Data Analytics Certificate Program

Simon Lindley

October 6, 7, 8 & 10, 2025
9am – 12:30pm
Virtual Program via Zoom

Unlock data potential and transform your reports

CPAs today need more than traditional Excel models to meet the demands for rapid and flexible data analysis. This program will empower you to master Microsoft Power Query and Power Pivot, elevating your ability to automate, structure, and analyze large, diverse data sets efficiently.

Save valuable time, reduce manual errors, and ensure reliable, timely reporting. Gain the skills to create interactive, self-service models and drill down into data for quick issue resolution. Learn to combine the power of Power BI's data engine with Excel's reporting flexibility through hands-on case studies.

Complete this program to take your data analysis skills to the next level.

Registration

Eligible CPD Hours: 14
Program Fee: $1,299

To qualify for the certificate, registrants must attend and complete all sessions. If a live session is missed, registrants must contact CPABC PD to arrange an alternative; otherwise, the certificate will not be awarded.

Date & Time	Session
October 6, 2025 9am-12:30pm	Data Analytics Transformation Overview of Power Query and Power Pivot and how they enable us to transform the way we approach analytics Introduction to the course case study and course content (completed solutions by stage etc.) Getting Data: Extract, Transform and Load with Power Query Power Query: stages and tools, connecting to data sources, data transformation/ cleaning/ enrichment, loading data and creating queries Hands on practice working with multiple data types/ transformations, different data load options Automating data updates from individual files, from folders of multiple files at once, databases and in other queries/ models
October 7, 2025 9am-12:30pm	Data Modelling: Building Data Models with Power Pivot Power Pivot data model: How if differs from traditional Excel worksheet tables, how to use it (or not use it and why) with Power Query Creating different forms of data models and how to choose type: Single table, star and ‘snowflake’ pattern models How design choices affect use, maintenance and reporting/ analysis Adding calculations, data measures and KPIs with simple DAX language coding examples (including time intelligence functions and filtering data) and understand non- coding alternatives Hands on building data models, creating KPIs/ measures and testing via interactive tabular reports The challenge of connecting data at different ‘granularity’ and hands on building and connecting a budget table to report against
October 8, 2025 9am-12:30pm	Data Visualisation: Reporting, Exploration and Analysis Using Pivot charts and Dashboards What is good visualisation and how do we get to ‘actionable information’ Why effective visuals take account of the way the ‘mind and eye’ process data Why some common visuals are not the most effective and how to choose visuals to use Process and checklist for information and dashboard design Hands on building an interactive dashboard for the case study Flexible Hybrid Models: Combining Power Pivot Data and Charts with Traditional Excel Explanation, demo and hands on work reporting/ analysing data from our data model outside of Power Pivot tables and dashboards Using this free format Excel layout and mixing with traditional Excel for complete flexibility in reporting and as an alternative to more challenging DAX coding (while retaining key interactivity)
October 10, 2025 9am-12:30pm	Power BI: Applying What You Learnt Already to Power BI Introduction to Power BI desktop and how most of the above (other than hybrid models) can be applied directly to building models in Power BI Additional visualisation, data modelling and reporting capabilities we can access via Power BI, including access to more advanced analytics (natural language queries, advanced analytics tools etc.) Moving data and models between Excel and Power BI When and why to use Excel/ Power BI desktop or roles for both and some of the advantages you can gain in access to wider analytics tools and capability Next Steps Suggestions for first projects to consolidate learning and building up your skills Key design options and approaches from simple to sophisticated to tackle problems based on your capability to build yourself/ access to specialist support/ need for a simpler workaround Further developing your capability in Data Analytics

Simon Lindley is an international trainer, speaker and consultant in data analytics, working with accounting institutes, training providers and clients across Asia, Europe and North America. He runs courses and carries out projects to help finance teams and individuals to; free up time through automation, improve their use of visualisation and dashboards, work with larger and more diverse data sets and to implement more advanced analytics.

His previous experience included working for a major research organisation in its consulting business and in the business transformation team for one of the big 4 accounting/ consulting firms. Simon is a UK Chartered Accountant, Chartered Engineer (IT) and MBA with a Masters diploma in corporate governance. He also has training and qualifications in statistics and data science.