Excel Intermediate for Government

Enhancing data management to improve efficiencies and enable better decision making in government

Online Course

​27 January 2026 | 10:00 AM to 1:30 PM AEDT

29 January 2026 | 10:00 AM to 1:30 PM AEDT

Overview

Master Advanced Excel for Smarter Data Decisions

Work Smarter, Not Harder

Across all levels of government, data is no longer optional — it’s mission critical. As the federal government charts a digital future via its Data and Digital Government Strategy, agencies are expected to become more data-driven, efficient and transparent. Yet today, 70% of APS agencies report critical data skills shortages, particularly in areas like data analysis, transformation, and report generation.

Meanwhile, with budgets under scrutiny and citizens demanding accountability, manual errors and delays in data handling can have real consequences: misinformed policy, poor service delivery, or reputational risk. Legacy systems, siloed datasets, and limited analytical capability further magnify those dangers.

This course is built for people who are already comfortable in Excel—but who want more. You’ll explore advanced features and functionalities that let you become far more efficient, accurate, and insightful. We’ll dive into data cleaning and transformation, conditional formatting and logic, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, pivot tables, pivot charts with slicers, and automation of routine tasks.

By the end, you’ll be able to perform complex calculations quickly and reliably and present your findings in reports that drive clarity and action. In a government setting, these skills directly support evidence-based decision-making, improved accountability, and operational efficiency.

Whether you’re an analyst, auditor, project manager, procurement officer or finance lead within public agencies, this course will give you the tools to level up your Excel proficiency—and help your agency meet its data ambitions.

Take the step now. Harness the power of Excel to transform data into decisions—and be the data champion your organisation needs.

person sitting front of laptop
five person by table watching turned on white iMac
a man sitting in front of a laptop computer

Learning Outcomes

  • Build upon your base knowledge of Excel and dive deeper into some of the more advanced functionality in Microsoft Excel.
  • Use conditional formatting and the IF function to identify trends and anomalies and perform conditional logic.
  • Discover the most efficient and effective ways to clean and transform your data.
  • Use VLOOKUP to link and categorise data
  • Analyse data and create dashboards using pivot tables, pivot charts and slicers.

Who Should Attend

This course is designed for public sector professionals at APS 4–APS 6 / EL 1, or equivalent in state and local government, who work with data and want to strengthen their ability to clean, analyse and present information in Excel.

It’s ideal for officers and managers who use Excel regularly and are ready to move beyond basic functions to more consistent, efficient and reliable analysis.

Suitable roles include:

  • Policy Officers / Policy Advisers
  • Program or Project Officers / Project Managers
  • Data or Reporting Officers
  • Finance Officers / Budget Analysts
  • Procurement or Contract Officers
  • Business Analysts
  • Governance, Performance or Evaluation Officers
  • Compliance or Audit Officers
  • Information Management or ICT Support Officers
  • Executive or Administrative Officers who prepare reports or dashboards

Perfect for participants who:

  • Clean and prepare datasets
  • Build reports, dashboards or pivot-based summaries
  • Analyse financial, operational or program data
  • Support decision-making with clear, accurate insights
  • Want to streamline processes using intermediate Excel tools

Why Attend

  • Enhancing Data Management: Effectively manage and analyse large amounts of data by leveraging advanced Excel features like sorting, filtering, and pivot tables. This will enable you to make sense of complex data sets quickly and efficiently.
  • Improving Efficiency: Understand how to automate routine tasks and perform complex calculations quickly and accurately. By eliminating manual data entry, you will have more time for strategic thinking, which will improve productivity.
  • Enhancing Decision-Making: Learn how to use Excel’s powerful tools for data analysis, visualisation, and reporting. With clear and concise reports, you will be able to communicate your findings more effectively and make informed decisions that drive results.


Meet Your Trainer

Nicky Bull, Corporate Consultant | IT Trainer and Courseware Developer, Blue Chameleon

Nicky Bull is a dynamic corporate trainer and consultant. She has 15 years of commercial experience as a computer programmer and analyst, and over ten years designing and delivering a range of educational programs. She lectures accounting students at Macquarie University and was the lead content designer for the hugely popular Excel Skills for Business course that received the Coursera Outstanding Educator Award for Student Transformation in 2018.

Nicky is passionate about learning and enabling people to use technology confidently and effectively in their workplace. She holds a BSc Hons in Computer Science (University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa), a BA in English Literature (University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa), and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (University of Hertfordshire, U.K.)

Preparation (Optional)

  • A computer with a camera and microphone
  • Strong internet connection
  • Quiet, well-lit space

Agenda

DAY ONE

Module 1: Data Cleaning, Logic, and Formatting Essentials

10:00 am

Welcome and Introduction

10:15 am

Clean and Transform Data with Text and Date Functions

• Calculations for joining and splitting text

• Changing case and removing unwanted characters

• Performing calculations with dates

11:00 am

Conditional Formatting

• Identifying trends, thresholds, anomalies, and specific

ranges with conditional formatting

• Managing and modifying conditional formats

• Interactive conditional formats using formulas

12:00 am

Break

12:20 am

Logical Functions

• Using the IF function to perform conditional logic

• Nested IFs

• AND and OR functions

1:20 pm

Q&A

1:30 pm

End of Day 1

DAY TWO

Module 2: Advanced Analysis with Tables, Lookups, and Dashboards

10:00 am

Welcome and Recap

10:15 am

Tables

• Creating and customising tables

• Sorting and Filtering table data

• Automating processes with tables

11:00 am

Lookup Functions

• VLOOKUP range lookup

• VLOOKUP exact match

• XLOOKUP (version permitting)

11:40 am

Break

12:00 pm

Pivot Tables, Charts & Dashboards

• Creating and modifying pivot tables

• Adjusting the calculation methods

• Sorting, filtering, and grouping in pivots

• Formatting Pivots

• Creating and customising pivot charts

• Dashboards and slicers

1:20 pm

Q&A

1:30 pm

End of Day 2



Here's what your peers had to say

"

"The presenter, Nicky, was very clear and concise, I was genuinely impressed by her facilitating skill. Extremely helpful and knowledgeable all things excel."

"

"Being able to do the exercises with the trainer, and learning some functions not aware of before."

"

"Facilitator was well-prepared; articulate; and knowledgeable. Always on track and minimal waffling."


"

"The training was relevant to my needs; the group was small; therefore, it was easy to ask questions and get answers. the facilitator was clear and easy to follow and she repeated tasks several times in different ways to support learning"


Ready to level up your public sector skills?

Join peers from across government for a practical, expert-led training designed to build your capability, confidence, and career progression. Seats are limited. Register now to secure your spot. For group bookings (10+), payment enquiries or custom training options, reach out at training@publicsector.academy

Book Now


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About Us

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PSN’s growing community spans across federal, state, and local government departments, healthcare, and education, allowing members to share information, access the latest in government innovation, and engage with other like-minded individuals on a secure and closed-door network.

Sign up to Public Sector Network to access our private network for government professionals.

PSN Academy is a trusted partner in professional development, dedicated to empowering public sector professionals with the knowledge and skills they need to drive meaningful impact. We deliver innovative training programs and learning experiences that align with the unique needs of government and public service organisations.

Our mission is to build capacity within the public sector by providing high-quality, practical, and accessible learning opportunities. From leadership development and project management to cutting-edge topics like AI, data analytics, and psycho-social risk management, we offer tailored programs that reflect the challenges and priorities of today’s public service.

At PSN Academy, we pride ourselves on delivering content informed by global best practices, guided by the APS and state-based learning frameworks, and facilitated by industry-leading experts. Our flexible delivery options include in-person workshops, virtual training sessions, and hybrid models to suit diverse learning preferences and operational needs.

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