Effective Spreadsheets, Databases, & Reporting Tools for Financial Professionals (Completed)

Users and organizations are generating new data at an unprecedented level. More than 90% of the known digital information that currently exists has been generated in the last two years. However, as the amount of data increases exponentially, the amount of meaningful information is not following at the same rate. Data is not useful if it cannot be organized and understood by the target audience. Without processing, data is just random numbers on a page, broad uninteresting sales data, or a list of unrelated terms.

This course will give the participant the necessary tools to turn data into meaningful information and will examine cutting edge ways to store, retrieve, report, and analyze data using databases and reporting tools. This course will touch upon some of the most useful reporting functionality inside Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Power BI. It will discuss various opportunities for an organization to turns its raw data into transformative insight into its operations. Financial professionals will walk away from this course with valuable tools and insights into understanding, managing, and utilizing data in an organized and meaningful manner.

Who Should Attend
Industry and public practice accountants who regularly use data analytic tools and are familiar with the basic functions.

Topics Covered

• Types of structured data
• When to use a spreadsheet, database, or other reporting tool
• Key components that comprise organized data
• How to turn raw data into meaningful information
• Key components that comprise a database and their purpose
• How business intelligence can easily transform raw data into meaningful dashboards
• Key performance indicators
• Other graphical reports
• Necessary tools to turn data into meaningful information
• Examine cutting edge ways to store, retrieve, report, and analyze data using databases and reporting tools

Learning Objectives

• Differentiate types of structured data and be able to properly determine when to use a spreadsheet, database, or other reporting tool
• Identify the key components that comprise organized data including storage, reporting, and analysis tools
• Recognize unique insight on how to turn raw data into meaningful information that can be used to make organizational data driven decisions
• Identify the key components that comprise a database and their purpose
• Recognize how business intelligence can easily transform raw data into meaningful dashboards, key performance indicators, and other graphical reports
• Identify some of the most useful reporting tools and components of Microsoft Power BI and Microsoft Excel
• Differentiate components of pivot tables, spreadsheets, and worksheets
• Recognize how Business Intelligence (BI) helps make data easy-to-use and understand

Level
Basic

Instructional Method
Group: Internet-based

NASBA Field of Study
Computer Software & Applications (2 hours)

Program Prerequisites
None

Advance Preparation
None