Microsoft Excel Forecasting & Data Analysis
COURSE
Topic Area
Course Length
6 hoursCourse Level
Course Preview
Audience
Managers and Analysts
Finance Teams
Business Owners
Project Leads
Preparing Your Data
Organise data using Tables, sort and filter, check for missing values and enable the Data Analysis ToolPak.
Forecasting Methods
Use trendlines, built-in functions and linear forecasting to project future values.
Simple Methods
Apply moving averages and repeat-last-value techniques, and detect seasonality in your data.
Checking Accuracy
Measure how far off your forecasts are, track improvement over time and highlight errors with conditional formatting.
Visualising Forecasts
Build line and combo charts, add trendlines and forecast sheets, and show accuracy with error bars.
Comparison Methods
Compare forecasts using side-by-side charts, correlation, data tables and scenarios.
Testing Different Scenarios
Use Excel’s scenario tools to compare forecasting methods and find what works best for your data.
Course Outline
Learning Outcomes
- Use Excel to make predictions about future numbers such as sales, costs and other business data
- Check whether your forecasts are accurate and improve them over time
- Spot patterns, trends and seasonality within your data
- Prepare and structure data properly using Tables, sorting and filtering
- Apply moving averages, trendlines and linear forecasting methods
- Measure forecast error and highlight it clearly using conditional formatting
- Visualise forecasts with line charts, combo charts, forecast sheets and error bars
- Compare methods and test alternatives using correlation, data tables and scenarios
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Enhancing Decision Making Skills in the Workplace
Make faster, clearer, better-judged calls at work. You will leave with practical frameworks to cut through bias, weigh options confidently and justify every decision you make.
Driving Successful Changes
Gain the mindset, confidence and practical tools to lead your team through change — engaging people, overcoming resistance, and embedding new ways of working that last.
Developing a Coaching Approach
Shift from directing to enabling. Learn core coaching skills and models that empower your people to take ownership, solve problems and grow in confidence.
Critical Thinking and Creative Problem Solving
Sharpen how you think — combine structured analysis with creative techniques to tackle complex problems, make confident decisions and generate practical solutions you can apply straight away.
Creative Problem Solving
Master a structured six-step approach to creative problem solving and decision making, giving you the tools and confidence to crack problems quickly and choose the best solution.
Creating Psychologically Safe Working Environments
Learn how to build trust, encourage open communication and create a team culture where people feel safe to speak up, challenge and grow.
Delegation Techniques
Gain the confidence and practical tools to delegate effectively, freeing your time, developing your people and driving stronger team performance and organisational growth.
Stakeholder Management: Influence, Engagement and Control
Develop advanced stakeholder management skills to navigate complex environments, influence without authority, and sustain effective engagement across the full project or change lifecycle.
Stakeholder Management Essentials
Build the skills to identify, analyse, and engage stakeholders effectively, driving better outcomes across projects, change initiatives, and operational delivery.
How to be Assertive
Develop the confidence to communicate clearly, set boundaries, and handle challenging interactions professionally while maintaining empathy and positive relationships.
