AIDA-140
AI for Spreadsheets and Data Analysis
Turn raw numbers into clear answers with AI, Excel and Google Sheets. Learn to describe, clean, analyze, visualize and verify spreadsheet data with AI assistance.
Overview
Spreadsheet confidence without formula intimidation.
Designed for office staff, administrators, coordinators, managers, small-business owners and anyone who wants better insight from spreadsheet data. Learners use Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets plus an AI assistant.
- Format
- Self-study, online, at your own pace
What you will learn
- Formula fluency Use AI to create and understand spreadsheet formulas rather than copying unexplained outputs.
- Cleaner data Apply repeatable methods for standardization, duplicates, dates and numeric fields.
- Clear analysis Summarize data with pivots, key metrics and charts that communicate the actual finding.
- Verification discipline Cross-check calculations and keep consequential decisions under informed human accountability.
Modules & lessons
- Module 1
Describing Your Data to AI
Describe programs, sheets, columns, data types and questions clearly; create a fictional practice dataset and protect personal or confidential information.
- Module 2
Formulas Without Fear
Use AI to write, explain and troubleshoot formulas including SUMIFS, COUNTIF, lookups, IF logic and date functions, then hand-check results.
- Module 3
Cleaning Messy Data
Standardize text, dates, categories and numeric fields; identify duplicates; work from copies and maintain a cleaning log.
- Module 4
Summarizing and Finding Trends
Build pivot tables, calculate key metrics and growth rates, identify patterns, and distinguish hypotheses from supported conclusions.
- Module 5
Charts and Communicating Findings
Match chart types to the message and turn verified analysis into concise management summaries and one-page data briefs.
- Module 6
Verifying AI-Assisted Analysis
Hand-check samples, reconcile totals, validate important figures two ways, sense-check surprises and trace reported numbers to source calculations.
How self-study works
This is a self-study course. You work through it online, on your own schedule. There are no scheduled classes or live sessions to join.
- Go in order. Each module builds on the one before it.
- Practise as you go. Complete the activities and checks in each module before moving on; they show you what to revisit.
- Keep your work. Save your notes, drafts and evidence in your own document so you can reuse them.
- Get help when you need it. Questions about access or your account go to Student Support.
Assessment & certificate
Analysis Portfolio
APPLIED FINAL PROJECT · APPROX. 2 HOURS
The learning path combines the six core modules with an applied portfolio: a cleaned dataset and cleaning log, at least five explained formulas, a pivot-table summary, two charts, a one-page data brief and a verification audit. The project extends the original eight hours of module work to a 10-hour learning path.
Assessment: data preparation 20%, formulas and summaries 25%, communication 25%, verification 30%. A score of 70% or higher earns the Certificate of Completion.
Certificate. Learners who complete the required lessons and exercises, pass the required mastery checkpoints and complete the capstone where applicable can receive an ARQS Course Completion Certificate. ARQS certificates are private professional-development credentials, not government accreditation, professional licensure or externally recognized academic credentials. How ARQS certificates work
ARQSI · AI course tutor
Study with ARQSI
ARQSI is the ARQS AI course tutor. This space is reserved for ARQSI, which will help you work through the course one lesson at a time: explaining each idea, setting short practice exercises and checking your understanding before you move on.
Until ARQSI opens here, study the modules on your own and contact Student Support with any questions about access.