Help me convince my boss that he should pay for a class.

[dcgrove]

I need help convincing my boss that thier is a business need for these classes. I would prefer to take the first one that costs $695 over the second one that costs $250, so if anyone could give some good reasons why the first is better that would great!

Class 1

Excel XP Programming with VBA
Version 10.0
________________________________________
Prerequisites
Proficient knowledge of Microsoft Excel. Knowledge of PivotTables helpful but not required.
Duration 2 day(s)
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Getting Started
• Introducing Visual Basic for Applications
• Recording a Macro
• Running a Macro
• Editing a Macro in the Visual Basic Editor
Understanding the Development Environment
• Using Visual Basic Help
• Closing the Visual Basic Editor
• Working with Procedures and Functions
• Understanding Modules
• Creating a Standard Module
• Understanding Procedures
• Creating a Sub Procedure
• Calling Procedures
Using the Immediate Window to Call Procedures
• Creating a Function Procedure
• Naming Procedures
• Working with the Code Editor
• Understanding Objects
• Understanding Objects
• Navigating the Excel Object Hierarchy
• Understanding Collections
• Using the Object Browser
Working with Properties
• Using the With Statement
• Working with Methods
• Creating an Event Procedure
• Using Expressions, Variables, and Intrinsic Functions
• Understanding Expressions and Statements
• Declaring Variables
• Understanding Data Types
• Working with Variable Scope
• Using Intrinsic Functions
Understanding Constants
• Using Intrinsic Constants
• Using Message Boxes
• Using Input Boxes
Declaring and Using Object Variables
Controlling Program Execution
• Understanding Control-of-Flow Structures
• Working with Boolean Expressions
• Using the If...End If Decision Structures
• Using the Select Case...End Select Structure
Using the Do...Loop Structure
• Using the For...Next Structure
• Using the For Each...Next Structure
• Guidelines for use of Control-of-Flow Structures
• Working with Forms and Controls
• Understanding UserForms
• Using the Toolbox
• Working with UserForm Properties, Events, and Methods
• Understanding Controls
• Setting Control Properties in the Properties Window
Working with the Label Control
• Working with the Text Box Control
• Working with the Command Button Control
• Working with the Combo Box Control
Working with the Frame Control
• Working with Option Button Controls
• Working with Control Appearance
• Setting the Tab Order
• Populating a Control
• Adding Code to Controls
• Launching a Form in Code
Working with the PivotTable Object
• Understanding PivotTables
• Creating a PivotTable
• Working with the PivotTableWizard Method
• Working with PivotFields
Assigning a Procedure to a Custom Toolbar
• Debugging Code
• Understanding Errors
• Using Debugging Tools
• Setting Breakpoints
• Stepping through Code
• Using Break Mode during Run mode
Determining the Value of Expressions
• Handling Errors
• Understanding Error Handling
• Understanding VBA's Error Trapping Options
• Trapping Errors with the On Error Statement
• Understanding the Err Object
Writing an Error-Handling Routine
• Working with Inline Error Handling
________________________________________

Class 2

Duration:
Traditional Instructor Led Learning - 1.00 Day(s)
Online Anytime - Self Paced
Mentored Learning - Flexible

Overview:
In this course, students will apply the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) programming language to simplify many of the tasks that you can perform using various tools and functions in Excel 2007.

Who Should Attend:
Advanced Microsoft Excel professionals who need to automate Excel spreadsheet tasks using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA).

At Course Completion:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: - create, edit, and debug a macro. - format worksheets using macros. - create an interactive worksheet. - work with multiple worksheets. - perform calculations.

Prerequisite(s) or equivalent knowledge:
Excel 2007 - Level 1
Excel 2007 - Level 2
Excel 2007 - Level 3

Outline: Top
Lesson 1: Developing Macros
Create a Macro with the Macro Recorder
Edit a Macro
Debug a Macro
Customize the Quick Access Toolbar and Hotkeys
Work with Macro Security
Top
Lesson 2: Formatting Worksheets Using Macros
Insert Text
Format Text
Sort Data
Duplicate Data
Generate a Report
Lesson 3: Creating an Interactive Worksheet
Determine the Dialog Box Type
Capture User Input
Lesson 4: Working with Multiple Worksheets
Insert, Copy, and Delete Worksheets
Rename Worksheets
Modify the Order of Worksheets
Print Worksheets
Lesson 5: Performing Calculations
Create User-Defined Functions
Automate SUM Functions
Top
Copyright © 2010 New Horizons Worldwide, Inc. All rights reserved.

[shg]

Looks to me like knowledge of the first is a prerequisite to taking the second.

On the one hand, training is the gift that keeps on giving. The company can recoup the cost of the training and your absence in just a few weeks, if you start effectively applying what you learned.

On the other hand, this is a ton of material to cover in two days and one day respectively. I would try to get some word-of-mouth feedback from people who have taken the class, compare your current level to theirs before they took the class, and get their impression of the value. The worst thing that could happen is being one hour into the class and realizing that you're unlikely to learn much, either because you already understand the material, or it's totally above your head, or the instructor is lousy, or the class is too large, or ...

If you are persuaded that it's the perfect class, take two days off and pay for it yourself. It's tax-deductible, and a good investment in your own future. Then look for a new job.

[romperstomper]

I find it weird that pivot tables have just been thrown into the first course.
And if you can charge people $700 for teaching that, I'm in the wrong job...

More on point - why would this benefit your employer? If you can think of concrete ways in which this would help you to help them, it will be much easier to sell it to your boss (unless he's like my old boss who believed that if he trained me it would just make it easier for me to find other employment!)
If you can demonstrate ways in which you will be able to streamline processes and speed up workflow, thereby saving them money overall, you're halfway there.

[tony h]

It would help to make case if we knew what your job is and how you do and could use Excel.