Most Excel users spend years mastering lookup formulas (VLOOKUP, XLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH), not realizing there’s a fundamentally better way to connect data. This session reveals the shift that separates casual Excel users from true data analysts: thinking in relationships instead of formulas.
In 45 minutes, you’ll see how moving from lookup-based spreadsheets to a simple data model eliminates fragile formulas, handles larger datasets with ease, and opens the door to PivotTables that actually make sense. We’ll walk through the core concept in Excel first, then show how that same mental model transfers directly into Power BI, making what looks like a complex tool suddenly feel familiar.
Whether you’re an occasional spreadsheet user or someone who lives in Excel all day, you’ll leave with one concrete idea you can apply immediately and a clearer picture of where your skills can take you next.
You’ll walk away knowing:
- Why lookup formulas are a workaround and what to use instead
- How to build a basic data model in Excel without writing a single formula
- Why Power BI isn’t as intimidating as it looks if you already know Excel
- The one concept (relationships) that connects it all