Learn Excel Skills The Smart Method were books I read when I first started learning Excel and I still use them as reference books to this day. The Smart Method is a new way to learn Excel and only teaches you what you need to know in the workplace. This is what makes Learn Excel 2016 Essential Skills with The Smart Method unique compared to other books as it cuts straight to the point and gives you the information you essentially need to become a very good Excel user.
Learn Excel 2016 Essential Skills is very well structured with easy to follow sessions and lessons. One thing you’ll notice right away is that the workbook is larger than many other Excel workbooks. The pages are A4 size and each example represents real life business problems. Each lesson contains a sample file that you can work on so you can practice what you have learned.
One thing I noticed while reading Learn Excel 2016 Essential Skills is that it is a no-nonsense book with no fluff around it. There is no technical jargon, so even beginners will be able to understand the book and learn from it right away.
What You’ll Learn From Learn Excel 2016 Essential Skills
Here are some things you will learn from this book:
* Create your own formulas
* Use AutoSum to quickly calculate totals
* Understand mixed cell references
* Understand Office add-ins
* Freeze columns and rows
* Create your own custom theme
* Add color and gradient effects to cells
* Insert a sparkline in a range of cells
* Create a simple graph with two clicks
* Create a chart using the recommended charts feature
* View two windows side by side and perform synchronous scrolling
* Print only part of a worksheet
* Adjust page breaks using page break preview
* Pin a workbook and understand file organization
* Cut copy and paste using drag and drop
* Transpose a range
* Insert cell comments
* Use Cloud Computing features to share data
* Bring data to life with visualizations
About the Author
Mike Smart is the founder and CEO of The Smart Method. In his career as an IT consultant, he designed and delivered IT solutions for large corporations around the world. Mike founded The Smart Method in 2002 because IT training was the area he wanted to get into. He has taught Excel courses for people from some of the world’s largest companies in countries in Europe and America. He knows how Excel can be beneficial to both small and large organizations by providing training to people from various occupational backgrounds, from bankers, engineers, accountants to telecom workers, oil workers and insurance brokers.
Mike decided to write books because he thought he could reach more people this way instead of training people in classes. His first books became best sellers and his books have topped bestseller lists ever since.
Who is this book for?
This book is for you if:
* You are a beginner in Excel and want to learn how to use it
* You want to learn essential Excel skills quickly
* You are downgrading to Excel 2016 for Windows from an earlier version
* You are a regular user of Excel but feel like you want to learn more about what it has to offer
* Want to add Excel skills to your resume or CV
* You use Excel a lot at work and want to be more productive
The positive of this book
As I mentioned earlier, I like the fact that Learn Excel 2016 Essential Skills has a no-nonsense approach to learning. It teaches you the essential skills to learn in Excel so you can become an expert Excel user. The lessons are very easy to follow and well written and I guarantee that you will learn and learn something from each lesson. Each lesson builds on the previous lesson and because each lesson is on one page, you’ll accumulate knowledge at a rapid rate. I also like the fact that there is a sample file that you can work on so you can practice what you have learned. As I mentioned earlier, this book is aimed at both beginners who have never used Excel before and more advanced users who want to learn more about what Excel has to offer. The book covers a wide range of topics, so you’ll be proficient in all areas of Excel once you’ve completed all the courses. Reading Learn Excel 2016 Essential Skills is like learning from a seminar or class, but without the expense. I also like the side notes and tips sections found on some pages. The images and graphics are also very clear so you can easily visualize what you are learning, making the whole learning experience better.
The negatives of this book
This book covers the essential features of Excel. The features that most people use in Excel. If you want to learn the more obscure features of Excel or want a deeper understanding of Excel, this book is not for you. Learn Excel 2016 Essential Skills does not cover the more advanced features of Excel, so if you already have good Excel skills and want to progress to an advanced level, I would recommend purchasing the Learn Excel 2016 Expert Skills with The Smart Method book.
conclusion
I hope you enjoyed the Learn Essential Excel 2016 Skills the Smart Way book review. I highly recommend this book if you want to learn Excel quickly by learning its most common features or if you want to advance your skills even further.