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Excel Essential Training (Microsoft 365)

Beginner 4.5 hours English Course Certificate
SkillsExcelSpreadsheetsFormulasFunctionsChartsData organisation

Is this course right for you?

Our take
The foundational Excel course on LinkedIn Learning, and a genuinely complete beginner grounding in the world's most-used spreadsheet.

Good for: A thorough beginner grounding in Excel (Microsoft 365).

Skip if: You already know Excel well or want advanced analysis/VBA.

Over about four and a half hours you learn to enter and organise data, build formulas with the core functions, format cleanly, and work with charts — enough to be properly capable rather than just aware. It's built for the Microsoft 365 version and pitched at newcomers, so it's the wrong course if you already know Excel well or you want advanced analysis or VBA.

One practical note before you start: the course teaches Excel but doesn't include it — Excel needs its own Microsoft 365 subscription or licence, separate from LinkedIn Learning ($29.99/month, or $19.99 billed annually, usually a free trial; free through many libraries). The completion certificate it leaves on your profile is a learning record, not a qualification. Core Excel skills stay useful for years (as of 2026).

Comparison · LBS

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About this course

Excel Essential Training (Microsoft 365) is a complete, beginner-friendly grounding in the spreadsheet used across nearly every business. Over about four and a half hours you learn to enter and organise data, build formulas with core functions, format cells and worksheets, create charts and PivotTables, sort and filter, and even use Microsoft Copilot inside Excel.

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Instructor

LG
Leila Gharani
LinkedIn Learning instructor

Taught by Leila Gharani, a globally followed Excel and spreadsheet educator known for clear, practical, real-world lessons.

Frequently asked questions

Not directly. It builds real, job-ready Excel skills, but Microsoft's Excel certification (MO-200) is a separate, paid exam with its own objectives. This is excellent grounding; if you specifically want the credential you'll need dedicated MO-200 practice on top.

Often, yes. Many public libraries and universities provide free LinkedIn Learning access with your membership or student login — worth checking before you pay for a subscription, since it's the same content.

It gets you confidently doing the everyday 80% — data entry, formatting, core formulas, charts and a first look at PivotTables. Roles that lean heavily on Excel will want deeper formula and PivotTable skills, so treat this as the solid base and go further where your job demands it.

Mostly. Core concepts — formulas, references, PivotTables, charts — carry across versions and even to Google Sheets, though some newer functions and the Copilot features shown here won't exist in older Excel. You won't be lost; a few specifics will just differ.
Paid
LinkedIn Learning subscription
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