Google Looker Studio for Absolute Beginners | Insights Training
Data visualization

Google Looker Studio for Absolute Beginners

A practical, step-by-step introduction to Google Looker Studio designed for participants with little or no dashboard experience. Through guided exercises, participants learn to connect simple datasets, understand fields, create common charts, add calculations and interactive controls, format report components, and assemble a clear one-page dashboard.

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A practical, step-by-step introduction to Google Looker Studio designed for participants with little or no dashboard experience. Through guided exercises, participants learn to connect simple datasets, understand fields, create common charts, add calculations and interactive controls, format report components, and assemble a clear one-page dashboard.

Navigate Looker Studio and create, open, edit, and view a report
Connect Google Sheets and CSV data and recognize dimensions, metrics, and basic field types
Create common charts, tables, scorecards, and Top/Bottom displays
Build simple calculated fields and correct basic number, currency, and date issues
Add filters, controls, drill-downs, optional metrics, and chart interactions
Format and assemble a simple one-page dashboard for viewing, sharing, and presenting

Who this training is for

  • Absolute beginners and first-time Looker Studio users
  • Google Sheets or Excel users who want to create basic interactive dashboards
  • Staff, coordinators, analysts, supervisors, and report owners working with simple business data
  • Teams seeking an accessible entry point into online reporting and data visualization

Training methodology

Instructor demonstrations followed by guided, step-by-step hands-on exercises. Practice using a provided dataset, with individual dashboard building, troubleshooting, testing, and feedback.

Course Overview

Open a module to see its full coverage.

1. Getting Started with Looker Studio
  • What Looker Studio is and what it can do
  • Creating and opening a report
2. Connecting and Understanding Data
  • Connecting Google Sheets and CSV files
  • Understanding data sources and fields
3. Creating Charts and Tables
  • Scorecards and KPI displays
  • Tables and pivot tables
4. Calculations and Basic Data Preparation
  • Creating calculated fields
  • Simple arithmetic calculations
5. Filters and Interactive Reports
  • Drop-down and list controls
  • Input boxes and date range controls
6. Formatting and Building a Dashboard
  • Using the Style panel
  • Chart colors, fonts, labels, legends, and axes

Full course outline

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1. Getting Started with Looker Studio

  • What Looker Studio is and what it can do
  • Creating and opening a report
  • Navigating the Looker Studio interface
  • Edit Mode vs. View Mode
  • Adding, moving, resizing, copying, and deleting report objects

2. Connecting and Understanding Data

  • Connecting Google Sheets and CSV files
  • Understanding data sources and fields
  • Dimensions vs. metrics
  • Basic data types: text, number, currency, and date
  • Changing field types and number formats
  • Understanding basic aggregation: Sum, Average, Count, and Count Distinct

3. Creating Charts and Tables

  • Scorecards and KPI displays
  • Tables and pivot tables
  • Bar and column charts
  • Pie and donut charts
  • Line and time-series charts
  • Adding dimensions, metrics, and breakdown dimensions
  • Sorting and displaying Top/Bottom results
  • Basic chart selection: choosing the right chart for the message

4. Calculations and Basic Data Preparation

  • Creating calculated fields
  • Simple arithmetic calculations
  • Converting text to numbers
  • Cleaning currency values stored as text
  • Converting text to dates
  • Creating simple categories
  • Formatting calculated values

5. Filters and Interactive Reports

  • Drop-down and list controls
  • Input boxes and date range controls
  • Using controls like slicers
  • Creating chart filters
  • Cross-filtering charts
  • Drill-down
  • Optional metrics and metric sliders

6. Formatting and Building a Dashboard

  • Using the Style panel
  • Chart colors, fonts, labels, legends, and axes
  • Themes and report layouts
  • Adding text, shapes, and page elements
  • Aligning and arranging report components
  • Basic principles of good chart design
  • Creating visual hierarchy and consistent formatting
  • Building a simple one-page interactive dashboard
  • Viewing, sharing, and presenting the completed report

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