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Using Monkey Tools

Author: Ken Puls
(190 Students Trained)

Monkey Tools is an Excel add-in containing a set of tools to help you build better Excel solutions more quickly and follow data modeling best practices. The philosophy of Monkey Tools is simple: Build better, faster. It is targeted at modelers and analysts who work primarily in Excel, but is also useful for those who push their models into Power BI. This free course will explain how to unleash our army of monkeys and put them to work for you!

Duration:
5h 40m
Tools:
  • Excel
  • Power BI
Skills:
  • Formulas
  • Data Preparation
  • Data Analysis
  • Data Modeling

What you'll learn?

  • How to acquire, install and activate Monkey Tools
  • Automatically injecting useful queries, formulas, LAMBDAs and measures into your workbook
  • Writing DAX measures, from simple aggregations to complex patterns
  • Creating pivots and filters for your data model
  • Importing and exporting your data models, and restoring a model from backup
  • Identifying where queries load change multiple query load destinations at once
  • Reviewing, editing, and tracing relationships in you M code and DAX
  • Timing and comparing query refreshes, including the effects of privacy settings
  • Gathering insights into the quality of your data model, including: memory usage, unused items, key statistics, and more!
Course

Using Monkey Tools

FREE
  • 5h 40m of training content
  • 13 modules
  • Downloadable files and Handouts

Using Monkey Tools

FREE

Check our Group Discounts here!

Course Description

Monkey Tools is an Excel add-in developed by Ken Puls. It contains a set of tools to help you build better data models more quickly and follow data modeling best practices.

The philosophy of Monkey Tools is simple: Build better, faster. It is targeted at modelers and analysts who work primarily in Excel, but is also useful for those who push their models into Power BI.

Our aim is to provide you with a good set of tools that help you, as a business intelligence author to:

  • Build models more rapidly
  • Follow recommended practices
  • Export model data to CSV
  • Document your work
  • Audit files you receive
  • Import Power BI files to Excel

Monkey Tools adds a broad set of new features specifically for working with Power Query and the Data Model, and is divided into two general collections: Monkeys and Sleuths. Located on their own dedicated Monkey Tools ribbon tab, our team of Monkeys make things happen, and the Sleuths figure out what has happened.

In this free course, Ken Puls demonstrates how the various Monkeys and Sleuths work, so you can get the most from these amazing features.

Who this course is for?

  • Anyone who wants to learn more about the various features Monkey Tools
  • Every data modeler and data analyst working in Excel, and those who push their models to Power BI

Reviews

Using Monkey Tools

Average Rating

4.86 / 5

4.8/5
Rodger Moran
Rodger Moran
July 18, 2024
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I love Ken's attention to detail, but always being described within a larger context. I love how he will periodically use data that he knows will create an error, so that he can show us how he fixes it. I love Ken's self-effacing demeanor and his unabashed disclosure that his original intent for these Monkey tools were for himself first, and then us. You keep that up, Ken!!! I love that there are options for close captioning, and speed control.
Heather R.
Heather R.
September 20, 2024
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I started using Monkey Tools as a trial to understand a Power Query report from a user no longer with our company. I fell in love and convinced my manager to let me keep it. But until this course, there were items that I just didn't use - because I didn't fully know HOW. Thank you, you've made an already great tool even better by providing this training all in one place!
C.W.
C.W.
August 30, 2024
Read More
Good overview of what Monkey Tools does. Having this course available was what finally convinced me to install the free version, and I appreciate having a complete idea of exactly what the features I could get if I went up to the Pro version. However, for monkeys that work a bit for the free version, with more features for the pro version, I was sometimes a bit confused about exactly what the free version does.
T. M.
T. M.
August 26, 2024
Read More
I love that the course (finally :-)) ) is provided. Great explanations. Extraordinary tool... I still learned new stuff.
Stuart A.
Stuart A.
August 25, 2024
Read More
Well organized topics with short focused lessons. Easy to follow examples. Good speed / tempo. Good video.
Dan M.
Dan M.
July 30, 2024
Read More
Fantastic tools; wish I had this available last week. Very happy you built the course: I have had Monkey Tools for some time but prefer to watch a video and then determine which features are important to me. The folder and file path parameters automation will save me much time. Ken, I am truly amazed at your skills; thanks for sharing all of your hard work!
Misca Mustonen
Misca Mustonen
July 9, 2024
Read More
Lots of information in an easy to digest format. The Using Monkey Tools course was super useful. Thank you for making it!
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Course Update Log

First release of the course to the Skillwave Training site.

Course Formats

On Demand
This is an on-demand course, delivered via pre-recorded video modules that you can consume at your own pace. It includes all required sample files.

Course Content

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Connection Monkeys 1 Lesson
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Options Monkey 1 Lesson
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About the author

Ken Puls

Ken Puls

Microsoft MVP, FCPA, FCMA
Ken Puls is one of the founding partners of Skillwave.Training, and the President and Chief Training Officer of Excelguru Consulting Inc. in Canada. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant, blogger, author, and trainer with over 20 years of business and IT experience. His passion lies in exploring tools to turn data into information, and teaching others how to use them. Ken is a Microsoft MVP and a leading expert in Excel, Power Query, and Power BI.

FAQs

How long do I have access to this course?

You have unlimited access to this course. Unlike our other courses, it is not built on a subscription basis so there is no renewal or expiry date.

How do I access the course materials? Are they downloadable?

The videos are streamed on-demand and may be watched as often as you like. However, they are not downloadable. The example files and handouts for each lesson are downloadable.

Where are the course videos hosted?

All the videos for the course are hosted on Vimeo. Please note that some networks block access to Vimeo, in which case the videos will not be watchable. You may want to double-check that your network allows access to Vimeo before registering in the Academy, to ensure that you will be able to see the videos.

Where do I get a Monkey Tools license?

Go to https://monkeytools.ca and select the license option you prefer.

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