The British Academy for Training and Development offers this specialized training program titled “Professional Use of Microsoft Excel in Project Management”, in recognition of the growing need for project management professionals to acquire technical skills that enhance their efficiency and support data-driven decision-making.

Microsoft Excel is one of the most powerful tools used in planning, analysis, tracking, and reporting throughout all project phases—from initiation to closure.

Far beyond being a simple spreadsheet program, Excel has become a strategic asset for project managers. Thanks to its advanced capabilities in financial analysis, data visualization, performance tracking, and integrating diverse inputs into a unified model, Excel now plays a critical role in managing timelines, costs, risks, and resources in complex, dynamic environments.

Who Should Attend?

• Project managers and project coordinators.

• Data analysts and performance management specialists.

• PMO (Project Management Office) staff.

• Professionals seeking to enhance their technical skills in project management.

Knowledge and Benefits:

After completing the program, participants will be able to master the following:

• Use advanced Excel tools for project planning and monitoring.

• Develop professional project schedules using formulas and formatting.

• Design interactive dashboards for performance reporting.

• Utilize financial analysis tools to accurately track costs and expenditures.

• Apply best practices in project management using core and advanced Excel functions.

• Excel Fundamentals for Project Management

  • The role of Excel in modern project environments

  • Comparing Excel with other planning tools

  • Overview of key interface elements in Excel

• Organizing Project Files

  • Using workbooks to structure project components

  • Creating initial project timelines

  • Securing data within Excel files

• Table and Data Structuring Basics

  • Designing task and phase tables

  • Professional formatting for readability

  • Inserting comments and reference links

• Task Scheduling and Role Assignment

  • Building task allocation tables

  • Linking tasks to staff or departments

  • Defining timeframes for each task

• Gantt Chart Development

  • Creating Gantt charts using columns and bars

  • Visual representation of activities and dates

  • Periodic project progress updates

• Milestone Tracking

  • Identifying key project milestones

  • Building milestone tracking tables

  • Monitoring progress for each critical phase

• Time Schedule Planning

  • Designing weekly and monthly schedules

  • Calculating planned vs. actual working hours

  • Accounting for holidays and downtimes

• Resource Usage Analysis

  • Tracking human and material resource utilization

  • Associating resources with specific tasks

  • Identifying gaps or surpluses

• Prioritizing and Allocating Resources

  • Setting priorities based on objectives

  • Adjusting allocation to avoid conflicts

  • Using filters and sorting tools

• Budget Planning

  • Building a basic project cost model

  • Categorizing expenses by activity

  • Linking tables and analyzing spending categories

• Actual Cost Recording

  • Entering financial data regularly

  • Comparing planned vs. actual costs

  • Performing variance analysis

• Financial Performance Monitoring

  • Creating key financial performance indicators

  • Using charts to monitor expenditure trends

  • Setting up automatic alerts for budget overruns

• Using Core and Advanced Excel Functions

  • SUM, AVERAGE, and deviation functions

  • Conditional logic functions (IF, AND, OR)

  • Lookup functions: VLOOKUP, INDEX, MATCH

• Filtering and Sorting Data

  • Filtering by category or status

  • Sorting outputs in ascending/descending order

  • Creating custom views

• Generating Periodic Analytical Reports

  • Consolidating data from various tables

  • Preparing weekly work summaries

  • Using PivotTables for dynamic presentation

• Dashboard Interface Design

  • Selecting key performance indicators (KPIs)

  • Visual formatting with styles and color schemes

  • Integrating charts and tables into a single page

• Interactive Charting

  • Creating charts with automatic updates

  • Applying filters for partial data visualization

  • Incorporating user controls (e.g., slicers)

• KPI Performance Tracking

  • Calculating and displaying KPIs

  • Comparing actual performance to planned targets

  • Linking dashboards to recurring reports

• Risk Register Management

  • Building a risk classification and evaluation table

  • Linking risks to activities or phases

  • Analyzing likelihood and impact of each risk

• Risk Analysis Tools

  • Using PivotTables to analyze risks

  • Ranking risks by priority

  • Inserting scoring systems for evaluation

• Automating Updates

  • Linking tables for real-time updates

  • Setting alerts for data changes

  • Using smart tools for quick modifications

• Quality Planning

  • Defining quality standards

  • Creating quality tracking tables

  • Linking quality controls to project deliverables

• Inspection and Evaluation Tracking

  • Recording audit and review outcomes

  • Analyzing frequency and patterns of issues

  • Establishing acceptance and rejection criteria

• Documentation and Reporting

  • Designing standardized quality report templates

  • Unifying documentation across multiple projects

  • Archiving and exporting data

• Communication Scheduling

  • Identifying stakeholders and communication needs

  • Scheduling meetings and reporting timelines

  • Organizing communication touchpoints

• Meeting Documentation and Follow-Up

  • Recording meeting notes and decisions

  • Tracking implementation responsibilities

  • Managing follow-up timelines

• Email and Tool Integration

  • Creating templates for periodic reports

  • Exporting Excel content to PDF

  • Sharing files via platforms (e.g., email, cloud tools)

• Comprehensive Review

  • Auditing timelines and budget sheets

  • Matching outcomes with objectives

  • Using comparison and analysis tools

• Final Project Delivery Reporting

  • Creating a standardized final project report

  • Summarizing performance, achievements, and challenges

  • Generating final statistics

• Project Archiving

  • Organizing files by phase

  • Backing up essential documents

  • Preparing a reference manual for completed projects