I am looking at breaking into investment banking and want to become a "rock star" at Excel. What are some recommendations in terms of the best training programs related to Excel. There are tons of videos on YouTube and different online courses, but which ones are going to give me the best bang for my buck?
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Training the Street is $10 on udemy right now. This is the only course I have any experience with so I can't really compare.
Link to the $10 course? Google doesn't turn up anything.
Breaking into wall street is hands down the best
learn intro vba, get the basics down and you can build on them over time
I guess it's $29 now. Use the coupon "PREMIUM29" https://www.udemy.com/full-bundle-excel-modeling-valuation-advanced-exc…
Coupon is expired :(
Should still be working. https://www.udemy.com/collection/premium-courses
http://my.udemy.com/x/rzGL3f (my referral ID - you and me both get $5 credit :-))
SUMMERSAVING75
75% discount. Only until July 22
Google is the best teacher. You should take this course Pivot Table Excel 2013 Training Course. It will increase your skills in excel.
as far as the udemy TTS course is concerned- the problem with it is that they don't let you download the financial modeling book and the M&A book + they also don't provide some of the excel sheets- like the trade comps and acquisition comps excels. but still, i wud say @ $10, $19 or even $ 29, they are worth going for. Apart from that, I wud suggest a few more resources that I find helpful-
SUMMERSAVING75
75% discount. Only until July 22
TTS is cheap for a reason.
Exceleasy.com
Learn this
I know this is an old post but just had to add asimplemodel.com - free financial modeling videos with downloadable excel templates to follow along with the video.
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has anyone tried the Excel Crash Course from Wall Street Prep?
Courses to learn Excel (Originally Posted: 01/02/2016)
Buy the excel course from Wall Street Prep. It's around 30-35 bucks.
It's very superficial. If you really want to actually learn excel, buy the BIWS excel course or buy Lynda. Both are great courses.
Excel Training - Limited exposure (Originally Posted: 04/12/2012)
Hi,
I'm doing a summer internship at a BB IB this summer, and I've had only limited exposure to Excel. Should I bother training with Excel through one of those commercial crash courses (like WSO's or Training the Street's) or will intern training take care of that?
Thanks
I would pay for one of the commercial Excel training courses. Either WSO's or from M&I (BIWS). I personally took the BIWS Excel training course and felt it gave me all the necessary skills in Excel to have confidence in my abilities in the program and to do whatever was practically required.
The way I see it, you are doing an intership at a BB, if you invest money in the right type of training you'll probably do better in Excel, but also feel more confident, which is important. I think the excel training courses that are specifically targeted toward IB are good because the trainers go over what you would be really doing in Excel in the workplace and the rationale behind it. Your BB SA is a great chance, so take the most efficient preparation you can.
For disclosure, I'm not a full-time analyst, I am completing an internship at a boutique.
Cool, thanks for the input. I see BIWS is much more expensive because they don't offer a standalone Excel component. Should I just go for WSO?
BIWS does have a standalone Excel course. Excellence with Excel. I recommend it, as I have also taken that course. Not trying to steer you any particular way, just giving you my opinion. Either way, no matter what course you decide to take will increase your skills a lot.
I also have taken the BIWS Excel course. I feel like it really covered everything you would need. He does a really good job of explaining everything and It helped a lot with all the shortcuts and stuff.
I second the Excellence with Excel course. Haven't done any others, but I found the BIWS course very helpful in making me more efficient using excel even though I had some decent experience and knowledge of excel in the past.
For sure get the BIWS course. It is very affordable and extremely effective. I used it during my summer internship the summer before my senior year and it was extremely helpful.
Check out the Wall Street Prep Crash course in Excel.. Great for IB
http://www.WallStreetPrep.com/programs/details.php?package_id=54
Is the BIWS program you are referring to the "Excel and Financial Modeling Fundamentals" ($197)?
The course you are referring to is a bundle that Brian offers for a discounted price. If includes strictly excel courses as well as a lot of different financial statement, merger, lbo, and valuation models. That is what I purchased and highly recommend.
I have been in Sales & Trading for the last 14 months and am landing up a buy side analyst role soon. One of the points that was emphasized was if I knew financial modelling, which I didnt. So am looking to do one of the financial modelling courses that teaches excel and valuation. Anyone willing to part with the course material for a small fee?
Excel Training - Taking any courses? (Originally Posted: 04/19/2010)
Before starting an SA internship has anyone taken any Excel training courses? I have seen a few posted around but I wanted to see what people thought about the online training programs or if there are a few that are far superior to others.
I know about WallStreetPrep, but are there any others out there that people have used and have had success?
thanks!
also starting SA IBD and would like to refresh
*bump
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http://macabacus.com/
Excel and VBA Training - Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced (Originally Posted: 11/13/2014)
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I am interested in the advanced course, but I do not have the ability to PM due to my low post count. Could you message the login details to me? Thanks!
Same as the above poster, if you could message me with the log-in details that would be great. Thanks!
Me too please! Thank you
Me, also. That would be great.
Me, also. Thanks very much!
Me, also. Thanks very much!
PM'ed
@"simplechimp"imp think you can PM me as well? Much appreciated!
Any chance you could PM for the beginner?
.
Could you PM me, too? Thanks a lot!
I've worked in fixed income funds management, equity research and structured finance/private equity. I might have had to write a macro maybe a couple of times during my career.
Definitely not that important in the scheme of things if you are in a role where you are doing some sort of fundamentals analysis i.e. building operating, merger, lbo models, doing DCFs. I think the importance of VBA is overstated.
Only use I have of VBA is to help me get around circular references when sizing debt facilities, which financiers do not like to see when you are applying for a loan.
Spend your time on other things besides becoming excel jockeys.
I would be interested in advanced if you could PM me, Thanks!
Any chance you could PM for the beginner?
Any chance you could PM for the beginner?
Any chance you could PM for the beginner?
Interested, for beginner/intermediate! Thanks!
Interested to check what's in Advanced and learn VBA! Thanks in advance!
Interested to check what's in Advanced and learn VBA! Thanks in advance!
Hello, I'd be interested to receive the login for Advanced and VBA please, Thank you in advance
Advanced and via pleas
I'm interested in the VBA course please! Twice in my work I've had to program some things in VBA and both times it almost killed me...
PM me pls
Please PM me the log in details! :)
Please PM me the log in details! :)
Please PM me the log in details! :)
Please PM me the log in details! :)
Please PM me the log in details! :)
Please PM me the log in details! :)
Please PM me the log in details! :)
Pls delete the repeated comments, the website lagged.
Definitely interested. Please pm
I'll jump on this if you are still offering. Let me know! Thank you
@"Herkulor" Please!
Interested in that as well. Just SB'd you.
Interested as well. SB'd, thanks!
I'd be interested in this- please PM me if you can.
I was the first one to ask and am still waiting for a PM. Stop posting in this thread, this guy is MIA.
Would be extremely grateful if I could get access and a PM to this, thanks!
Hey Herkulor - is this still up for grabs? If so would be grateful if I could have access to the beginner's course. Cheers.
So much interest! Sorry for the burden, would be quite interested as well - about time to learn damn VBA. Can be very useful in sectors with massive amounts of news/data.
Interested in being PM'd it as well. Thank you!
I would be SO grateful if you could message me beginner and intermediate access Thanks in advance
I'd also be interested in this. Thanks OP!!
By the way, using promo code 10ACHIEVE and the price would be $10 each course. The coupon code expires today, but it seems Udemy frequently offers $10 systemwide coupon.
Interested too, Thanks in advance for the PM!
PM me as well! Thanks!
Could you message me advance and vba access? Thank you
Would love the access code as well. Thank you!
would love as well!
I would also like the access code! thank you!
I would appreciate the access code as well, please and thank you!
Me as well!
I would appreciate it if you would send me the access code, please and thank you.
Please and thanks!
Seconding everyone above, I would appreciate any help through PM. Thanks!
Please PM me as well
Where Can I Find Advanced Excel Training Courses (Originally Posted: 07/21/2010)
Does anyone know if there are any advanced excel training courses (for FP&A type positions) or websites offered online? If there are any that are free that would be even better.
try this http://www.therightway.com/MSExcel.aspx
cheers !!
What specific areas of Excel are you looking to become "advanced" in?
If you know specific functions that you want to learn there are some great videos on youtube that will walk you through them.
If you are willing to pay, some people at my company have used Wall Street Prep and have said positive things about it.
Excel formual's tips, training etc. (Originally Posted: 08/20/2013)
Anyone know of any good training programs for using Excel Formula's, especially for I-Banking related tasks? Any tips to share for strengthening Excel formula-building skills?
I've been looking to hone my Excel formula building skills and to get on par with the more expereinced Analysts in my firm and office. The couple Analysts I've talked to said 'trial and error' worked best for them...dunno if I am simply impatient, bad at Google'ing random Excel-formula related issues, or something else, but so far 'trial and error' hasn't worked so well for me.
To clarify, I am not looking for an Excel Modeling course, how to build an LBO, etc, but rather something to help with knowing when to use the proper Excel formula, how to write it, and how to ID the best formula for a certain problem.
I realize this may be a 'backwards' question...meaning, however poorly worded, that with Excel formula's typically you run into an issue and then apply a formula, vs learn all the formula's n then apply them...contrasts with say Modeling courses, learn how to model, then go model a company.
So any good programs/courses anyone knows of for Excel formula building? Any Excel formula Forums that are super-helpful? Any other ideas here?
Please offer any thoughts, qeustions, etc. Thanks so much!
Dom
www.macabus.com
*www.macabacus.com
got your back, bbth
Do a search for "excel function" on this website, there are a couple of threads on people's favorite/most useful functions. That should give you a good sense for common functions people in banking use. Also, ask someone you know for a couple of their old models and you can see what functions they're using. That being said, 95% of what i learned in excel i learned because I realized something was going to take me way too long to do, and i had to google a better way to do it.
Thanks for the feedback!
Macabacus sites looks helpful, will fish around more and also on WSO. Will also check out prior models. So far, GOOG has been my best friend here, but challenge has been knowing properly to google / what correct formula is called.
Dom
i found WSO forum has got some really good tips.
Very helpful!
Excel Modeling Classes for Corp Fin out of undergrad (Originally Posted: 04/09/2013)
Hey folks,
I just graduated a little early from my university and am trying to gain a little bit more experience with excel modeling prior to my start date which is in 5 months. My past internship (also a F50 comp) didn't really require me to do any crazy excel modeling. Going into my new job, I want to walk in with a good set of skills that will help me out and provide me a slight edge with modeling.
With that said, for those in the industry already, what kind of excel modeling skills did you find most commonly used and relevant? What do you see as a future tool that will be crucial? Are there any good online excel modeling courses that you could recommend?
Thanks!
I am at a F500 tech company, think Apple, Amazon, Google, Facebook and the Financial Analysts that get ahead are the ones with programming skills VBA, SQL, and automation knowledge in general.
I too will now be going to a tech F500 company, similar to those you mentioned, and I had no idea that VBA, SQL, and automation knowledge was going to be a key skill. Where could I learn more about these to warm up and head in with some prior experience/knowledge?
It varies from company to company, but at my previous F50 I don't believe anyone on the finance teams was particularly adept at VBA or any programming languages. We outsourced any programming work offshore. Knowing VBA will definitely give you a leg up on the competition, but I wouldn't say it is a requirement anywhere. Having a fluent knowledge of VBA or SQL will accelerate your career at the analyst/senior analyst level, but those skills become less and less relevant as you climb the corporate ladder.
exactly . This skillset is definitely not required but if you want a leg up on competition in terms of efficiency and producing data quickly people will take notice quickly I would recommend start recording macros and learning how the macros work. Basic SQL is very easy to learn. I recommend buying a book on sql and vba. Kingtut is accurate though as this will help accelerate your career a the analyst/senior analyst level. It would hurt to have at the manager level as well.
You don't need to spend money on an excel modeling prep course if you are going to be working in Corp Fin at a large corporation. You simply need to familiarize yourself with excel. You will learn on the job and the progression at the junior level is not an easy thing to accelerate no matter how adept you are with excel. It is much seniority based than merit based. This isn't to say that if you perform well that you won't be able to get promoted a bit quicker, but realistically, your analytical ability, and ability to play politics (finding advocates to support your progression) will have just as much to do with your trajectory as your work. At the end of the day, you aren't going to be making very many decisions at that level (your role will be a function of analytics and presentation of data). Essentially, feel free to invest in a self study program if you want to learn modeling with the intention of moving to a role where that skill set will be utilized more, but you will pick up what you need to pick up on the job.
Excel Classes (Originally Posted: 06/29/2007)
I know this has been talked about before, but I've read a lot of mixed answers. Of all the classes that are out there which one can offer me the best mix of excel skills and valuation techniques at a decent price. My excel skills are novice by ib standards.
The best value is downloading a list of shortcuts and building your own models until you figure it out. It's free.
Oh, and unplug your mouse. You won't be needing it.
I'm a pretty naive undergrad so I wouldn't know where to start. Wouldn't paying a few hundred for a course be worth it when it comes to ib recruiting? Or do recruiters look at you like a loser for doing this type of stuff on your free time?
Unplug your mouse, and you're forced to figure out the keyboard shortcuts, which while laborious at first, will make everything you do 10x faster. Trust me.
mm.. i dont think so tim
TTS is an excellent program and will teach you all the excel you ever need to know. After a few days of practice the mouse really becomes a tool that slows you down (especially when formatting)... It is well worth it to ignore your mouse when modeling.
I think the key to becoming a good modeler is exposure. Taking a single course won't make you a pro overnight. However, if you struggle with it on your own for a few weeks, learn the concepts, then take a course, you'll be golden. Modeling is truly something that you really just need to practice and develop an understanding for before you can get it to work.
Is there a good spot to find a list of shortcuts?
I'm in the 3rd week of my internship and I'm still mousing pretty hard (not i-banking though, so not as much modeling needed in the first place).
Or has this list been posted elsewhere already...I'll start searching.
Geez guys, have you heard of Google?
Type in EXCEL KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS and watch the magic happen.
done that already, wondered if people on this forum had a better source bookmarked.
http://www.dealmaven.com/Products/FastTrackXL/ExcelShortcuts.xls
lol after a few googles here's a convenient source
any thoughts on dealmaven level 1? Their student pricing is reasonable.
Wall Street Prep has a freebie download on their site - helpful but not complete.
Bankers Ball has a section on it, helpful, but piecemeal.
There are a million lists out there, but it's all the same information.
I don't think you need to take a course on excel. You'll figure out the functions you need and how to not use the mouse in a short period of time. Modeling, on the other hand, is something you need to go out and get, basically. You have to try to get as much exposure as possible to it and practice until you become really good at it.
I agree with Anon3333, you need skills in modeling, not skills in excel. The excel skills will come, but can you actually find the info to put into the model? Do you know where to start building the model.
I went through a course with IBI (investment banking institute). It's about $2500, but I thought it was worth every penny. You should have some basic finance and accounting knowledge before hand to get the most out of it. It is pure IB training: valuations, spreading comps, DCF, precedent transactions, LBO and quick and dirty M&A modeling. It was taught by a VP (just resigned) who gave lots of anecdotes about the life.
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