Format: Live instructor-led online training via Zoom / Microsoft Teams

Business Analytics with Excel and Power BI Training Course

Course Introduction

The Business Analytics with Excel and Power BI Training Course is a practical and comprehensive program designed to equip professionals with the skills required to transform data into actionable insights for strategic decision-making and organizational performance improvement. In today's data-driven business environment, organizations generate massive volumes of structured and unstructured data that require advanced analytical techniques and visualization tools to uncover trends, measure performance, and support business intelligence initiatives. Microsoft Excel and Power BI have become industry-leading platforms for business analytics, enabling organizations to collect, analyze, visualize, and communicate data effectively.

This course provides participants with practical knowledge and hands-on experience in data preparation, data modeling, business analytics techniques, dashboard development, performance reporting, and interactive data visualization using Excel and Power BI. Participants will learn how to use advanced Excel functions, PivotTables, Power Query, Power Pivot, DAX calculations, and Power BI dashboards to analyze business performance, monitor key performance indicators, and generate meaningful insights for decision-making. The course emphasizes practical applications and analytical thinking to help participants address real-world business challenges.

Organizations in government agencies, financial institutions, healthcare systems, manufacturing industries, non-governmental organizations, telecommunications companies, development agencies, and private enterprises increasingly rely on business analytics and business intelligence solutions to improve operational efficiency, optimize resource utilization, identify growth opportunities, and strengthen strategic planning. Effective use of Excel and Power BI enables organizations to automate reporting processes, improve data governance, enhance decision-making capabilities, and promote a culture of evidence-based management.

Through instructor-led presentations, practical exercises, web-based tutorials, collaborative group work, and real-world case studies, participants will gain hands-on experience in developing analytical models and interactive dashboards that support organizational performance management and strategic decision-making. Upon successful completion of this course, participants will possess the competencies required to design and implement business analytics solutions using Excel and Power BI for improved organizational intelligence and business performance.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

1.     Understand the principles and concepts of business analytics and business intelligence.

2.     Apply advanced Excel techniques for business data analysis.

3.     Prepare, clean, and transform data using Power Query.

4.     Develop analytical models and performance measurement frameworks.

5.     Create PivotTables, PivotCharts, and interactive reports.

6.     Build data models and perform calculations using Power BI and DAX.

7.     Design dynamic dashboards and business intelligence reports.

8.     Analyze business performance indicators and trends.

9.     Generate actionable insights to support strategic decision-making.

10.  Develop end-to-end business analytics solutions using Excel and Power BI.

Organizational Benefits

Organizations that invest in this training will benefit by:

1.     Improving business intelligence and analytical capabilities.

2.     Enhancing evidence-based decision-making processes.

3.     Increasing efficiency in reporting and data analysis.

4.     Improving monitoring of key performance indicators.

5.     Strengthening organizational performance management systems.

6.     Reducing manual reporting processes and operational costs.

7.     Improving data quality and information accessibility.

8.     Enhancing forecasting and strategic planning capabilities.

9.     Building internal analytical and visualization competencies.

10.  Supporting digital transformation and data-driven innovation initiatives.

Target Participants

This course is designed for business analysts, data analysts, financial analysts, project managers, monitoring and evaluation specialists, accountants, management professionals, business intelligence specialists, researchers, information management officers, operations managers, consultants, reporting officers, planners, program managers, and professionals involved in data analysis, reporting, and strategic decision-making.

Course Outline

Module 1: Introduction to Business Analytics and Business Intelligence

1.     Fundamentals of business analytics and business intelligence

2.     Business analytics lifecycle and decision-making frameworks

3.     Understanding organizational data sources and structures

4.     Key concepts in performance measurement and analytics

5.     Overview of Excel and Power BI capabilities

6.     General Case Study: Identifying analytical requirements for organizational performance management

Module 2: Data Preparation and Transformation Using Excel

1.     Data import and management techniques

2.     Data cleaning and validation methods

3.     Advanced Excel formulas and functions

4.     Sorting, filtering, and conditional formatting

5.     Power Query for data transformation and automation

6.     General Case Study: Preparing and transforming operational datasets for business analysis

Module 3: Advanced Excel Analytics and Reporting

1.     Creating PivotTables and PivotCharts

2.     Descriptive and comparative business analysis

3.     Trend analysis and forecasting techniques

4.     Building automated reports and scorecards

5.     Developing dynamic dashboards in Excel

6.     General Case Study: Developing performance reports for executive decision-making

Module 4: Introduction to Power BI and Data Modeling

1.     Power BI architecture and components

2.     Importing and connecting multiple data sources

3.     Data modeling and relationship management

4.     Creating calculated columns and measures

5.     Introduction to Data Analysis Expressions (DAX)

6.     General Case Study: Building integrated business intelligence data models

Module 5: Data Visualization and Dashboard Development in Power BI

1.     Principles of effective data visualization

2.     Creating charts, maps, and interactive reports

3.     Designing business intelligence dashboards

4.     Implementing filters, slicers, and drill-down features

5.     Publishing and sharing Power BI reports

6.     General Case Study: Designing executive dashboards for organizational performance monitoring

Module 6: Performance Analytics and KPI Development

1.     Key performance indicators and metrics development

2.     Financial and operational performance analytics

3.     Customer and service delivery analytics

4.     Productivity and efficiency analysis

5.     Performance reporting and strategic insights generation

6.     General Case Study: Developing KPI frameworks for organizational performance improvement

Module 7: Forecasting and Predictive Business Analytics

1.     Fundamentals of predictive analytics

2.     Trend analysis and forecasting methods

3.     Scenario planning and what-if analysis

4.     Business forecasting techniques in Excel and Power BI

5.     Predictive reporting and decision support systems

6.     General Case Study: Forecasting organizational performance indicators

Module 8: Financial Analytics and Business Reporting

1.     Financial performance analysis techniques

2.     Budget analysis and variance reporting

3.     Profitability and cost analysis

4.     Revenue and expenditure visualization

5.     Financial dashboard development

6.     General Case Study: Developing financial intelligence reports and dashboards

Module 9: Operational and Project Analytics

1.     Operational performance monitoring techniques

2.     Project data analysis and reporting

3.     Resource utilization and productivity analysis

4.     Risk monitoring and performance assessment

5.     Operational dashboard development

6.     General Case Study: Building project performance monitoring dashboards

Module 10: Business Analytics Governance and Best Practices

1.     Data governance and quality management

2.     Security and privacy considerations in analytics

3.     Documentation and reporting standards

4.     Dashboard usability and maintenance

5.     Business analytics implementation strategies

6.     General Case Study: Developing governance frameworks for business intelligence systems

Module 11: Integrated Analytics Solutions Development

1.     Combining Excel and Power BI workflows

2.     Automating data processing and reporting

3.     Building integrated reporting systems

4.     Managing enterprise analytics solutions

5.     Performance optimization techniques

6.     General Case Study: Developing integrated business intelligence solutions for organizational reporting

Module 12: Capstone Project and Applied Business Analytics

1.     Business problem identification and analytical planning

2.     Data acquisition and preparation

3.     Data analysis and visualization development

4.     Dashboard creation and performance reporting

5.     Presentation of findings and recommendations

6.     General Case Study: Designing and presenting a complete business analytics and business intelligence solution for organizational decision-making

General Information

1.     Customized Training: All our courses can be tailored to meet the specific needs of participants.

2.     Language Proficiency: Participants should have a good command of the English language.

3.     Comprehensive Learning: Our training includes well-structured presentations, practical exercises, web-based tutorials, and collaborative group work. Our facilitators are seasoned experts with over a decade of experience.

4.     Certification: Upon successful completion of training, participants will receive a certificate from Foscore Development Center (FDC-K).

5.     Training Locations: Training sessions are conducted at Foscore Development Center (FDC-K) centers. We also offer options for in-house and online training, customized to the client's schedule.

6.     Flexible Duration: Course durations are adaptable, and content can be adjusted to fit the required number of days.

7.     Onsite Training Inclusions: The course fee for onsite training covers facilitation, training materials, two coffee breaks, a buffet lunch, and a Certificate of Successful Completion. Participants are responsible for their travel expenses, airport transfers, visa applications, dinners, health/accident insurance, and personal expenses.

8.     Additional Services: Accommodation, pickup services, freight booking, and visa processing arrangements are available upon request at discounted rates.

9.     Equipment: Tablets and laptops can be provided to participants at an additional cost.

10.  Post-Training Support: We offer one year of free consultation and coaching after the course.

11.  Group Discounts: Register as a group of more than two and enjoy a discount ranging from 10% to 50%.

12.  Payment Terms: Payment should be made before the commencement of the training or as mutually agreed upon, to the Foscore Development Center account. This ensures better preparation for your training.

13.  Contact Us: For any inquiries, please reach out to us at training@fdc-k.org or call us at +254712260031.

14.  Website: Visit our website at www.fdc-k.org for more information.