Are you looking to build a new career in data analysis? With the demand for data-driven decisions and insights in business increasing, so has the need for professionals skilled with Microsoft (MS) Excel and other data visualization tools.
Data analytics can help organizations make more informed decisions that optimize performance, increase efficiency, maximize profits, and improve strategic decision-making.
Clearly, more businesses are looking to reap the benefits of analytics, with job opportunities rising exponentially. Employment projections for data scientists show an impressive 36% growth from 2021 to 2031 – virtually eclipsing the average rate for all other occupations.
MS Excel is a crucial data visualization tool that can help professionals in this field to process, analyze, data storytelling, and display complex data sets into meaningful insights.
By the end of this article, you will understand why MS Excel is such a robust data analysis and visualization tool and how it helps those pursuing careers in data analysis or as database administrators.
What is MS Excel?
Initially released in 1985 as a spreadsheet program for the Mac OS, today, Excel is one of the most versatile and well-known data analysis tools used by over a billion people worldwide. The software is a powerful tool that can help you:
- Organize, analyze, and calculate data quickly and efficiently.
- Create complex calculations using formulas and functions
- Analyze large amounts of data in tables or graphs
- Automate repetitive tasks with macros
- Share documents with colleagues via cloud storage
Excel offers an array of features that make it an ideal choice for managing all kinds of information- from budgets to customer lists to project plans- and is the go-to program for all sorts of analysts.
How Does Excel Help With Data Visualization?
Data can come in different forms, like numerical values, text, or graphics. Data visualization is taking this raw data and turning it into visuals that are easier to understand – such as charts, graphs, and diagrams.
By visualizing your data, you can quickly identify trends, patterns and correlations that would be nearly impossible to spot with just numbers alone. With Excel, you can focus on specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), providing an easy-to-understand snapshot of how well a business or project performs at any given time.
Common Types of Excel Data Visualizations
In Excel, there various ways to easily visualize data. Below are a few of the most common visualization techniques used in Excel:
- Area Chart
- Bar Graph
- Bubble Chart
- Column Chart
- Doughnut Chart
- Line Chart
- Pie Chart
- Scatter Plot
- Stock Chart
What are the Advantages of Using Microsoft Excel for Data Analysis?
When you use Excel to create visual representations of your data, you’ll be able to:
- Gain valuable insight into data trends and patterns that would be hard to spot without visualizing the data.
- Develop an understanding of how different factors affect your business decisions.
- Make accurate predictions and forecasts based on historical data.
- Monitor performance metrics quickly and easily, so you can make adjustments as needed.
- Create stunning visuals for presentations or reports that will draw attention from key stakeholders.
- Analyze large sets of complex data in a fraction of the time it would take with manual methods.
- Use powerful Excel functions to help automate everyday tasks and reduce the time spent on mundane data crunching.
With all these advantages at your fingertips, it’s no wonder that Excel is the go-to tool for data analysis. It’s an efficient and intuitive platform that can be used to create complex information with ease.
What Kinds of Technologies can be Combined With MS Excel for Enhanced Visualizations?
When combined with other technologies, such as Tableau, Excel can be a powerful tool for comprehending and presenting data. Tableau allows you to create interactive charts, maps, graphs, and dashboards with visualizations that are easy to understand.
It also provides a way to integrate various data types into an attractive presentation format easily. Additionally, many popular business intelligence tools, such as Power BI, allow users to build custom dashboards in Excel that contain dynamic visuals and insights.
With these advanced technologies in your arsenal, you’ll have the skills needed for data analyst, business analyst, and database analyst jobs.
What Certifications or Languages Do I Need to Know to Use MS Excel?
You don’t need any prior certifications or language experience to use Microsoft Excel. All you need is a basic understanding of how spreadsheets work and the ability to create formulas to manipulate data in various ways.
However, if you’re considering starting a career in data sciences, having a more advanced certification, such as an MS Office Specialist (MOS) Exam, could benefit your career path.
Knowing how to write code in Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) can also give you an edge in automating processes within Excel and other programs.
Of course, if you want to get a leg up on the competition, you can also explore options such as an Applied Bachelor’s Degree in Software Development – Data Analytics Track or an Associate of Applied Science in Business Data Analytics.
What are the Requirements for Pursuing a Career in Data Analytics?
If you want to pursue a career in data analytics, you don’t need prior IT experience as long as you have basic computer efficiency. Generally, most universities require prospective students to either have a 2.0 GPA or higher from high school or on their most recent college transcript.
If your academic performance is below the required minimum, some schools may offer deferred acceptance pathways to admissions which could provide an opportunity for enrollment at their university.
Because basic knowledge of Excel is so necessary for effective data visualization, many universities will look for demonstrated proficiency in Excel as part of the admissions process.
For those without prior experience, investing time to learn Excel and its functions as a data analyst is essential to gain admission into degree programs and as a set of foundational skills that can help you excel in your career path.
How Difficult is it to Learn MS Excel?
MS Excel is actually relatively easy to learn with the right guidance! With a few hours of practice and some basic knowledge, you can quickly become familiar with the interface and start utilizing the features.
Plenty of online video tutorials will guide you through each step, from creating tables to formatting cells. Becoming competent in MS Excel will open new doors for those seeking a career in data visualization technologies or as a database analyst.
Start Your New Career as a Business Analyst with CIAT
As you can see, Excel has become the go-to software in businesses, big and small, to gather and analyze data. It provides a user-friendly interface, and its powerful features allow users to visualize their data quickly and easily.
Whether you are just starting with Excel or an expert looking to make a career change, CIAT is pioneering an educational approach beyond the traditional four-year or community college experience.
We offer quality education programs, from certificates to bachelor’s degrees, technical training, and industry certifications. With a portfolio of innovative experience, CIAT graduates are uniquely positioned to compete for in-demand technology jobs.
If you’re ready to start your journey in data visualization technology, check out CIAT’s courses “BDA103A – Introduction to Data Visualization Part 1” and “BDA103B – Introduction to Data Visualization Part 2“. With our help, you will be well on your way toward a rewarding career using MS Excel as a data visualization tool in your next job!
