Excel for noobs. No idea where to start...

[dynastyss]

Hey guys, happy to join this nice looking forum!

So, I tried searching and did not yield what I was looking for per se. I will pose it here.

I have been toying around with Excel for years, and have done the most rudimentary work possible. My skills end with filtering.

I would really like to get a very strong grasp of excel, formulas and eventually macros and the like. The issue is I am not sure how to get my learning started. I don't need to do much at work with excel, and everyone tells me that a comprehensive project is the best place to start. But I don't have any project at work or anything creative in my brain to brew up.

That leaves me here. What would you guys do? Buy a book? Or, better yet, do you guys have any projects or ideas you can bestow upon me to start?

I am all ears. A real open book.

Thanks!

[bentleybob]

I would guess that most of the gurus on this forum learned by doing. You have a need, you figure out how to accomplish it.

That being said, if you don't have a current project, try something that involves combining various techniques. For example, try creating a calendaring tool where you can input a start date and either a duration or end date and have excel create a Gantt-type display. Then add enhancements so you can specify some bars to be in blue and others in gray, or a black square for a milestone.

Just my two cents.

[xLJer]

"Teach Yourself Excel VBA In 21 Days" can be ordered
used at a very reasonable price on Amazon. I studied
it years ago. It's a good start in the quest for knowledge.

As you study you can find limitless information on your
current subject through the internet. For example, do a
search on "excel vba looping" and choose the sites that
offer free Excel information in a tutorial format. Then become
skilled in writing your own loops by following examples,
and your goal will be to create the different types of
loops to perform tasks.
Good luck.

[FDibbins]

another way to start learning and finding projects, is to try and help others in here, consider their problem your "project". and what does it matter if you dont come up with the best answer (in excel, often there is no "best" answer anyway), just keep plugging away and look at suggestions offered by other members

good luck, and shout if you need help or explanations

[dynastyss]

Awesome, sounds like a good place to start.

Thanks!