A behind-the-scenes look at an insightful morning with Kee Tong and Su Hui!
Held on Tuesday morning (10 June), this edition of the bootcamp delivered two hours of practical tips, live demos, and valuable insights that had participants taking notes, and saying “I wish I knew this earlier!”
Here’s what went down:
Excel Hacks That You Actually Use At Work :
Session by Mr Chia Kee Tong
Ever struggled with messy data or time-consuming spreadsheets? With over 20 years of experience in Microsoft Office training and data analytics, Trainer Mr Chia Kee Tong, showed us how to stop wrestling with Excel and start letting it work for us.
With clear, step-by-step demonstrations, Kee Tong introduced a few incredibly useful Excel features that you can use at work. Here are some examples:
- Power Query
Perfect for cleaning, transforming, and combining data from multiple sources. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll never go back to copy-pasting again.
- XLOOKUP
A modern replacement for VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP, this function helps you retrieve data from any direction in a table faster, more accurately, and with fewer errors.
- Format as Table
A simple but powerful tool to organize your data, automatically enable filtering, and future-proof your formulas as your dataset grows.
Mr Chia did not just demonstrate the functions but explained how they could apply in real work scenarios. Whether it’s preparing monthly reports or cleaning up survey data, these tips save time and headaches.
💡 Key takeaway? Excel isn’t just a spreadsheet tool. It’s a business advantage if you know the right features to use.
Why Singapore Is Switching to InvoiceNow
Session by Ms Heng Su Hui
Next, Su Hui gave us a crystal-clear overview of InvoiceNow, Singapore’s nationwide e-invoicing initiative based on the global Peppol network.
For businesses still relying on PDFs and email, Su Hui explained how InvoiceNow enables direct transmission of invoices between accounting systems eliminating manual entry, speeding up payments, and reducing human errors.
She also emphasized how easy it is to get started especially if you’re using InvoiceNow-Ready accounting solutions such as Xero.
👉 Bonus Resource: How to Link Your Xero Account to InvoiceNow (Step-by-Step Guide)
Whether you’re managing one invoice or hundreds a month, Su Hui made the case that digital invoicing is no longer optional—it’s essential.
💡 Key takeaway? The earlier you switch to InvoiceNow, the faster you’ll benefit from a streamlined, error-free billing process.
What Made This Bootcamp Practical?
- Excel hacks you can use immediately
- E-invoicing insights that help you stay compliant and get paid faster
- Engaging, knowledgeable speakers who made complex topics easy to grasp
Feedback:
The attendees found the excels hack useful and interesting, they were glad to learn useful excel commands that they can actually use for their work.
Ready to Learn Smarter?
Smarter Business Bootcamp is more than a training lesson, it’s a professional growth catalyst for businesses.
These two hours learning lessons are a must attend for anyone looking to work faster, smarter, and more future ready.
Upcoming Sessions:
Session 1
Thursday, 26 June
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM (SGT)
Topics:
- Smart Ways To Shield Your Business From Inflation
(Learn practical tools and insights to protect your margins and stay competitive)
- Championing For Local SMEs The NTUC Way
(Discover the various support and funding programmes that NTUC has to offer SMEs)
Session 2
Friday, 11 July
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM (SGT)
Topics:
- Smarter Tax Moves for Businesses in Singapore
(Hands-on tips to help your business save more on taxes and protect your bottom line)
- Top 10 Free AI Tools Every SME Should Use Today (Part 2)
(Big Results, Small Budget: Transform Your Business & Stay Ahead)
Session 3
Thursday, 24 July
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM (SGT)
Topics:
- Winning Customers with Smarter AI Marketing
(Get up to speed on today’s most effective AI-driven marketing tactics – learn how to apply them to boost conversions, engagement and ROI)
- Behind The Smile & Opening Up about Anxiety at Work
(Helping teams recognise the signs of anxiety and support one another with understanding and care)
Join us and stay ahead with the right mix of skills, tools, and support. See you at the next Bootcamp!
Interested in going deeper into Excel?
Join a full course in James Cook Institute! Register your interest using the form below. Our team will get in touch with you to provide detailed information about the courses available. We will also assess your eligibility and advise you on the applicable grants and funding options to help you attend the courses affordably.
