Hi Friends,
I have been receiving a lot of questions about how long it takes to learn Excel.
Many people are busy with work and studies and they want to find out how much time they must dedicate to learning Excel.
So, in this week’s Snippets, this is what I want to explore. I did some research and combined it with my own experience.
How Long Does It Take To Learn Excel
The time it takes to learn Excel can vary widely based on
your starting level of familiarity with spreadsheets,
your learning pace,
the depth of Excel features you want to master,
and how frequently you practice.
For example, I was able to work with the basics of Excel within a few hours without any prior knowledge of spreadsheets.
In one week, I was able to use Excel comfortably and make videos about it.
Here’s a general breakdown of how long it may take to learn Excel if you practice for less than 30 minutes a day.
BASIC PROFICIENCY (1-4 WEEKS): Learning the basics of Excel can be accomplished in one week.
During this time, you will learn about creating and formatting spreadsheets, entering data, using simple formulas, and basic functions like SUM, AVERAGE, COUNT, etc.
Learning basic Excel functions such as entering data, formatting cells, and using simple formulas (e.g., SUM, AVERAGE) is generally straightforward and doesn’t require much technical skill.
Most people can pick up these essentials fairly easily in just a few minutes.
I have made an Excel Tutorial for complete beginners, it is 1 hour and 11 minutes long. This tutorial will help you to cover the basics and intermediate levels of Excel, including Pivot Tables.
Using this tutorial, you will be able to pick up the basics of Excel from scratch in a few hours.
INTERMEDIATE LEVEL (1-3 MONTHS): In one month, you will be able to delve into more advanced functions, like VLOOKUP, INDEX-MATCH, IF statements, and working with multiple sheets.
You may also learn to create charts and graphs, as well as work with basic data analysis tools.
As you move into intermediate skills like creating charts, using functions like VLOOKUP, INDEX MATCH, and working with multiple sheets, there might be a slight learning curve.
However, with practice and some guidance, these skills can be acquired by most individuals without too much difficulty.
ADVANCED SKILLS (3-6 MONTHS): In three months of dedicated learning and practice, you will be able to master pivot tables, advanced functions, and complex logical formulas.
Additionally, you can also explore more specialized functions, like Power Query and Power Pivot for data manipulation and analysis.
These intricate data analysis techniques and many other complex formulas and functions may require more time and effort to grasp fully.
Advanced Excel skills are enough for most jobs in many industries.
EXPERT LEVEL (6+ MONTHS): Achieving an expert level in Excel could take six months or longer.
This includes mastering advanced features like macros, VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) programming, data modeling, and automating complex tasks.
I have been working with Excel for 7 months now, and there are still some advanced features especially in VBA that I still struggle with.
Expertise in Excel often involves consistent practice and real-world application.
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It is worth noting that everyone learns at their own pace, and the time frames mentioned above are approximate.
Other people will be able to learn Excel faster than the above time frames and others may need more time than the time frame highlighted above.
Regular practice and hands-on experience are crucial for retaining and improving your Excel skills.
You can check out my Excel Tutorial for beginners, it is a great place to start your Excel journey.
FREE EXCEL AND GOOGLE SHEETS TEMPLATES
You can check out Excel and Google Sheets templates that you can freely use to kick-start your projects or track your tasks, goals, projects, and finances.
May the odds ever be in your favour.
Until Next Time