Excel - Part 1 - Power Query Foundation: Automate Data Preparation in Excel (Sep 26)
Category: Technology | Duration: 2hrs | Tag: VODECADD13 | Type: Video | Course Level: Foundation | Speaker: Alan Murray | Date: 30/09/2026 14:00
Course Details
This practical course introduces the foundations of Power Query in Excel, showing how to automate repetitive data preparation tasks and create refreshable workflows. Participants will learn how to import, clean, transform and combine data from multiple sources, reducing manual work while improving consistency and minimising the risk of errors.
This course covers:
- Understanding Power Query and the Extract, Transform and Load (ETL) process
- Importing data from Excel files, folders and PDFs
- Cleaning and preparing data using repeatable transformation steps
- Removing unnecessary rows and columns and managing data types
- Splitting, renaming and restructuring columns
- Combining related datasets using Merge Queries
- Understanding the difference between merging and appending data
- Combining multiple files from folders into a single dataset
- Creating summary data using Power Query tools such as Group By
- Building refreshable processes that automatically apply transformations when source data changes
CPD Course Speaker
Computergaga
Alan Murray
Alan Murray is an experienced Excel trainer and Microsoft MVP. With over 23 years of experience as an Excel trainer, he helps users build confidence and expertise in Excel and Power BI - empowering them to solve problems, automate tasks, and work more efficiently.
Alan is the author of the ‘Advanced Excel Formulas’ and ‘Advanced Excel Success’ books and has a YouTube channel – named Computergaga – with 118,000+ subscribers and over 50 million views.
He organises the London Excel Meetup group to provide a community event for professionals to network, share, and develop their Excel skills.
Alan loves showing people what’s possible with the tools they already have. His training approach is relaxed, practical, and always focused on the needs of the people in the room. Everyone should feel confident using Excel and empowered to ask any question - no matter how simple or advanced.
Alan is the author of the ‘Advanced Excel Formulas’ and ‘Advanced Excel Success’ books and has a YouTube channel – named Computergaga – with 118,000+ subscribers and over 50 million views.
He organises the London Excel Meetup group to provide a community event for professionals to network, share, and develop their Excel skills.
Alan loves showing people what’s possible with the tools they already have. His training approach is relaxed, practical, and always focused on the needs of the people in the room. Everyone should feel confident using Excel and empowered to ask any question - no matter how simple or advanced.