Spreadsheet skills training: Required and needs improvement

Abstract

Spreadsheets help businesses run effectively and efficiently. However, many spreadsheets contain errors. Research provides taxonomies and guidance on preventing spreadsheet errors; this information often is not incorporated into training. Training students to use Excel functions and good spreadsheet practices is critical. This instructional experiment aims to educate students on techniques that reduce the chance of errors, provide an Excel project to demonstrate their skills and implement a quiz tool that identifies students’ mistakes as they complete the project. The goal is to guide students to learn from their errors, improving confidence in their Excel skills.

Keywords:

• Spreadsheet errors
• excel
• business analysis
• individual project

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).