Course Description: This beginner-friendly online course shows individuals how to use Microsoft Excel to organize information, manage money, plan projects, track progress, and make everyday decisions. Students build useful spreadsheets for personal finances, schedules, travel, vehicles, fitness, hobbies, home or work projects, subscriptions, and individual goals while learning essential Excel skills. By the end of the course, each student creates a personalized Excel Life Toolkit that can be used long after the class ends.
Course Outcomes:

• Create and manage spreadsheets for common personal and everyday needs.
• Organize information so it is easy to find, update, and use.
• Build budgets, trackers, schedules, and project plans using formulas and basic functions.
• Sort, filter, and highlight information to make everyday decisions easier.
• Create simple charts that show spending, progress, habits, and useful patterns.
• Complete a personalized Excel Life Toolkit.

• One online module opens each week.
• Each module includes a short overview, demonstration video or illustrated guide, practice workbook, and assignment.
• Students submit an Excel file or screenshot demonstrating the weekly skills.
• The instructor provides announcements, feedback, and online assistance throughout the course.
• Week 6 concludes with a personalized Excel Life Toolkit.

Course type: Online Asynchronous / Course with a start date and end date at your own-pace – 24/7 online access.
Length: 6 weeks
Recommended weekly commitment: Approximately two hours of instruction and practice

Prerequisites: None. No previous Excel experience is required.
Course requirements: Basic computer and mouse/keyboard skills; reliable internet access; and access to Microsoft Excel.
Textbook: None

• Identify the main parts of an Excel workbook.
• Enter, edit, and delete information in cells.
• Organize different kinds of personal information on separate worksheets.
• Save, close, and reopen a personal organization workbook.

• Create clear lists for schedules, travel, projects, purchases, appointments, or priorities.
• Format dates and personal information for easy reading.
• Use AutoFill to enter days, dates, and repeating information efficiently.
• Turn an everyday plan into an organized Excel table.

• Create a practical personal monthly budget.
• Use formulas to compare expected and actual spending.
• Calculate totals and averages using common Excel functions.
• Track savings, subscriptions, debt, or another financial goal.

• Create a searchable tracker for belongings, records, activities, or progress.
• Sort and filter information by category, value, date, priority, or status.
• Find, replace, and remove duplicate information.
• Highlight items that need attention, renewal, maintenance, or follow-up.

• Choose a chart that fits a personal or practical question.
• Create charts showing spending, savings, fitness, habits, projects, or progress.
• Add clear titles, labels, and legends.
• Use a chart to identify a useful pattern or next step.

• Combine the most useful course tools into one personalized workbook.
• Review personal spreadsheets for accuracy and consistency.
• Prepare selected worksheets for printing or PDF sharing.
• Explain how the workbook will support daily organization.

• At least four useful personal or everyday-life worksheets
• A clear title and meaningful headings on every worksheet
• Organized and accurate personal or practical information
• Appropriate text, number, date, percentage, or currency formatting
• At least two formulas or functions
• Sorting or filtering
• Conditional formatting
• At least one appropriate chart
• Print-ready page settings
• An Excel version and a PDF of at least one selected worksheet