Whats New Excel 365

What's New – Excel 365

Dynamic Arrays, New Functions and AI-Powered Tools for Faster, Smarter Data Analysis

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Platform:
Online
In-class
Revised and Updated: 29 September 2026
Date Venue Duration
06 October 2026 Live/Online 1 Day

Course Introduction

Microsoft 365 (previously packaged as Office 365) is how most organisations now receive continuous updates to Excel, Word and the other Office applications — which means Excel keeps changing, and it’s easy for even experienced users to fall behind on capabilities that could be saving them hours every week. This course brings participants up to date with Excel’s modern calculation engine, built around Dynamic Arrays, and with the newer functions and AI-powered tools that have followed it.

 

Dynamic Arrays reshaped how formulas are written and remain the foundation of modern Excel: functions such as XLOOKUP, FILTER, UNIQUE, SORT and SORTBY have become the standard, more efficient replacement for older approaches like VLOOKUP and INDEX/MATCH. Building on that foundation, this course also covers what’s genuinely new for 2026 — including the GROUPBY and PIVOTBY aggregation functions, which let users build dynamic, formula-driven reports without a traditional PivotTable, and the growing role of Copilot and Python in Excel for AI-assisted analysis.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of the What’s New – Excel 365 course, participants will be able to:

  • Stay Updated: Excel 365 frequently introduces new tools and features. Understanding these updates ensures you’re leveraging the latest capabilities and staying current with technological advancements.
  • Boost Productivity: New features often streamline workflows and improve efficiency. Learning these updates can significantly boost productivity by introducing more efficient ways to accomplish everyday tasks.
  • Strengthen Data Analysis: Newer tools, including dynamic array functions and formula-driven aggregation, enable users to perform more advanced analysis and visualise data in innovative ways — without building complex PivotTables from scratch.
  • Work with AI-Assisted Tools: Understand how Copilot and Python in Excel are changing the way formulas, analysis and reporting get done, and how to use these tools effectively and responsibly.
  • Improve Cloud Collaboration: Excel 365 integrates more seamlessly with cloud services, improving collaboration and accessibility of spreadsheets across devices and locations.

Who should attend?

  • All Excel users — anyone interested in saving significant time in their daily use of Excel. Business professionals who use Excel to analyse data and create reports. Managers who want to learn how to build interactive reports using dynamic array formulas and modern aggregation functions.

Microsoft (365) Office Courses

Training Methodology

Our diverse instructional approaches ensure effective learning:

– Lectures & Presentations: Engage with expert-driven, stimulating content.
– Course Material: Access well-crafted supporting resources.
– Group Work: Collaborate on discussions and case studies for practical insights.
– Workshops & Role-Play: Participate in immersive, scenario-based activities.
– Practical Application: Focus on applying theoretical knowledge in real situations.
– Post-Training Support: Receive extensive support after training for skill implementation.

Training Outline

The Modern Excel Engine: Dynamic Arrays
The Modern Excel Engine: Dynamic Arrays
  • How Dynamic Arrays changed the way formulas are written, and why this is now the Excel standard
  • XLOOKUP: why it has replaced VLOOKUP and INDEX/MATCH as best practice
  • Understanding the impact of the new dynamic array functions:
    • FILTER
    • UNIQUE
    • SORT
    • SORTBY
    • SEQUENCE
  • How to handle #SPILL errors

What's Genuinely New: GROUPBY and PIVOTBY
What's Genuinely New: GROUPBY and PIVOTBY
  • Introducing Excel's newer aggregation functions, GROUPBY and PIVOTBY
  • Building dynamic, formula-driven summary reports without constructing a traditional PivotTable
  • When to use GROUPBY/PIVOTBY versus a PivotTable
  • Current Issue Discussion: GROUPBY and PIVOTBY are among the most significant additions to Excel's formula language in recent years, giving analysts PivotTable-style summarisation that lives, updates and recalculates directly within a formula

AI-Assisted Excel: Copilot and Python in Excel
AI-Assisted Excel: Copilot and Python in Excel
  • Overview of Copilot in Excel and how it is moving from chat-based suggestions to direct, AI-assisted editing
  • Introduction to Python in Excel for advanced analysis without leaving the spreadsheet
  • Practical guidance on reviewing and verifying AI-generated formulas, insights and code before relying on them

Other Recent Features, Plus Tips & Tricks
Other Recent Features, Plus Tips & Tricks
  • Stock and Geography data types
  • TEXTJOIN, AGGREGATE, SWITCH
  • Native checkboxes as a cell data type
  • Stacked chart totals
  • Adding traffic light icons with conditional formatting
  • Why to use Tables whenever you can
  • …and much more

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FAQs – What's New – Excel 365

Discover what’s new in Excel 365, learning dynamic arrays, modern XLOOKUP formulas, real-time collaboration features, automated workflows, and enhanced data analysis tools for updated productivity.

What is covered in the What's New in Excel 365 Training?
The course covers modern Excel 365 features including dynamic array functions (UNIQUE, FILTER, SORT, XLOOKUP), cloud collaboration tools, real-world co-authoring, automated Data Types, Python in Excel integration, and Copilot AI assistance features.
Who should attend the What's New in Excel 365 Training?
This training is ideal for current Excel users, data analysts, financial planners, office managers, administrative teams, and business professionals upgrading from legacy Excel versions (2013, 2016, 2019) to Microsoft 365.
How do Dynamic Arrays and spill ranges revolutionize Excel formulas?
Dynamic Arrays allow a single formula to return multiple calculated values across multiple cells automatically (spilling), replacing cumbersome legacy CSE (Ctrl+Shift+Enter) array formulas and simplifying complex spreadsheet calculations.
Does the training address real-time collaboration and cloud features?
Yes. The course highlights cloud co-authoring techniques, workbook version history tracking, setting up user-specific Sheet Views to filter data without disrupting colleagues, and sharing permissions safely via OneDrive and SharePoint.
Does the program include practical exercises with new Excel 365 functions?
Yes. Participants engage in practical, hands-on exercises mastering functions like XMATCH, LET, LAMBDA, TEXTSPLIT, VSTACK, and HSTACK to replace legacy, inefficient spreadsheet formulas.
Why is upgrading skills to Excel 365 essential for modern business efficiency?
Leveraging native Microsoft 365 intelligence reduces formula complexity, boosts sheet calculation speed, enables seamless remote teamwork, and prevents legacy calculation errors across corporate workbooks.

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