(This is Joe Kidd — the computer knows exactly what he touched.)
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Learn SQL basics here: W3Schools SQL Tutorial
This week I'm sharpening the core skills that power modern data work — Excel functions, lookups, macros, Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), and SQL. These tools drive every serious operation behind the scenes: logistics, finance, compliance, and any system that needs fast, accurate information.
Excel teaches you how to clean data, reshape it, and make messy information usable. Macros and VBA automate the repetitive tasks that steal hours from teams. SQL pulls exactly what you need from massive datasets instantly — without scrolling through thousands of lines by hand.
To explain SQL in a way anyone can understand, I used an example that makes sense in the real world:
“Imagine you work at a major logistics hub in Dallas–Fort Worth. Now imagine needing to pull every order that one associate has handled over the past two years.”
(This is Joe Kidd — the computer knows exactly what he touched.)
If you attempted that manually, you’d be reviewing thousands of records across multiple shifts, days off, schedule changes, and system updates. SQL returns it instantly — clean, filtered, and ready for analysis.
That’s why I’m rebuilding these fundamentals: Excel handles exploration, VBA automates the workflows, and SQL delivers precision at scale. Strong companies are built on strong systems, and strong systems are built on strong fundamentals. This week is about sharpening those fundamentals — so everything built on top of them stays solid.