Course Description and Competencies

What to Expect

This is an Excel training course. In this course, you will work through three sections. These sections are broken into lessons. Lessons start at the basics and move through advanced topics such as PivotTables, charts, and graphs. Throughout the course, you will find readings and a variety of interactive elements. These include study resources and practice quizzes to help deepen your understanding of the content. Engaging with these activities reinforces new learning. It also complements the knowledge you bring to this area of study.

Prerequisites:

This is a foundational course, and there is no prerequisite. You will demonstrate competency through an objective assessment.

Course Competencies

This course covers the following competencies:

  • The learner performs common spreadsheet tasks requiring basic formatting, formulas, and functions.
  • The learner prepares data for analysis.
  • The learner creates a presentation from a spreadsheet dataset.

Assessment

The assessment provides an opportunity to demonstrate your mastery of the competencies in this course. You must achieve a ranking of Competent on each assessment to pass the course. You may attempt the assessment two times before additional support is necessary. If you require further attempts, please contact your Student Experience Team.

1 Final Exam
3 Competency Units

Course Outline

ModuleUpon completion of this module, you will be able to:
Performs Common Spreadsheet Tasks
  • Describe the purpose and use of spreadsheets in a business environment.
  • Identify the different components of a basic functional spreadsheet.
  • Apply sorting and filtering to a basic functional spreadsheet.
  • Create a basic functional spreadsheet.
  • Perform simple operations on data using calculations and functions. 
Prepares Data for Analytics
  • Clean data for analysis in a basic spreadsheet.
  • Organize data for analysis in a basic spreadsheet.
  • Review a dataset for accuracy.
  • Determine relevance of a dataset.
Creates Presentations from Spreadsheet Datasets
  • Create tables for limited datasets.
  • Create PivotTables from limited datasets.
  • Create data visualizations.
  • Create an appropriate graph or chart based on a dataset.

Technology Requirements

We want you to have the tools to succeed! Since this course includes at least one proctored test, please be sure to have a working microphone, speakers, and an external webcam. Unfortunately, an internal webcam (built into many laptops) is not acceptable. (Note: The external webcam is required only for exams that have proctors. You do not need one for practice tests and other non-proctored assessments.) If you haven't already, be sure to download the Meazure Learning Guardian browser, which you will need for the proctoring system.

You will use Microsoft Excel Online to complete the activities in this course. Please note that the cloud-based online version of Excel requires an internet connection and a Microsoft account to operate properly with the course materials. You will also need to have the MyEducator Add-in installed in Excel. Follow the instructions in the Device Setup module to access and set up a new account or confirm correct configuration of an existing account.

We want to be sure you have the tools to succeed! Review the Computer System and Technology Requirements to learn about the technology you'll need. If you have questions about your setup, contact support@academy.wgu.edu.

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. If you haven't already, download this free software. You may encounter an interactive form that contains fields that you can select or fill in. Review how to fill in a PDF form.

Key Contacts

Course Connect
Check out this online community to take advantage of course resources, including videos and tips from your educators. You can ask and answer questions, provide feedback on your progress, and interact with fellow students. You will find this platform in the Student Resources section of the course. Log on and do some exploring!

Tutor.com 
If you need academic support, don’t hesitate to contact Tutor.com. There, you have access to thousands of tutors. And they are available 24/7 from any internet-ready device. You can also benefit from instructional videos, study tools, and other assistance.

Technical Support
If you encounter technical issues, be sure to contact the Help Desk. Just submit a Support Request for assistance.

Program Support
Do you have questions about your account? Student Support has answers. They can help with billing, switching courses, and other requests. You can contact them at (888) 320-0540 or support@academy.wgu.edu.

Accommodations

WGU provides compliant and accessible learning experiences. If you require accommodation, please contact us at the start of the course. You can email disability@academy.wgu.edu.

We are committed to ensuring that all students with disabilities have equal access to WGU's services and materials. We strive to use best practices for accessibility. Our goal is to conform to existing U.S. laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Our learning management system (LMS) platform is Open edX. Open edX’s commitment to accessible content is published in their Website Accessibility Policy.