Call Us +41 111 128 128

Mastering Business Analytics Tools: Excel & Power BI

Trainer's Profile

Dr. Saif Ullah is a seasoned finance academic and data analytics expert with over 14 years of experience in teaching, research, and academic leadership. He holds a PhD in Finance and is known for pioneering Pakistan’s first BS FinTech program. His work bridges the gap between finance and technology, with expertise in tools such as Power BI, Excel, Python, SPSS, and SMARTPLS. Dr. Saif has published extensively in international journals and has led numerous training programs on data analysis, financial modeling, and research methods. Currently serving as Assistant Professor at FAST School of Management, he continues to mentor students and professionals in leveraging analytical tools for strategic business decisions.

Mastering Business Analytical Tools: Excel & Power BI

Objectives

  • Learn to analyze and visualize business data using advanced Excel tools.
  • Master data cleaning and automation techniques with Power Query.
  • Develop interactive dashboards and reports using Power BI.
  • Apply data analytics tools to support business decision-making.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Participants will be able to perform advanced data analysis using Excel functions and tools.
  2. Participants will clean, transform, and automate data workflows using Power Query.
  3. Participants will create dynamic and interactive dashboards in Power BI.
  4. Participants will interpret data insights to support strategic business decisions.

Detailed Course Content

  • Day 1: Excel for Business Analytics – Foundations to Advanced
    Objective: Build strong Excel fundamentals and introduce advanced techniques for business analytics.
    🔹Session 1: Excel Essentials & Functions
    • Introduction to Business Analytics & Data-Driven Decision Making
    • Excel Interface & Productivity Tips
    • Sorting, Filtering, Conditional Formatting
    • Essential Functions:
           o IF, VLOOKUP, INDEX-MATCH
           o SUMIFS, COUNTIFS
    Break (20–25 mins)
    🔹Session 2: Working with Data Tables & Visualization
    • Working with Excel Tables and Structured References
    • Data Validation & Named Ranges
    • Introduction to PivotTables & PivotCharts
    • Creating Dynamic Summary Tables
    Break (20–25 mins)
    🔹 Session 3: Advanced Excel Functions + Dashboard
    • Advanced Functions: TEXT, DATE, INDIRECT, OFFSET, XLOOKUP
    • Exploratory Data Analysis using Excel
    • Introduction to Power Query 
    • Home Exercise: Build a Sales Dashboard using PivotTables & Charts
  • Day 2: Data Cleaning & Automation with Power Query
    Objective: Learn to clean and transform data using Power Query and prepare for Power BI.
    🔹    Session 1: Introduction to Power Query
    • What is Power Query?
    • Connecting to External Data: CSV, Excel, Web
    • Data Cleaning Basics in Power Query:
          o Removing Duplicates
          o Splitting & Merging Columns
          o Unpivoting Data
    Break (20–25 mins)
    🔹Session 2: Query Transformation & Append/Merge
    • Filtering & Conditional Logic in Queries
    • Merging Queries from Different Sources
    • Appending Multiple Tables
    • Use Case: Cleaning HR Data for Analysis
    • Home Based Exercise: Clean raw HR data using Power Query
    Break (20–25 mins)
    🔹Session 3: Power BI Overview & Data Load
    • Power BI Desktop vs Power BI Service
    • Importing Data into Power BI
    • Data Transformation in Power BI using Power Query Editor
    • Data Modeling Basics: Relationships, Star Schema
  • Day 3: Power BI Reporting, DAX & Capstone
    Objective: Build interactive dashboards and apply skills in a real-world business case.
    🔹Session 1: DAX & Advanced Calculations
    • Calculated Columns vs Measures
    • Key DAX Functions:
        o CALCULATE, FILTER, SUMX, ALL
    • Time Intelligence: YTD, MTD, PREVIOUSYEAR
    Break (20–25 mins)
    🔹Session 2: Visualizations & Interactivity
    • Best Practices for Visual Storytelling
    • Advanced Charts: Waterfall, KPI, Funnel, Maps
    • Adding Interactivity:
         o Slicers, Tooltips, Drill-through
         o Bookmarks & Dynamic Dashboards
    Break (20–25 mins)
  • 🔹Session 3: Creating a Capstone Project
    • Power BI Service Overview: Workspaces, Apps, Reports
    • Data Refresh & Gateway Basics
    • Row-Level Security (RLS)
    • Capstone Project:
          o Team/Individual Dashboard (Sales, HR, Finance)
    o Presentation & Feedback
    • Wrap-Up, Q&A, Certification Distribution

Fee and Other Details

Fee per Participant: Rs 10,000
Registration link: https://tinyurl.com/NUCESCFD-Workshops
Mode of Delivery: On campus
Expected Duration: 3 Days – 6 Hours Per Day
Dates: July 22 to July 24, 2025
Assessment/Evaluation Criteria: Projects