Excel Agility: Advanced Excel Skills for Accountants

Expand your Microsoft Excel toolbox in this intermediate-level webinar focused on mastering modern lookup functions and powerful data transformation tools. You’ll learn how to compare the dynamic INDEX/MATCH combination with the versatile XLOOKUP function, specifically within Excel 2021 and Excel for Microsoft 365. Discover when to use each approach to efficiently retrieve, analyze, and manage data in your spreadsheets.

Led by author and Excel expert David Ringstrom, CPA, this session also dives into advanced features like Power Query and Solver. You’ll see how to clean up messy reports exported from accounting systems and other platforms—removing issues like merged cells, blank rows, and inconsistent formats. Plus, David will demonstrate how to use Solver to identify combinations of numbers that match a specific total, such as invoices or payments. Every concept is shown twice—first in a step-by-step PowerPoint and then live in Excel—ensuring you leave with actionable, repeatable techniques. Attendees will also receive detailed handouts, including an Excel workbook with many of the examples covered.

Areas Covered:-

• Understanding how VLOOKUP retrieves data without manually referencing individual cells
• Using XLOOKUP to find the last match in a list instead of the first
• Exploring the MATCH function to locate the position of items in a list
• Comparing INDEX/MATCH to VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP for flexible lookups
• Cleaning up data exports with Power Query by resolving blank rows, merged cells, and missing entries
• Diagnosing #N/A errors from inconsistent formatting or hidden characters
• Leveraging Solver to determine which transactions sum to a target amount
• Enabling Solver add-in for advanced what-if analysis scenarios
• Navigating XLOOKUP’s advantages in Excel 2021 and Microsoft 365

Why Should You Attend?

• Explore powerful lookup tools by comparing INDEX/MATCH and XLOOKUP, and learn when each method offers the best results.
• Master data cleanup techniques in Power Query to transform reports into usable, analysis-ready formats quickly.
• Utilize Excel's Solver tool to perform in-depth numerical analysis and match totals across lists of values.

By attending this session, you’ll gain practical Excel strategies that improve your workflow, reduce manual errors, and save time on data preparation and analysis.

Who Will Benefit?

Professionals who want to enhance their effectiveness and efficiency with Microsoft Excel, especially in accounting, finance, or data analysis roles.