Power Pivot Training South Africa

Too much data, too many tables and too much manual Excel reporting?

Many organisations reach a point where ordinary spreadsheets become difficult to maintain. Information sits in different tables, employees repeatedly copy and combine data, lookup formulas multiply and recurring reports take too long to update.

Power Pivot provides a more structured way to solve these reporting problems.

College Africa Group’s two-day Power Pivot training teaches experienced Excel users how to connect related business tables through the Excel Data Model, create calculations using DAX and turn larger datasets into useful reports.

The emphasis is practical. Delegates learn how to structure information, create relationships, build reusable calculations and analyse the results using familiar Excel reporting tools.

What Problems Can Power Pivot Help Solve?

As reporting requirements grow, spreadsheets often become dependent on repeated copying, multiple lookup formulas and manual consolidation.

The course is particularly relevant when employees need to:

• Combine information held in several related tables
• Reduce repeated copying and consolidation
• Analyse larger business datasets
• Replace excessive lookup formulas with table relationships
• Build recurring management reports
• Analyse finance, HR, sales or operational information
• Create calculations that can be reused throughout reports
• Develop interactive PivotTable and dashboard reporting

Instead of rebuilding the reporting process each month, employees learn to create a structured analytical model that can be refreshed as the underlying information changes.

What Is Power Pivot?

Power Pivot is a Microsoft Excel capability used to create analytical models from multiple related tables.

Instead of forcing all information into one large worksheet, users can keep separate business tables and connect them through the Excel Data Model.

The tool also uses DAX — Data Analysis Expressions — for calculated columns and measures. These calculations can then be used within PivotTables, PivotCharts and management reports.

This approach is particularly useful when ordinary spreadsheet reporting has become difficult to maintain.

Download Power Pivot Table of Contents

Who Should Attend?

This course is designed for experienced Excel users who regularly analyse business information or prepare recurring reports.

Typical delegates include:

• Finance and accounting professionals
• Business and data analysts
• HR and payroll professionals
• Sales and operations teams
• Management reporting teams
• Managers analysing organisational performance
• Excel users working with multiple related datasets

Delegates should already be comfortable with formulas, structured data, sorting and filtering, Excel Tables and PivotTables.

Not sure whether your employees are ready? Use the
Excel Skills Assessment
to help determine the appropriate level.

Power Pivot Course Content

1. The Excel Data Model

Delegates begin by understanding how a Data Model changes the way information can be structured and analysed.

• Understanding the role of the Data Model
• Navigating the modelling environment
• Working with multiple business tables
• Recognising when ordinary worksheet analysis is no longer sufficient

2. Importing and Combining Business Data

Delegates learn how to bring information into a structured model rather than repeatedly combining everything in worksheets.

• Import data for analysis
• Prepare information for the model
• Work with larger datasets
• Refresh information when source data changes

3. Creating Relationships Between Tables

Relationships allow separate business tables to work together without relying on large numbers of lookup formulas.

• Identify fields that connect tables
• Create and manage relationships
• Use Diagram View
• Understand the structure of the model
• Troubleshoot common relationship problems

4. DAX Fundamentals

DAX is the calculation language used within the model and is also an important part of Microsoft Power BI.

• Introduction to DAX
• Create calculated columns
• Build practical business calculations
• Understand introductory row-context concepts
• Apply date-related calculations where appropriate

5. Measures and Business Calculations

Measures allow important calculations to be defined once and reused throughout analytical reports.

• Calculated columns versus measures
• Create reusable measures
• Aggregation calculations
• COUNTROWS
• CALCULATE
• FILTER where appropriate
• Answer practical business questions with calculations

6. Date Tables and Time-Based Reporting

Business reporting frequently requires comparisons by month, quarter or year. Delegates learn how a Date Table can provide a consistent structure for time-based analysis.

• Understand the purpose of a Date Table
• Create or use an appropriate Date Table
• Connect dates to transactional information
• Analyse results by year, quarter and month

7. PivotTables from the Data Model

Once the model has been built, PivotTables provide a familiar way to explore and summarise the information.

• Create PivotTables using related tables
• Arrange fields into analytical reports
• Use measures within PivotTables
• Group and filter information
• Refresh reports when source information changes

8. Slicers, Timelines, Hierarchies and KPIs

Interactive reporting tools make it easier for users and managers to explore information without rebuilding the report.

• Add slicers
• Use timelines for date-based analysis
• Create useful hierarchies
• Understand Key Performance Indicators
• Use KPIs in management reporting

9. PivotCharts and Dashboard Reporting

Delegates learn how to turn analytical results into clearer visual business information.

• Create PivotCharts
• Select appropriate chart types
• Connect slicers to reporting elements
• Combine measures, PivotTables and PivotCharts
• Apply practical dashboard design principles

10. Integrated Workplace Exercise

The course concludes with a practical reporting exercise using multiple business tables.

Delegates create relationships, add calculations and measures, analyse the information with PivotTables and create a visual report using PivotCharts and interactive filtering.

Power Pivot in the Workplace

Power Pivot vs Power Query

Although the two tools are often used together, they solve different parts of the reporting process.

Power Query is primarily used to import, clean, reshape and combine information before analysis.

Power Pivot is used to build relationships between tables, create a Data Model and perform analytical calculations using DAX.

A typical reporting process may therefore use Power Query to prepare the information and the Data Model to analyse it.

Employees who need stronger data-preparation skills can also explore
Advanced Modern Excel 365.

Power Pivot and Power BI

Power Pivot provides a useful foundation for employees who may later work with Microsoft Power BI.

Both technologies use important concepts such as Data Models, relationships and DAX. Employees who understand these principles in Excel therefore have a useful foundation for broader business intelligence reporting.

For some organisations, however, the analytical capability available inside Excel may already be sufficient for many recurring reporting requirements.

Where Does This Fit in Your Excel Skills Pathway?

The course sits beyond the core Excel pathway and is best suited to employees who already have strong spreadsheet, data and PivotTable skills.

Related College Africa Group training includes:

• Advanced Excel – Formulas, Data & Reporting for formulas, data control, lookups, PivotTables and reporting.
• Advanced Excel – Business Modelling for modelling, What-If Analysis and decision support.
• Advanced Modern Excel 365 for newer Microsoft 365 Excel capabilities and modern approaches to business data.
• Excel Skills Assessment for organisations that need to determine employee readiness.

Organisations exploring AI-assisted Microsoft 365 productivity can also view
Microsoft Copilot Training South Africa.

Corporate Power Pivot Training Across South Africa

College Africa Group provides instructor-led Power Pivot training for corporate teams across South Africa.

Onsite training can be delivered in Johannesburg, Sandton, Midrand, Centurion, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban and other regional and industrial locations, subject to group requirements.

Live virtual training is also available for organisations with employees working from different locations.

Corporate delivery allows employees to learn together and, where appropriate, apply the techniques to reporting situations relevant to their organisation.

Who Provides Power Pivot Training in South Africa?

College Africa Group provides practical Power Pivot training for companies and employees across South Africa. The course covers Excel Data Models, table relationships, DAX calculations, measures, PivotTables, PivotCharts and business reporting.

College Africa Group has provided workplace training since 2003 and offers both onsite and live virtual Excel training for corporate groups.

Why Choose College Africa Group?

• Workplace training since 2003
• MICT SETA Accredited ACC/2011/07/066
• BEE Level 2 company
• Practical instructor-led training
• Onsite and live virtual delivery
• Corporate group training across South Africa
• Electronic Certificate of Attendance
• Excel Skills Assessment available before training

Frequently Asked Questions About Power Pivot