Excel with Excel: Spreadsheet Starter Training
Excel with Excel: Spreadsheet Starter Training
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Date: November 7, 2025 | 9AM-4PM
Venue: 8F Social Hall, PGH Central Block Building
Author: Sofia Ysabelle C. Julia
Human Resource Development Office
Utilizing digital tools for tracking and monitoring of information for work have become the norm rather than relying on hard paper copies of data. Moreover, the shift to digitalized filing and recording information has made employees have a more efficient system of arranging and tracking of their data or files in general, particularly within the University of the Philippines Manila. However, employed staff of the UP Manila still require further training and exposure on using these kinds of tools to apply in their daily work.
Hence, the UP Manila Human Resource Development Office (HRDO), in partnership with the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance, conducted a basic excel training entitled “Excel with Excel: Spreadsheet Starter”, held on November 7, 2025 from 9AM to 4PM, located at 8F Social Hall, Central Building, UP-PGH. In this training, the resource speakers were invited to share their knowledge, tips, and tricks on how to better and efficiently use the basics of Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets.
To kick off the training, an opening remark was delivered by Dr. Michael Antonio F. Mendoza, the HRDO Director of the UP Manila. He highlighted the importance of spreadsheets, especially Microsoft Excel, among administrative staff and REPS in their day to day work. On a personal note, Dr. Mendoza perceived the difference of knowing what to use in Excel versus knowing how to utilize Excel in its capability. He hoped that this training would encourage the attendees to be open to learning about the said application which will be instrumental in work effectiveness and efficiency.
This training is divided into four (4) training modules, partitioning the basics of the basics of Excel.
Mr. Ruahden Dang-Awan, Assistant Professor at the Department of Physical Sciences and Mathematics at the College of Arts and Sciences of UP Manila, began the training with the first module for the exploration of Google Sheet and Excel Workplace. In this module, Mr. Dang-awan introduced the interface and specific parts of both Excel and Google Sheets as well as basic navigation of the platforms. He also shared navigating tools and shortcuts, particularly shortcut moves or keys in removing gridlines or splitting views, in which participants may prefer to use than the conventional methods when working in spreadsheets.
Module 2 deals with basic file operations which was also led by Mr. Dang-awan. In this segment, participants had the opportunity to practice creating, opening, saving, organizing, and protecting spreadsheets in accordance with data management and file-naming conventions as discussed in the earlier module. Mr. Dang-awan also shared the best practices done in Google Sheet and Excel which may help employees in utilizing the platforms efficiently. A Question-and-Answer portion was also done during this module, encouraging attendees to reflect and clarify their learnings regarding Excel and Google Sheets.
The remaining two modules were discussed and elaborated by Dr. Liza T. Billones, Professor and Coordinator for Information Technology of the Department of Physical Sciences and Mathematics at the College of Arts and Sciences in UP Manila. For the third module, Dr. Billones highlighted on preliminary data entry and basic formatting wherein she focused on copy-paste tools, formatting techniques and conditional formatting, data validation techniques, enabling freeze panes, as well as keyboard and formatting shortcuts. Similarly, she also gave best practices tips to the attendees, guided activities for the employee to get used to utilizing the newly learned skills, and allotted a reflection or wrap-up with regard to the module.
Lastly, Module 4 delves into more intricate data entry and formatting discussion in which participants learn about sorting and filtering data, creating summary tables using formulas, creating a pivot table, as well as applying data organization methods, data analysis, and reporting tools to interpret research data.
With Dr. Billones’ help, participants were able to apply their learnings through the guided activities and even present it among the attendees, sharing the knowledge that interests them most and which topics as the hardest to learn, and how they were able to overcome it in order to produce the summaries and tables within Excel and Google Sheets.
A whole day of employees powering through the training regarding Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets was the best part for Dr. Michael Antonio F. Mendoza as he gave his closing remarks. As he first-handedly witnessed the discussions and guided activities, he appreciated the impact of the training in honing employees to wield Excel and Google Sheets more powerfully and with certainty, especially in the actual names and terms of the parts of the applications.
A total of 52 attendees joined the training and engaged in the guided activity prepared by the speakers for them to improve and be familiar with spreadsheets on Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets.
The Learning and Development Section of the UP Manila HRDO strives to deliver training programs and caravans that are both conducive and beneficial to our fellow UP Manila constituents.
Look out for more exciting updates on events that we’ve got for you here at our website!
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