numeric values such as currency, percentages, dates, and measurements. Formatting does not change the underlying value — it only changes how the value appears. Understanding number formats is essential for creating clear, professional spreadsheets. 1. What Number Formats Do Excel stores numbers as raw values (e.g., 1500), but you can display them in different ways: 1,500 → with thousand separators $1,500.00 → as currency 1500% → as a percentage 15/03/2024 → as a date The value stays the same — only the appearance changes. 2. Accessing Number Formats You can apply number formats from: Home → Number group Right-click → Format Cells The Format Cells window provides the most complete set of options. 3. Common Number Formats 3.1 General The default format. Excel displays the number in the simplest way possible. 3.2 Number Used for standard nu...