Beltan Consultancy

12/08/2026

One question I get asked quite often is, "How many people can we fit into the training session?"

My answer sometimes surprises people.

After more than 25 years delivering Microsoft training, I've found that smaller groups almost always achieve better outcomes. Participants are more comfortable asking questions, there's more opportunity for discussion and hands-on practice, and I can adapt the session to the group's specific needs.

While larger groups may seem more cost-effective on paper, they can often reduce engagement and the amount of individual attention each participant receives.

In my latest blog post, I explore why smaller training groups can lead to better learning outcomes and a greater return on your training investment.

Read the article here: https://www.beltan.com.au/less-is-more-the-key-to-effective-computer-training-courses/

What's your experience? Do you learn better in a small group or a large classroom setting?

13/07/2026

Most people use Excel every day, but are they making the most of it?

Features like Sort, Filter, Conditional Formatting, Tables, PivotTables, and formulas can save hours of manual work and help staff work more accurately and efficiently. Yet many users only scratch the surface of what Excel can do.

Check out this blog post which explores 6 Excel features that every user should know. As you read through the list, ask yourself:

- Could your staff confidently use these features?
- Are they spending too much time on tasks that Excel could automate?
- Would better Excel skills improve productivity in your organisation?

If you're unsure, it might be time to consider Excel training for your team.

Read the blog: https://www.beltan.com.au/top-6-features-excel/

At Beltan Consultancy, we deliver practical Excel training for businesses, government agencies and education organisations, helping staff work smarter and get more value from Microsoft 365. Contact us for more information or to discuss your needs.

12/07/2026

Australia has introduced new SMS Sender ID rule to help reduce text message scams and stop criminals from impersonating trusted organisations.

Businesses can now register their SMS sender name, making it easier to identify genuine messages from organisations such as banks, telcos, and government agencies.

If a text message appears as "Unverified", it could mean:
1) The organisation hasn't registered its sender name yet, or
2) It could potentially be a scam or impersonation attempt.

Before clicking links or sharing personal information, take a moment to verify the message through the organisation's official website, app, or contact details.

It's a simple change designed to make text messaging safer for everyone.

I've received a very messages lately from places like QANTAS, MASTERCARD and OPTUS and all have their official NAME in the Sender ID. If it says "Unverified" please be wary.

20/05/2026

It’s here! My Microsoft Copilot course is now live!

I’ve been working behind the scenes on this one for a while, and I’m really excited to finally share it.

This past two weeks I’ve run 4 x pilot sessions with 47 people attending. It was wonderful to receive such positive feedback during the sessions and some lovely reviews in the evaluations.

This course is designed to show you how to actually use Copilot in your day-to-day work across Excel, Word, Outlook, Teams and PowerPoint. Not just the basics, but the practical, time-saving tasks that make a real difference.

We go beyond simple prompts and focus on:
✔ Chat: generate effective prompts, reference resources and get quick answers across your work data
✔ Excel: analyse data, identify trends, create calculations and get insights without complex formulas
✔ Word: create and refine documents quickly without starting from a blank page, rewrite existing content and generate additional resources
✔ Outlook: manage your inbox faster by drafting replies, summarising threads, and pulling out actions
✔ Teams: summarise meetings and chats so nothing important gets missed
✔ PowerPoint: build presentations from ideas, outlines or existing content in minutes

As always, it’s hands-on, practical, and delivered in plain English so you can walk away and use it straight away.

If you or your team are starting to explore Copilot, this is a great place to begin.

Feel free to reach out if you’d like more details or to book a session. Full course outline is online at

Practical Microsoft Copilot training courses for businesses. Learn to use Copilot across Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams and more. Delivered in Sydney or online across Australia.

13/05/2026

Feeling pretty grateful today.
I’ve just found out that I am a finalist in the 2026 Camden Local Business Awards. This is the second year in a row, which makes it even more special.
A huge thank you to my amazing clients and supporters. It really does mean a lot.
I love what I do, helping people get more out of Microsoft 365 and making work feel a little easier, so this recognition is just the icing on the cake.
Now to see how we go on awards night 🏆

21/04/2026

Last month I wrapped up another really rewarding website project, this time redeveloping the Racism. No Way! website for the NSW Department of Education.

The site already served an important purpose, but it was running on an unstable theme with a number of plugins that made it difficult to maintain and update with confidence. The goal of this rebuild was not to change how the site looks, but to strengthen what sits behind it.

By moving the site to a more stable theme and consolidating its setup, I’ve been able to reduce the number of plugins required and create a far more reliable foundation. This makes the site easier to update, simpler to manage, and more resilient long term. All resources are now centralised, which also makes ongoing feature management clearer and more efficient for the team.

I really enjoyed working on this redevelopment. Taking a large, important site and giving it a more stable foundation behind the scenes is always rewarding. It means fewer surprises during updates, and noticeably less eye twitching on my end when WordPress releases a new version. Projects like this highlight how much value sits in the parts users don’t see.

Link: https://racismnoway.com.au/

20/04/2026

I have just published my second Microsoft 365 training case study, and I am pleased to share it.

This one features Cosmax Prestige Brands and a five-day Microsoft Excel training program delivered across Introduction, Intermediate and Advanced levels. With 48 staff involved, the goal was to build a stronger, more consistent level of Excel skill across the business and reduce time spent on manual processes.

The training focused on practical, real‑world examples, helping participants work more efficiently with data, use shortcuts and time‑saving techniques, and feel more confident analysing spreadsheets in their day‑to‑day roles.

If you would like to see what targeted, hands‑on Excel training looks like in practice, you can read the full case study here: https://www.beltan.com.au/case-studies/cosmax-prestige-brands/

19/04/2026

Some exciting news. I’m in the local business awards again this year. I made the finals last year, so I’m really happy to be back for a second year.

If you’ve worked with me over the last 12 months and got value from what I do, I’d love it if you could vote for me. It only takes a moment and it means a lot.

Voting Link: https://thebusinessawards.com.au/79109/beltan-consultancy