Path overview
You’ll learn the fundamentals of data analysis in Excel, including how to explore and extract data from datasets using SQL, how to perform descriptive statistical analysis, and how to present insights using dashboards and visualizations in Power BI.
Best of all, you’ll learn by doing – you’ll practice and get feedback directly in the browser. You’ll apply your skills to several guided projects with realistic business scenarios to build your portfolio and prepare for your next interview.
By the end of the career path, you’ll be ready for the official Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst certification PL-300, an in-demand assessment that certifies your skills in Power BI.
Key skills
- Using and applying foundational math and statistics to perform data analysis
- Retrieving and manipulating data from databases using SQL
- Importing, preparing, analyzing, and summarizing data with Excel
- Conveying insights effectively to tell a story using Microsoft Power BI
Path outline
Part 1: Introduction to Data Analysis with Excel [5 courses]
Introduction to Data Analysis in Excel 4h
Objectives- Define, categorize, and evaluate data
- Identify ways data is used in business and everyday life
- Organize data
- Describe key steps of the data analysis process
Preparing Data in Excel 6h
Objectives- Import data into an Excel spreadsheet from more than one data source
- Organize data into a spreadsheet using worksheets and tables
- Clean, manipulate, and modify the data
- Consolidate the data for analysis
Visualizing Data in Excel 6h
Objectives- Visualize data using pie, column, histogram, line, scatter, and combo charts
- Select the appropriate data visualization
- Create charts using design principles
- Design visualizations for your intended audience
Exploring Data in Excel 5h
Objectives- Define descriptive statistics
- Identify the different types of descriptive statistics
- Identify when to use each descriptive statistic
- Apply and compare different descriptive statistics to a single column, to multiple columns, and to groups of data
- Create visualizations to explore and analyze data
Analyzing Data in Excel 5h
Objectives- Analyze data and discover business insights using PivotTables
- Identify trends over time in time-series data
- Summarize and visualize relationships between categorical and quantitative variables
- Confirm a relationship between an independent and dependent variable using linear regression
- Estimate the sensitivity of an output to given inputs
Part 2: Fundamentals of SQL [5 courses]
Introduction to SQL and Databases 5h
Objectives- Define the structure of SQL
- Create basic queries to extract data from tables in a database
- Define databases
- Identify different versions of SQL
- Write good SQL code
Summarizing Data in SQL 3h
Objectives- Employ SQL to compute statistics
- Provide statistics by group
- Filter results over groups
Combining Tables in SQL 3h
Objectives- Combine tables using inner joins
- Employ different types of joins
- Employ other SQL clauses with joins
- Join on complex conditions
- Employ set operators like UNION and EXCEPT
SQL Subqueries 6h
Objectives- Nest a query inside another query
- Employ different types of subqueries
- Employ common table expressions
- Scale your project with complex queries
Window Functions in SQL 7h
Objectives- Set up a frame for window functions
- Compute running aggregations with aggregate window functions
- Explore rank window functions
- Apply distribution window functions
- Use offset window functions
Part 3: Analyzing Data with Microsoft Power BI [5 courses]
Introduction to Data Analysis Using Microsoft Power BI 4h
Objectives- Navigate Power BI and use its building blocks
- Understand Power BI interface
- Import data from common sources into Power BI
- Rename objects, pivot data, and select valuable data for your analysis
- Simplify a complicated model and change data types
- Combine data and find anomalies
Learn Data Modeling in Power BI 2h
Objectives- Design a data model in Power BI
- Understand dimensions and fact tables, define data granularity, and work with relationships and cardinality
- Create measures using Data Analysis Expressions (DAX) in Power BI
- Optimize a model for performance in Power BI
Learn to Visualize Data in Power BI 2h
Objectives- Create Power BI visuals
- Create a data-driven story using Power BI reports
- Design report layout and navigation
- Create dashboards in Power BI
Power BI Analytics 6h
Objectives- Perform data analysis using Microsoft Power BI
- Group and bin data
- Perform time series analysis
- Apply artificial intelligence insights to your data
Manage Workspaces and Semantic Models in Power BI 2h
Objectives- Create and manage a workspace in Power BI
- Import and update assets in a Power BI workspace
- Configure data protection in a Power BI workspace
- Create dynamic reports with parameters
- Implement static and dynamic row-level security
The Dataquest guarantee
Dataquest has helped thousands of people start new careers in data. If you put in the work and follow our path, you’ll master data skills and grow your career.
We believe so strongly in our paths that we offer a full satisfaction guarantee. If you complete a career path on Dataquest and aren’t satisfied with your outcome, we’ll give you a refund.
Master skills faster with Dataquest
Go from zero to job-ready
Learn exactly what you need to achieve your goal. Don’t waste time on unrelated lessons.
Build your project portfolio
Build confidence with our in-depth projects, and show off your data skills.
Challenge yourself with exercises
Work with real data from day one with interactive lessons and hands-on exercises.
Showcase your path certification
Share the evidence of your hard work with your network and potential employers.
Projects in this path
Preparing Data with Excel
For this project, you’ll take on the role of a data professional in a marine biology research organization. You’ll use Excel to import, organize and clean a dataset on shark attacks, preparing it for an analysis team to study trends in attack location and frequency over time.
Visualizing the Answer to Stock Questions Using Spreadsheet Charts
For this project, you’ll step into the shoes of a business analyst to explore historical stock market data using Excel. By applying information design concepts, you’ll create compelling visualizations and craft an insightful report – building in-demand skills for communicating data-driven insights.
Identifying Customers Likely to Churn for a Telecommunications Provider
For this project, you’ll act as a data analyst for a telecommunications company. You’ll use Excel to explore customer data and build profiles of those likely to churn, applying statistics, PivotTables and charts.
Analyzing Retail Sales
For this project, we’ll take on the role of an analyst for a chain of retail stores to explore sales performance across categories and over time using Excel.
Analyzing Kickstarter Projects
For this project, you’ll assume the role of a data analyst at a startup considering launching a Kickstarter campaign. You’ll analyze data to help the team understand what might influence a campaign’s success.
Plus 5 more projects
Build your project portfolio with the Data Analyst in Python path.
Learning resources
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