This is OpenOffice Calc, which is a spreadsheet program similar to Excel, with a roughly equivalent features. It allows to edit and create excel xls documents. In concrete, XOfficeXls is the app OpenOffice Calc that is run remotely in our servers. It also includes a smart web editor to work with xls documents. OpenOffice Calc main features. Microsoft Excel - Excel from Beginner to Advanced. Excel with this A-Z Microsoft Excel Course.

1. Office Online Excel Login
2. Office Online Excel Courses

Summary Learn how Excel Online supports connections with SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS), SQL Server databases, and OLE DB and ODBC data sources.

Retrieving data from a data source requires a user to be authenticated by the data source and then authorized to access the data that is contained therein. In the case of a workbook, Excel Online authenticates to the data source on behalf of the user who is viewing it in order to refresh the data to which the workbook is connected.

Which authentication method Excel Online can use to retrieve data depends on the type of the underlying data source, as outlined in the following table. For data sources that support more than one authentication method, data connections must specify which one to use.

Data sources and authentication methods for Excel Online

The following data sources are supported in Excel but not in Excel Online:

• Access databases

• Web content

• XML data

• Microsoft Azure Marketplace

• Text files

Connecting to external data with Excel Online

Excel Online can connect to various external data sources, including SQL Server, Analysis Services, and custom OLE DB/ODBC data providers. To connect to the data source, Excel Online uses a specific data provider for each data source.

Connecting to a SQL Server data source can be done by using either:

• Windows authentication

• SQL Server Authentication

Connecting to an Analysis Services data source is done by using Windows authentication.

Other data sources use a connection string usually consisting of a user name and password.

Data connections for Excel Online workbooks

Excel Online workbooks use one of two kinds of connections:

• Embedded connections

• Linked connections

Embedded connections are stored as part of the Excel workbook. Linked connections are stored externally to a workbook in Office Data Connection (ODC) files. To use a linked connection, a workbook must reference an .odc file that is also stored in the same SharePoint Server farm as the workbook. Each data connection consists of:

• A connection string

• A query string

• An authentication method

• Optionally, some metadata required to retrieve external data

Each kind of connection has its advantages and drawbacks discussed here. Choose the one that best suits your scenario.

Comparison of data connections for Excel Online

Choose a linked data connection, by using an ODC file, for scenarios in which you must have a data connection to an enterprise-scale data source such as SQL Server or Analysis Services. Linked data connections are most useful in scenarios in which they will be shared across many users and in which administrator control of the connection is important.

Choose an embedded connection for scenarios where you need a data connection that will not be widely used.

ODC files can be centralized in a data connection library. Doing so has several advantages:

• Administrators can restrict write access to a data connection library to trusted data connection authors to ensure that only well tested and secure data connections are used by workbook authors.

• Administrators have a single location to manage data connections for a large group of users.

• Administrators can easily approve, audit, revert and manage data connection files by using document library versioning and workflow features.

• Data connection libraries can be reused across other Office applications such as Visio and Visio Services.

• Workbook authors only have a single location to find workbook data connections, reducing confusion and user training.

Windows authentication

Windows authentication requires that Excel Online present to the data source a set of Windows credentials. This kind of credential is common on Windows networks and is the same credential used to log on to computers on a Windows domain. Windows credentials are considered the most secure and manageable means of controlling access to SQL Server databases. However, one obstacle to using Windows authentication with Excel Online is the Windows double hop security measure, wherein a user's credentials cannot be passed across more than one computer in a Windows network. Given that Excel Online used with SharePoint Server is a multi-tiered system, special authentication methods are required for Excel Online to retrieve data on behalf of the end-user.

The authentication method to choose depends on various factors as outlined in the following table. Choose the one that best suits your scenario.

Comparison of authentication methods

Kerberos delegation

Choose Kerberos delegation for secure and fast authentication to enterprise-scale relational data sources that support Windows authentication. If you plan to configure Kerberos constrained delegation, the following requirements are specific to using Kerberos constrained delegation with Excel Online in Office Online Server:

• The Claims to Windows Token Service must be running on each server in the Office Online Server farm and set to run as Local System.

• Each server in the Office Online Server farm must be allowed to delegate to each back-end data source as shown in the Active Directory Domain Services delegation list.

• The c2wtshost.exe.config file (located at Program FilesWindows Identity Foundationv3.5) must be updated and the comment tags removed from NT AUTHORITYNetwork Service allowedCallers list:

Secure Store

Choose Secure Store for authentication to enterprise-scale relational data sources that may or may not support Windows Authentication. Secure Store is also useful in scenarios in which you want to control user credential mappings.

For information about using Secure Store with Excel Online, see:

SQL Server Authentication

SQL Server Authentication requires that Excel Online present a SQL Server user name and password to a SQL Server data source to authenticate. Excel Online passes the connection string to the data source. The connection string must contain the user name and password.

If the user name and password are stored in a Secure Store target application (recommended for best security), then Excel Online will impersonate the Office Online Server network service account and when the connection is made, the SQL credentials are set as properties of the connection.

Authentication against OLEDB/ODBC data sources

Authentication to third party data sources typically requires that Excel Online present a user name and password to a data source.

If the user name and password are stored in the workbook or in the ODC file, then Excel Online impersonates a Windows identity dependent on which option has been selected for Excel Services authentication settings, either in the workbook or in the ODC file.

If the user name and password are stored in a Secure Store target application (recommended for best security), then Excel Online impersonates the Office Online Server network service account and when the connection is made, the SQL credentials are set as properties of the connection.

Data refresh in Excel Online

Excel Online supports refreshing workbooks connected to one or more of the following data sources:

• SQL Server

• SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS)

Note

If the data source that you plan to connect to is not in the list above, you can add support for it by creating a Custom Data Provider. This technology enables you to wrap your existing data sources into one that Excel Online can consume.

External data refresh is the result of the following set of steps through Excel Online.

1. Creating a workbook: A workbook author uploads a data-connected workbook to SharePoint Server.

2. Triggering Refresh: The workbook viewer triggers refresh on a data-connected workbook.

3. Data Connections: Excel Online retrieves data connection information for each external data source in the workbook.

4. Trusted Data Providers: Excel Online checks to see if there is a trusted data provider it can use to retrieve data.

5. Authentication: Excel Online authenticates into the data source and retrieves the requested data on behalf of the workbook viewer.

6. Workbook Refresh: Excel Online updates the workbook based on the data source data and returns it to the viewer.

Refresh can be triggered in one of following ways from within the browser:

• The end-user opens the workbook (if the workbook is configured to refresh on open).

• The end-user clicks on the refresh button on an already open workbook.

If there are no previously cached versions of this workbook, any of these actions will trigger a refresh and update the workbook.

See also

If you are seeking the best free online Excel courses in 2021, you’re in the right place!

In this guide, I have rounded up some of the top Excel classes that will help you to become a spreadsheet master in no time.

As Microsoft Excel can be a daunting tool to learn, I have included courses for all levels of experience and video lessons for easier retention of the content.

Let’s get started!

Top 15 Best Free Online Excel Courses, Classes & Certifications 2021

1. Microsoft Excel Essentials: Learn Excel Fundamentals! (Skillshare)

First up on my list in an in-depth Excel course taught by Alan Jarvis, who is a business consultant, and management trainer that has years of using and “excelling” at Excel (pun intended 😉).

Alan’s teaching method is both detailed and easy to follow, so you are sure to gain a lot from this class along with the 10,000+ students who already have.

Office Online Excel Login

In total, this course is 4 hours in length and is broken down into smaller on-demand video lessons that can be taken at your own pace. Within each of these lessons are bite-sized tutorials that show the need to know basics of Microsoft Excel.

Some of the many modules covered in this course are how to use use the function keys, entering, editing, correcting data, autofill, auto sum, format painter functions, columns, rows, and formulas.

Overall, this is a great course that is ideal for beginners that are looking for a full-fledged introduction into Excel. P.S. there is also a 2-month free trial available for new students!

• Beginner level
• 4 hours
• Class projects
• Taught by an experienced business professional
• Downloadable resources

2. Microsoft Excel Bootcamp – Zero to Hero Training (Skillshare)

Next on my list is another beginner Excel course labeled “Excel Bootcamp”, which will teach you the essentials in this stripped-down class that has been taken by 7,000+ students.

Your trainer for this course, Daniel Scott, is a Microsoft Certified Trainer and is an expert in office and business programs. Students will also get to look over the shoulder and follow along with a real-world project that will teach you invaluable skills.

Some of the lessons included in this course are adding cells, adding text, how to add images and logos, formulas, display dates, using existing templates, pivot tables, and more.

Overall, this is a great introductory course to help students become familiar with Excel.

• Beginner level
• 2 hours
• The instructor is a certified trainer
• Class projects
• Downloadable resources
• Lifetime access

3. Excel: Tips & Tricks (LinkedIn Learning)

Moving on to my next pick is a thorough 4 ½ hour course that is based specifically on the Office 365 version of Excel that has been viewed by over 240,000 students!

Your tutor for this course is Excel trainer Dennis Taylor, who has over 30 years of experience in business programs and applications. He has also created dozens of Excel training programs for various companies, so you’ll be in good hands!

Topics covered in this course are how to create calculation formulas, speeding up data entry, the efficiency of all the functions, significant shortcuts, quick access toolbar, navigation, formulas, and formatting.

As this course is hosted on LinkedIn Learning, there is a certificate of completion available, learning credits, on-demand videos/ resources, and also a 1-month free trial! Overall, a great Excel course that covers Office 365 in detail.

• Intermediate level
• 4 ½ hours
• Excel trainer and author as a teacher
• Class projects
• Helps speed up your workflow
• Certificate of completion

4. Excel: Top 10 Excel Formulas to Work Smarter (Skillshare)

If you are already a power user of Excel, then you may benefit greatly from what is presented in this intermediate-level 3-hour Excel class.

Your instructor for this course is Leila Gharani, who has a Master’s degree in Economics and is an Excel trainer with over 15 years of experience. She is also a Certified Microsoft Excel Expert, so you’ll be learning from one of the best!

Course instructions center on the use of formulas that you can import, create, or access in order to complete certain functions that should speed up your workflow and automate many processes.

Overall, this is a great complementary course for those who already have some experience with Microsoft Excel.

• Intermediate level
• 3 hours
• Certified Microsoft Excel Expert as a trainer
• Concentrates on formulas
• Extra resources included
• Lifetime access

5. Excel: Advanced Formulas and Functions (LinkedIn Learning)

Instructor Dennis Taylor, an industry-leading Excel expert, conducts this intermediate level 4 ½ hour course with instruction on hundreds of functions and formulas built into Excel.

Some of the training modules include creating 3D formulas, extracting information, using statistical functions, power functions, math functions, error checking, and tabulation.

As for all of these exercises, they are all integrated into a real-world situation, so you will be learning as you go through this scenario.

This course is hosted on LinkedIn Learning, so it comes with project files, access on multiple platforms including mobile, and a certificate of completion.

• Intermediate level
• 4 ½ hours
• Professional business trainer as an instructor
• Uses real-world situations
• Extra files and resources
• Certificate of completion

6. Access 2019: Building Dashboards for Excel (LinkedIn Learning)

Also from LinkedIn Learning, this 2-hour course instructs users how to combine Access and Excel for making interactive dashboards.

After this intermediate level class, you will know how to generate charts, graphs, and other data visualizations that can actually update in real-time as your dashboards collect and display information.

Course modules include an introduction to Access, using Excel and Access together, analyzing tables, queries, Pivots, and building Excel macros for Access.

You will learn how to link data between the two programs, build interactive charts, create macros and tables, and use SQL view.

The instructor is Robin Hunt. She is a developer of process development, data management, and custom workflow solutions and teaches these at companies and seminars for multiple clients.

A class project is included, along with the materials necessary for the course itself and the project. There is also a certificate of completion.

• Intermediate level
• 2 hours
• Data management consultant as the instructor
• Combined instruction for Access and Excel
• Class project and extra files
• Certificate of completion

7. Excel Essentials for the Real World (Complete Excel Course) (Udemy)

Udemy is another of the top online education sites for learning new things or for continuing education. Their courses feature access on mobile devices or computers, lifetime access to class materials and lectures, and a certificate of completion.

This beginner-level course has over 10 hours of on-demand video instruction. There are 26 extra articles for you to download and use during and after the class. Class lectures cover hidden features, worksheets, data management, formatting, and printing and saving options.

You will learn how to create and use formulas, tables, charts, plus you have challenges, quizzes, and exercises. It’s all taught by certified Microsoft Excel MVP trainer Leila Gharani, an expert in many office productivity programs.

Over 8,000 students have enjoyed the detailed but simple instruction in this class.

• Beginner level
• 10 hours on-demand
• Taught by Microsoft Excel MVP
• Quizzes and exercises
• Downloadable resources
• Certificate of completion

8. Learn Excel (TrumpEXCEL)

Certified Microsoft Excel MVP Sumit Bansal set up this blog for training videos. It has over 12 hours of instruction in 26 separate videos. Designed for all levels, you could start at the beginning or skip over basic training if you are already at a higher level of Excel expertise.

Subject modules you will learn include the Microsoft shortcuts for Excel, tables, formatting, the crucial tool pivot tables, VBA loops, and index matching. The class even covers questions about Excel you may be asked in a job interview.

There are many extra resources available for download and the website hosts further advanced training in specific Excel functions.

• All levels
• 12 hours
• Excel MVP as a trainer
• Downloadable resources
• Further specific training available
• Bonus: Interview questions

9. Learning Excel 2019 (LinkedIn Learning)

Author and trainer David Rivers teach this beginner-level course available on LinkedIn Learning. Beginner level and just over 1 hour, the course will get you ready to use Excel in very little time.

Office Online Excel Courses

It starts at the most basic level, explaining what Excel is, and then moves you into using Excel. Lecture subjects include macros, formulas, auto-fill, formatting, adding charts, using workbooks, and how to share.

There are chapter quizzes, downloadable resources, and you can access it across your different devices. It’s a good jump start to making Excel work the way you expect it to. A certificate of completion is included.

• Beginner level
• 1 hour
• Quizzes
• Downloadable resources
• Taught by an expert in business programs
• Certificate of completion

10. Excel Skills for Business Specialization (Coursera)

Coursera offers this class from Macquarie University that is part of a larger specialization course for business. The Excel skills covered in this first class of four are suitable for beginners but will go well beyond a beginner level. By the end of all 4 courses, the level is advanced.

The instructor is Dr. Yvonne Breyer who leads a degree program for MBA and is part of the faculty for Business and Economics at Macquarie University. At the suggested timetable of 5 hours a week, this 1st class will take about 6 months to complete.

Course topics include data validation, Microsoft Excel basics, macros, Pivot, table graphs chart sorting, concatenation, consolidation, and lookup tables.

The course instructor and peers give feedback on class projects and there are periodic quizzes to show how far you are advancing. The peer group includes over 60,000 who have already taken the course.

There are numerous extra resources to download and the course gives you a certificate of completion.

• Beginner level
• 6 months self-paced
• Taught by university professor
• Graded quizzes
• Peer feedback
• Certificate of completion

11. Data Visualization with Advanced Excel (Coursera)

This class is the 3rd of 5 available in the larger Data Analysis and Presentation Skills: the PwC Approach Specialization from PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) instructor Alex Mannella. Though it says advanced right in the title, this course is actually beginner level, suitable for anyone as a stand-alone course.

You would need to be using the PC version of MS Excel 2013 in order to receive the most benefit from this class. PowerPivot is an essential Excel 2013 tool used in the course. Other versions of Excel and anyone on the Mac platform can still benefit, but some of the exercises won’t be available to them.

It starts with scenario and simulation analysis and then moves on to understanding the principles of data visualization and dashboarding. It is 11 hours of on-demand video that you can complete in about 4 weeks of self-paced learning.

Modules are Preparing a Professional Excel, Advanced Scenario Analysis, Data Visualization, and Dashboarding.

Over 56,000 have enrolled and the class comes with extra resources, graded quizzes, peer feedback, and a certificate of completion.

• Beginner level
• 11 hours over 4 weeks (suggested)
• Instructor from PwC
• Works best with Excel 2013
• Extra resources
• Certificate of completion

12. Microsoft Excel – Advanced Excel Formulas & Functions (Udemy)

Chris Dutton of Maven Analytics presents this intermediate-level course for the Udemy online learning platform. He is a Business Intelligence developer and Certified Microsoft Expert.

It covers some of the fundamentals but then quickly gets into the intermediate level instruction with information about building formulas to analyze and visualize different types of data.

You will learn the shortcuts that can streamline your Excel workflow and you will also learn how to find and use some of the special tools the program has. Class modules include formulas, statistical functions, formatting, array formulas, and more.

The class is 8 hours of on-demand video plus several downloadable resources and articles. Over 136,000 students have enrolled and the course offers a certificate of completion.

• Intermediate level
• 8 hours
• BI developer certified MS Expert as an instructor
• Compatible with 2007 and newer versions
• Downloadable resources
• Certificate of completion

13. Microsoft Excel – Excel from Beginner to Advanced (Udemy)

An A to Z approach to Microsoft Excel, this course takes you from absolute beginner through to advanced functions and features of the program. The course is compatible with any version from 2010 and newer.

In the 16 hour course, you will learn the most common Excel functions plus the more advanced features and tools such as PivotTables, building and using formulas, and automation with macros.

The course combines 4 complete class modules. Microsoft Excel 101 – An Introduction to Excel, Microsoft Excel 102 – Intermediate Level Excel, Microsoft Excel 103 – Advanced Level Excel, and Master Microsoft Excel Macros and VBA in 6 Simple Projects.

Taught by Kyle Pew, Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT), and a certified Microsoft Office Master Instructor with over 10 years of training and consulting experience for Microsoft programs and other business applications.

There are about 40 extra resources included and it comes with a certificate of completions. Over 367,000 students have enrolled in this comprehensive course.

• All levels
• 16 hours
• Taught by Microsoft Certified Trainer
• Compatible with versions from 2010 and newer
• Extra resources
• Certificate of completion

14. Excel 2019 Essentials (Pluralsight)

A little 2 hours of very basic Excel instruction that covers working with worksheets, cells, columns, and rows, and ends with formatting. PluralSight is an online learning platform with a focus on technology such as business programs and industry.

This course is taught by Microsoft Certified Trainer Bill Kulterman, an instructor with over 12 years of experience in business software and a fondness for Koi ponds. So, you can tell the instruction will be beneficial and relaxed.

Modules include ribbons, backstage options, worksheets and data, columns and rows, formatting, calculating formulas, and saving files properly.

There are exams, downloadable resources, and a certificate of completion with the courses.

• Beginner level
• 2 hours
• Taught by Microsoft Certified Trainer
• Extra resources
• Exams included
• Certificate of completion

15. Microsoft Excel – From Beginner to Expert in 6 Hours (Udemy)

College professor and Microsoft Certified Master Instructor Todd McCleod host this inclusive 6 ½ hour training that is useful for all levels.

Multiple extra resources are included and it comes with a certificate of completion. The course subjects are understandable for absolute beginners and it covers advanced features that experienced users want to learn.

Course lessons include getting started, functions, charts, Pivot, filtering, macros, and blending work from MS Word.

Excel files and templates are among the downloadable resources for this class. Visual exercises are highlighted throughout the course. If you are looking to learn more, check out my post on the best free online PowerPoint courses!

• All levels
• 6 ½ hours
• Microsoft Certified Master Instructor
• Lots of downloadable resources
• Lifetime access
• Certificate of completion