Course Overview

Data Analysis and Business Reporting Using Excel and Power BI is a practical course designed to equip learners with the skills needed to organise, analyse, interpret, and present business data effectively.

The course begins with preparing and cleaning business data to ensure that information is accurate and ready for analysis. Learners will then develop practical Microsoft Excel skills by working with formulas, functions, and data analysis tools. They will also learn how to use PivotTables, charts, and other reporting features to summarise data and create professional management reports.

The course then introduces learners to Power BI, where they will learn how to transform data into interactive visualisations and dashboards. Finally, learners will focus on interpreting results, identifying trends and patterns, and using data storytelling to communicate findings clearly to managers and other decision-makers.

Throughout the course, learners will work with practical business examples and activities that demonstrate how data can be transformed into meaningful information. By the end of the course, learners should be able to move from raw business data to useful insights that support better workplace decisions.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, learners should be able to:

1. Prepare and clean business data before conducting analysis.
2. Identify and correct common data quality problems such as missing values, duplicates, and inconsistent formatting.
3. Apply appropriate Excel formulas and functions to analyse business data.
4. Use Excel data analysis tools to organise, filter, summarise, and interpret information.
5. Create and use PivotTables to analyse large business datasets.
6. Develop appropriate charts and visualisations for management reporting.
7. Create clear and professional business reports using Excel.
8. Understand the basic features and capabilities of Microsoft Power BI.
9. Import, prepare, and transform data for analysis in Power BI.
10. Develop interactive Power BI dashboards and reports.
11. Identify trends, patterns, relationships, and important insights from business data.
12. Apply data storytelling techniques to communicate findings clearly.
13. Interpret analysis results and provide evidence-based recommendations.
14. Use Excel and Power BI to support informed business decision-making.

Course Modules

Module 1: Preparing and Cleaning Business Data
This module introduces learners to business data and the importance of data quality. Learners will explore data sources, importing data, identifying errors, handling missing values, removing duplicates, correcting inconsistent information, and preparing datasets for analysis.

Module 2: Excel Formulas, Functions and Data Analysis
Learners will develop practical Excel skills using formulas and functions such as SUM, AVERAGE, COUNT, IF, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP and other useful business functions. The module will also introduce sorting, filtering, conditional formatting, and basic data analysis techniques.

Module 3: PivotTables, Charts and Management Reports
This module focuses on transforming business data into useful reports. Learners will create PivotTables, summarise large datasets, develop appropriate charts, and present information in professional management reports.

Module 4: Introduction to Power BI and Interactive Dashboards
Learners will be introduced to Power BI and its key features. They will learn how to import and transform data, create basic data models, develop visualisations, and build interactive dashboards using features such as filters and slicers.

Module 5: Data Interpretation, Storytelling and Decision Making
The final module focuses on moving beyond charts and numbers to understand what the data actually means. Learners will identify trends and patterns, interpret results, communicate insights through data storytelling, and use evidence to support workplace decisions.

Minimum Course Duration

Minimum Duration: 8 Hours

The course can be completed as a self-paced online learning programme. Learners may take longer depending on their previous experience with Excel, the time spent completing practical exercises, and their familiarity with business data.