Why Choose this Training Course?
This hands-on, practical finance & accounting training course will demonstrate how you can develop spreadsheet models to create a forecast, which can then be utilised to generate business plans and operating budgets with the use Excel® as it is used in practice. The applications will be focused on three crucial aspects of business and financial management - strategic planning, intelligent forecasting and realistic budgeting. Delegates will learn how accessible the power of Excel® is to provide realistic forecasts and prepare flexible budgets. The impact on efficiency in planning and control and therefore return on investment for companies and/or divisions will be startling.
This training course will feature:
Mastery of the power of Excel®
What functions to use from the Excel toolkit
Principles of strategic planning and budgeting
Mathematical forecasting models will be demystified
Building financial models enabling "what if" analysis
By the end of this training course, participants will be able to:
Navigate through the features and functions of Excel®
Distinguish between data and output in spreadsheet architecture
Analyze financial statements in order to plan ahead
Build effective financial planning models
Use forecasting techniques for budget preparation
Who is this Training Course for?
This training course is aimed at professionals who contribute to financial decision making. Participants with qualifications and or experience in accounting and finance will benefit from the new focus on building models and applying scenario's in financial planning.
This training course is suitable to a wide range of professionals but will greatly benefit:
Business advisors, analysts & staff from all functional areas who need to advise, comment or develop business forecast plans and budgets
Strategic Planners and Finance Officers
Management Accountants
Managers without formal financial qualifications
Course Content
Day One: Introduction to Spreadsheets using Excel®
The power of Excel® for building financial models
The Ribbons of Excel with their commands and functions
Using formulae: Copying, anchoring and special pasting
Using functions: financial, statistical and mathematical
Review of the financial objectives of business: ROI, ROA, ROE
Overview of Financial Statements
Case Study: Building a Quick Access Toolbar in Excel® and applying it to the analysis of financial statements of a division.
Day Two: Proper Planning
Classical strategic planning models
Cost-Volume-Profit Analysis and Break-Even as a planning example
Economic Order Quantity as a planning example
What-if analysis to build scenario's and test sensitivity
Maximizing and optimizing techniques
Linear programming and Solver as optimising tools
Case Study: Preparing a planning model and subjecting it to a range of sensitivity analysis in a manufacturing environment.
Day Three: Fantastic Forecasting
Forecasting in perspective - the Past vs. the Future
Necessity to apply a range of different forecasting methods
Qualitative Models used in forecasting
Quantitative Models focussing on time series and regressions methodology
Forecasting growth rates
Recording, applying and modifying forecast assumptions
Case Study: Applying the forecasting functions in Excel® to past data and building a model offering various scenario's
Day Four: Beyond Budgeting
The budget process: Timing and Cycles
Setting budgeting objectives and tolerance levels
Budgeting Techniques
"Beyond Budgeting" compared to traditional budgeting principles
Operating and Capital budgets
Monthly reporting procedures and timely action
Case Study: Building budget based on assumptions - Operating Budget, Cash Budget & Capital Budget
Day Five: Putting it Together – Building the Comprehensive Model
Considering the financing mix in strategy
Considering the Return to Shareholder as the primary indicator
Build your planning model
Build your forecasting model
Build your budgeting model
Link these together in review
Case Study: Building an integrated planning, forecasting & budgeting model
INFORMATECH is the region’s leading provider of in-house custom-designed courses. We have been tailoring in-house solutions for our clients aimed at helping them achieve short term training wins or long term strategic requirements. In addition to being significantly cost effective, these courses are constantly in demand because they:
If you did not find the appropriate date or venue suitable for you, or you would like to join the course online, you can request a custom course from the link below.
We offer group and corporate discounts on many courses. These discounts are available for clients who want to maximize their return on investment.
We offer individual discounts on many courses for people who are self-sponsored and make their payment in full and upfront at the time of registration.
Nominations to our public courses are to be processed by the client’s HR/Training department except for self-nominations which are to be paid in advance using the “payment by self” option on the online registration form. A refund will be issued back to the client in the event of course cancellation or seat unavailability. Registration confirmation is subject to INFORMATECH's review of registration request and seat availability.
Clients are responsible for any type of tax levied in their country.
If you are interested in having a course custom-designed for your organization, please submit a request using the link below. Once we receive your duly completed request, one of our business development professionals or consultants will get in touch with you to understand your requirements with more detail and answer any relevant questions you may have. After all pertinent information has been exchanged, we will work on the custom-designed request and send you the proposal you require and work with you to identify the ideal period and place for delivering the custom-designed solution.