What you'll learn

You will learn the basics of XML and the role played by DTDs and schema documents in XML validation.
You will learn how to import and export XML data into and out of Microsoft Excel.
You will learn how to use XML mapping to target specific parts of the XML documents you are importing.
You will learn how to use the WEBSERVICE function to retrieve data from an online web service.
You will learn how to use Excel's FILTERXML function to extract data from both online and local XML data sources.
You will how to construct XPath statements to target specific locations within an XML document.
You will learn how to use XSLT stylesheets to reshape XML documents into an Excel-friendly structure.
You will learn the basic syntax used in XSLT stylesheets and how XPath is used within XSLT.

Requirements

Microsoft Excel 2016, 2013, 2010 or 2007.

Description

This is a Udemy best-selling course. Here are some of the comments from other students:

"Excellent instructor. The lessons are clear, practical and gradually increase the complexity. I had just a basic knowledge of XML and after this course I am learning a lot more."

"A very useful and unique insight into a lesser known area of Excel. I picked up a lot of tips that I probably wouldn't have been able to find by Googling. I also feel I have learned a lot about XML, XPath and XSLT, just in general terms, and not just in the context of Excel."

...

Microsoft Excel is a very XML aware application, featuring not only XML, but also XPath and XSLT capabilities; and this intermediate/advanced Excel course explains all of Excel's XML-related features in depth. The course assumes a good familiarity with Microsoft Excel and the use of Excel formulas. However, no knowledge of XML, or its related technologies, is assumed.

The course begins with an overview of the nature of XML and itemizes the different objects which can form part of an XML document. This introductory section also explains the use of DTDs and schema documents to validate XML.

We then move on to look at the importing and exporting of data into and out of Microsoft Excel. We discuss the creation of XML maps and how they relate to XML tables, as well as the validation of XML data, using schema documents, both on import and export.

Next, we explore online XML, as we use Excel's WEBSERVICE, FILTERXML and ENCODEURL functions to download XML data from online web services and use XPath statements to extract the information we want from the downloaded XML.

Although FILTERXML and its XPath statements are designed to work only with online web services, this course will show you a crafty workaround which will enable you to use this function to extract data from your local XML documents as well.

The final section of this course is given over to an XML capability which is well hidden in Microsoft Excel, namely the ability to transform XML as you import it by using XSL stylesheets. The course provides an overview of how XSL sheets are constructed and how XPath is used within stylesheets to target the different parts of the input XML document which you want to transform and include in the output.

In short, whatever Excel XML workflows you are faced with, this course will equip you to deal with them confidently and efficiently.

Who this course is for:

This course is designed for experienced Excel users who are used to working with formulas and functions. No knowledge of XML, XPath or XSLT is assumed.

Homepage: https://www.udemy.com/course/excel-xml-xpath-and-xslt-workflows/