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Courses/Office Productivity/MS Excel

Excel University Lesson 102: Excel Efficiency: Professional Workbook Design

Master the techniques to build reliable, error-free, and automated Excel workbooks for recurring use.

Created byJeff Lenningworkspace_premium
BeginnerUpdated Sep 22, 2026
Excel University Lesson 102: Excel Efficiency: Professional Workbook Design

What You'll Learn

check_circleApply conditional formatting to visualize numerical data and identify errors.
check_circleImplement the subtotal function to ensure accurate, dynamic calculations.
check_circleStructure workbooks using skinny rows and columns for flexible data expansion.
check_circleUtilize cell styles and selection groups to standardize and accelerate formatting tasks.
check_circleDesign robust workbooks using consistent formulas and logical data flow.

About This Course

This course provides a comprehensive framework for designing and maintaining professional Excel workbooks that are both efficient and resilient. It covers essential techniques for automating data processes, implementing robust error-checking mechanisms, and structuring worksheets for optimal performance. Learners will explore advanced formatting, function nesting, and organizational strategies designed to minimize manual labor and reduce the risk of errors in recurring financial and operational reports.

Topics Covered:

  • Conditional formatting for data visualization
  • Subtotal function for error reduction
  • Skinny row and column layout techniques
  • Workbook and worksheet organization strategies
  • Input cell identification and styling
  • Nested function construction
  • Selection groups for batch formatting
  • Workbook design and automation principles

Your Instructor

Jeff Lenning
Jeff Lenning

CPA and Microsoft Certified Trainer

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star1,160 reviews

In his live CPE training sessions, Jeff Lenning CPA has shown thousands of CPAs and accounting professionals across the country how to use Excel to streamline their work and become more efficient. Several publications have featured his Excel articles, including the Journal of Accountancy and California CPA Magazine. After graduating from the University of Southern California, Jeff began his career in the audit practice at Arthur Andersen’s Orange County office. He was a senior financial analyst at Gateway computers and the accounting manager at Interpore Cross International. In 2000, he founded Click Consulting Inc., a technology-consulting firm that specializes in Excel training, consulting, development, and personal coaching. He is a past president of the CalCPA OCLB Chapter, the former chair of the California CPA State Technology Committee, co-chair of the California CPA OCLB Chapter Technology Committee, a board member of the California CPA OCLB Chapter, on the California Society of CPAs Council, and an instructor for the AICPA and the California CPA Education Foundation. A Microsoft Office Certified Excel Expert, he is a nationally recognized speaker and trainer. He was recently recognized with the California CPA Education Foundation's Award for Instructor Excellence.

Credit Information

Is this course eligible for my CPD requirements as a Canadian CPA?

Provincial regulators of CPAs in Canada do not require that independent providers of CPD be approved to offer courses. Instead, individual CPAs are responsible for assessing whether a CPD activity meets their requirements, and may take activities from any source provided those requirements are met.

Every course offered on LearnFormula is delivered by a qualified subject matter expert or learning organization, and advances learning objectives that are relevant to the responsibilities or professional competencies of Canadian CPAs. All activities on LearnFormula are quantifiable in terms of hours, and are also verifiable, in that users receive documented evidence of their attendance via a certificate of completion after finishing a course (and this certificate is stored by LearnFormula indefinitely). Nearly 100,000 Canadian CPAs successfully satisfy their CPD requirements via LearnFormula on an annual basis.

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Frequently Asked Questions

We are a registered provider with 327+ associations and regulatory bodies worldwide. We operate across 29 global markets including Canada, the US, Australia, and the UK. Every course page clearly displays its specific accreditations. Upon completion, you receive a professional certificate that can be validated online. Our certificates include all necessary accreditation details, credit hours, and completion dates, and are formatted specifically to meet the submission requirements of most global regulatory bodies.

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