Duration: 2 days

Financial modelling and forecasting is essential to evaluate strategies, investments and critical business decisions. In this highly interactive course you will learn how to build a financial model from scratch and how to develop a structured approach to powerful what-if analysis.

Suitable for anyone involved in the development or analysis of financial models and cashflow forecasting, this course is focused on giving you all the skills required to work faster while building models that are robust and have the flexibility required to grow with your business as it evolves.

This course will enable you to

• Build best practice financial models using the SMART modelling methodology
• Run powerful what-if analysis for decision makers resulting in better decision making
• Extend your financial modelling skills, greatly improving productivity and the quality of your work
• Make fewer errors and reduce the time required for quality assurance
• Achieve consistent and accurate outputs which will increase trust in your models

Who should attend this course?

This course is suitable for anyone involved in the development or analysis of financial models and cashflow forecasting. Typical attendees include Model Developers, Business Analysts, Managers, Debt Financiers, Equity Investors, Model Auditors and CFOs.

Course outline

Day one

Get coaching in best practice modelling techniques that will stay with you for life

• Understand the key principles of financial modelling
• Learn to work with the powerful and simple to follow SMART methodology
• We promote keyboard shortcuts – work faster and make less mistakes

Gain knowledge of the requirements for standardisation of spreadsheets and models

• Use SMART to build models that are easily navigated and readily checked
• Increase consistency amongst your team in calculation technique and presentation

Develop robust workbook architecture for flexible and robust financial models

• Understand why models are broken up into Inputs, Calculations and Outputs
• Master efficient use of range names
• Boost user confidence by building in checks to make the models easier to review

Improve the professional presentation of your models through consistent use of Styles

• Standardise colours and themes across your organisation
• Use Styles to emphasise key results and figures
• Set up number formats that can quickly draw attention to issues

Day two

Learn about shortcuts and tools that help you work faster while increasing the quality of your work

• Set up the Quick Access toolbar to improve your efficiency
• Learn keyboard shortcuts that save time and reduce risk
• Understand how to use Excel’s built-in quality control tools

Master powerful what-if analysis techniques required for rapid scenario and sensitivity analysis

• Save time and deliver rapid analysis with our approach to scenario management
• Transform scenarios into yet another way to test the model in all scenarios, all of the time
• Build confidence in your analysis through pre-programmed combinations of model inputs

Connect all logic from Assumptions to Summary and improve your confidence in building models

• Build in checks and balances as you go, saving you time and stress at the end
• Learn the tricks of the trade to rapidly identify a wide range of errors
• Increase your awareness of model risk mitigants and the role of the model audit