What is a spreadsheet?

A spreadsheet is a sheet of paper or digital file that's divided into rows and columns that allows you to store and analyze data in an organized format. Paper spreadsheets allow you to physically enter data into the rows and columns, but you have to manage your own calculations. Computer spreadsheets can take care of the calculations for you, but you have to enter the formulas into the spreadsheet. Popular computer and web-based spreadsheet applications include Microsoft Excel, Apple Numbers, and Google Sheets.

Why is it important to learn about spreadsheets?

Spreadsheets are useful tools in the business world, and many companies rely on them, and even if you don't use numbers or formulas, spreadsheets come in handy if you're making charts and organizing information. Spreadsheets are helpful for organizing data of any kind, so it's worth your time to gain familiarity with how to use them. If you work with numbers—from complex formulas to simple budgeting—learning how to use spreadsheets will help you become more productive at work and at home.

How does knowing about spreadsheets affect my career?

There was a time when spreadsheets were only common in the financial sector, but because they're so versatile, they're increasingly prevalent everywhere. If you have a working knowledge of spreadsheets, you can make good use of them in your workplace. If you can gain a deeper knowledge of how spreadsheets work, you'll possess a skill that can make you more productive in your career or help you advance in your career. Some employers look for candidates with extensive spreadsheet knowledge when they're hiring or promoting employees, so the more you know about using spreadsheets, the more value you have as an employee.

How can online courses on Coursera help me learn spreadsheets?

Taking online courses on Coursera can help you learn the various features and formulas of spreadsheets at a pace and schedule that fits your needs. The courses are led by some of the best instructors in the academic and business world, from organizations like IBM and the University of Pennsylvania. You can be confident that whether you're learning the basics or gaining more advanced knowledge, you won't only know about how spreadsheets work, but you can apply that knowledge with ease.

What are the benefits of taking an online Spreadsheet course?

Online Spreadsheet courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Spreadsheet skills. Choose from a wide range of Spreadsheet courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.

What Spreadsheet courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Spreadsheet, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Top Spreadsheet Courses - Learn Spreadsheet Online

Explore the Spreadsheet Course Catalog

Status: Free
Universidad de los Andes
Fundamentos de Finanzas Empresariales
Skills you'll gain: Financial Statement Analysis, Financial Statements, Financial Analysis, Income Statement, Balance Sheet, Financial Management, Corporate Finance, Return On Investment, Microsoft Excel, Investment Management, Cash Flows, Loans
4.9
Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
4.8K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Duke University
Entrepreneurial Finance: Strategy and Innovation
Skills you'll gain: Financial Modeling, Blockchain, FinTech, Entrepreneurial Finance, Financial Market, Business Valuation, Risk Management, Excel Formulas, Market Data, Emerging Technologies, Cryptography, Risk Analysis, Fundraising and Crowdsourcing, Financial Analysis, Equities, Probability Distribution, Investments, Cryptographic Protocols, Private Equity, Financial Regulation
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
1.4K reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Macquarie University
Excel Skills for Data Analytics and Visualization
Skills you'll gain: Pivot Tables And Charts, Data Storytelling, Power BI, Excel Formulas, Data Analysis Expressions (DAX), Data Visualization Software, Interactive Data Visualization, Microsoft Excel, Spreadsheet Software, Dashboard, Data Modeling, Data Cleansing, Data Manipulation, Excel Macros, Infographics, Data Transformation, Data Analysis Software, Data Validation, Data Analysis, Microsoft Power Platform
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
5.7K reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Corporate Finance Institute
Data Skills for Excel Professionals
Skills you'll gain: Dashboard, Microsoft Excel, Pivot Tables And Charts, Star Schema, Spreadsheet Software, Data Transformation, Data Analysis Expressions (DAX), Data Storytelling, Data Analysis, Excel Formulas, Exploratory Data Analysis, Extract, Transform, Load, Data Visualization Software, Data Presentation, Data Modeling, Business Intelligence, Competitive Analysis, Data Manipulation, Data Cleansing, Data Integration
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
103 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free
Johns Hopkins University
Business Analytics with Excel: Elementary to Advanced
Skills you'll gain: Risk Modeling, Operations Research, Regression Analysis, Microsoft Excel, Business Analytics, Risk Analysis, Business Modeling, Resource Allocation, Statistical Analysis, Process Optimization, Financial Analysis, Predictive Analytics, Transportation Operations, Linear Algebra
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
3.8K reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Duke University
Excel to MySQL: Analytic Techniques for Business
Skills you'll gain: Data Storytelling, Database Design, Dashboard, MySQL, Relational Databases, SQL, Tableau Software, Business Analytics, Business Metrics, Data Visualization Software, Analytics, Data Visualization, Business Process Improvement, Business Intelligence, Financial Modeling, Microsoft Excel, Business Process, Probability Distribution, Business Risk Management, Predictive Modeling
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
15K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Rice University
Business Finance and Data Analysis Fundamentals
Skills you'll gain: Capital Budgeting, Cash Flows, Financial Statements, Microsoft Excel, Descriptive Statistics, Financial Accounting, Business Analytics, Box Plots, Probability Distribution, Financial Analysis, Finance, Data Visualization, Probability, Statistics, Business Valuation, Financial Statement Analysis, Business Mathematics, Accounting, Return On Investment, General Accounting
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
2.8K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
PwC
Data Analysis and Presentation Skills: the PwC Approach
Skills you'll gain: Analytics, Business Analytics, Data Analysis, Microsoft PowerPoint, Data Presentation, Presentations, Excel Formulas, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Dashboard, Data Storytelling, Business Intelligence, Microsoft Excel, Customer Analysis, Data Visualization, Data Visualization Software, Data Literacy, Big Data, Verbal Communication Skills, Data Cleansing, Spreadsheet Software
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
11K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
University of Pennsylvania
Operations Analytics
Skills you'll gain: Business Analytics, Descriptive Analytics, Predictive Analytics, Analytics, Demand Planning, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Operational Analysis, Business Operations, Risk Analysis, Forecasting, Operations Management, Simulation and Simulation Software, Process Optimization, Decision Making, Decision Tree Learning, Spreadsheet Software, Microsoft Excel, Probability Distribution
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
5.1K reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free
Universidad Austral
Fundamentos de Excel para Negocios
Skills you'll gain: Microsoft Excel, Spreadsheet Software, Excel Formulas, Data Visualization, Data Import/Export, Data Entry, Productivity Software, Presentations, Financial Analysis
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
5.3K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free
Universidad Austral
Excel aplicado a los negocios (Nivel Avanzado)
Skills you'll gain: Excel Macros, Microsoft Excel, Excel Formulas, Spreadsheet Software, Business Analysis, Data Validation, Business Analytics, Data Import/Export, Data Maintenance, Process Optimization, Data Analysis Software, Business Modeling, Automation
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
3K reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Managerial Economics and Business Analysis
Skills you'll gain: Descriptive Statistics, Supply And Demand, Market Dynamics, Sampling (Statistics), Statistical Inference, Business Analytics, Financial Systems, Financial Policy, Banking, Probability Distribution, Analytics, Statistical Analysis, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Statistics, Regression Analysis, Microsoft Excel, Economics, Financial Market, Business Economics, Risk Management
Build toward a degree
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
4.1K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months