ICAEW has created a framework for understanding and mapping finance practitioners' ability and proficiency when using spreadsheets. We outline the level of skill needed for each competency and mapped competencies we expect are needed for operational roles.
Someone using spreadsheets for operations often deals with large and frequent data, like sales and purchases, or customer activity. They need to be able to process data quickly in spreadsheets and provide analysis of patterns and trends that emerge, to support operational and strategic decision making.
Relevant competencies
Users in operational roles need a solid grasp of most basic and general level competencies in the framework. This requires knowledge of how to navigate a spreadsheet, enter values and functions, copy data, apply cell formatting and use filters. Because users in these roles will work with large sets of data on a day-to-day basis, many will also need creator level competencies to be able to format, transform and review errors in data.
Users in operational roles will find it beneficial to develop many of the developer level competencies. For example, data input skills could be developed by effectively using Pivot Tables and more broadly, the more skilled users will be able to use automation to automate repetitive processes that could simplify data ingestion and transformation.
The competency framework
ICAEW's Spreadsheet Competency Framework is colour coded to illustrate the relevance of each competency.
- Core competencies form the essential Excel knowledge required for this job role.
- Beneficial competencies are additional skills individuals may choose to develop to strengthen their capability.
- Less relevant competencies remain useful Excel skills but are not as directly applicable to the role and therefore may be given lower priority.
Below is an interactive summary of the core competencies, as well as those beneficial to develop further capabilities, for this job role. Click through each section, in the left-hand column, to explore the framework.
More support
We have built a unique Microsoft Power BI dashboard allowing users to explore the Spreadsheet Competency Framework and all of the Excel content from icaew.com, and the ION archive, in one place.
Explore the framework in more detail and filter it by section, role, level and relevance to learn how it can apply to you or your organisation.
More support
See the full framework and how it has been applied for other job roles. And access our dashboard which allows users to explore the framework and all our Excel content.
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