Continuing Education Department of Professional Education & Workforce Development

This course is designed for any participant seeking to refine or develop their Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word skills for the office.

Note: PEWD program participants should be 18 years or older.

No prerequisites required.

• ★ Expert Supported
• ★ Accessible
• ★ Games & Flashcards
• ★ Real-world case studies
• ★ Mobile-friendly
• ★ Badge and credit-awarding
• ★ Video content
• ★ Audio-enabled in-app

This course has an "Ask the Expert" feature, which submits your questions directly to an expert in the field you are studying. Questions are answered as quickly as possible and usually within 24 hours.

Learners must achieve an average test score of at least 70% to meet the minimum successful completion requirement and qualify to receive IACET CEU credit. Learners will have three attempts at all graded assessments.

This course features 25 of the most popular Excel tip and tricks for both novice and advanced Excel users. In this course, you will learn time-saving techniques to boost efficiency, increase productivity and workflow, and improve and advance your skills. Topics include data entry, data organization, data cleaning, elements of style, data sorting, data filtering, and spreadsheet display tips. This course also covers three of the most popular lookup and reference functions: VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP, and Find + Replace.

Learning Outcomes:

• Employ copy and paste shortcuts
• Arrange, filter, and sort data by text, color, and by custom criterions
• Modify the worksheet view with various display tools, such as Freeze Panes, Hide/Unhide, Text-To Column, and Zoom In/Out
• Understand and apply data organization tools and functions
• Retrieve data using VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP, and Find + Replace
• Apply patterns, gradients, cell borders, and other style elements to data
• Experiment with the Quick Analysis Tools to create charts, graphs, and calculations
• Make use of the lock/unlock and track changes features

As big data continues to change the way businesses operate and drive strategy, the ability to efficiently and effectively organize and analyze data is crucial. Managers need to be able to utilize tools to identify trends and help make better business decisions. Microsoft's Excel is a powerful spreadsheet software to organize and manage data related to business operations. This course focuses on mastering the fundamental tasks performed in Excel, including data entry, basic formula calculations, and formatting and style operations. During the course, you will learn how to build a spreadsheet from scratch and gain a greater understanding of the most popular Excel commands and functions.

Learning Outcomes:
• Identify and understand the different components of the Excel interface
• Enter and convert numerical and text data, dates, and times
• Select, copy, and paste data in a workbook
• Employ elements of style to the workbook
• Create images, illustrations, shapes, and hyperlinks in a worksheet
• Arrange, filter, and sort lists of data
• Apply basic formatting elements to the worksheet
• Formulate basic mathematical formulas and functions, including SUM, AVERAGE, and MAX and MIN VALUE
• Reorganize data by removing duplicates, blanks spaces, and misspellings in a worksheet
• Open, save, and protect the workbook

This course is designed for the learner who already has a solid understanding of Excel's basic tools and functions. The course teaches learners some of the more advanced skills and features available in Excel, which may be useful in data analysis. These skills include style templates, conditional formatting, data validation, data manipulation, and pivot tables.

Learning Outcomes:
• Employ built-in cell style templates, or produce a custom one, to streamline the data entry process
• Create a drop-down list to restrict data entry values
• Utilize the Conditional formatting feature to apply formats to a cell or a range of cells based on specific criteria
• Organize worksheet data using the Group Function
• Use the Consolidation Function to combine data from several worksheets into one
• Differentiate between and discern when to use a relative or an absolute reference in a formula
• Change the orientation of an array of data using the Transpose function
• Use the Advanced filter Extract data from a data set based on complex criteria using the Advanced Filter tool
• Analyze data using Pivot Tables
• Calculate data across several worksheets with the same structure using a 3D reference
• Perform partial searches when filtering or analyzing data using wildcard characters

This is an introductory-level course designed to both build a foundation of essential skills in Microsoft Word and to gain a greater understanding of its interface and design elements. The course focuses on mastering the fundamental tasks performed in Word, including writing, proofing, finalizing, and printing a document.

Learning Outcomes:
• Identify the interface components of a Word document
• Summarize the purpose of a Word document
• Choose appropriate customization options for the Ribbon and the Quick Access Toolbar
• Change the font, typeface, document, and paragraph formats
• Demonstrate proficiency with document and paragraph layout formats
• Change themes and styles to match the document's purpose
• Use track changes, word count, and spell check
• Create a formatted, proofed, and printed Word document

As technology continues to change the way that we engage in business communications, the art of presenting has also undergone a shift. No longer can presenters rely solely on their spoken words to deliver their messages. Now, audiences expect to see multimedia slideshows that both inform and entertain. This course will consider how to plan and design effective slideshow presentations using Microsoft's PowerPoint software. It includes practical tips and examples for mapping the presentation, incorporating research, using templates, selecting visual elements, and delivering the presentation.

Learning Outcomes:
• Define effective communication
• Describe the qualities of a well-designed slideshow presentation
• Identify common problems when using PowerPoint to design slideshows
• Differentiate between effective and ineffective PowerPoint slides
• Discuss the importance of having a clear purpose or goal for your presentation
• Explain the four components of goal-oriented communication
• Consider the importance of understanding your audience
• Conduct audience analysis
• Map your presentation using the "Forecast, Present, Echo" structure
• Incorporate research into your presentation
• Assess websites for reliability and credibility
• Use slideshow templates effectively
• Select images that are professional and well-designed
• Choose visually appealing colors and fonts
• Consider how design trends can be applied to slideshows
• Define the minimalist approach to design
• Identify the signs and symptoms of speaking anxiety
• Describe methods for managing speaking anxiety, including relaxation strategies
• Design a PowerPoint presentation that features recommended design principles

In today's professional landscape, PowerPoint presentations can be effective platforms for sharing information and garnering audience interest and support. At the same time, a poorly designed PowerPoint slideshow can quickly turn an audience away. By focusing on how to apply basic design principles to slideshow creation, this course will help learners use Microsoft's PowerPoint 365 software to build visually engaging slideshow presentations. Learners will consider how to select images and photographs for use in slides, the importance of arrangement and placement of images, the use of tools like Shapes and SmartArt, methods for presenting data, and the selection of colors and fonts that increase the readability of content.

Learning Outcomes:
• Define basic design principles, such as readability, color, consistency, contrast, arrangement, and information display
•Explain how font choice and color can affect slideshow readability
•Design slides that effectively implement the principles of consistency and contrast
•Place images throughout a presentation while adhering to the principles of proximity, alignment, repetition, space, and the "big picture"
•Select appealing and appropriate images to use in a slideshow
•Use photographs in a slideshow as an attention grabber and storytelling device
•Utilize the Shapes and SmartArt tools to communicate concepts visually
•Present data clearly and effectively
•Consider how design trends can be applied to slideshow presentation