Spreadsheet Skills for Planning, Forecasting and Budgeting Course

Accounting, Finance and Budgeting Training

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Spreadsheet Skills for Planning, Forecasting and Budgeting Course

Course Overview:

The goal of the Course of Spreadsheet Skills for Planning, Forecasting & Budgeting is to improve trainees’ ability to apply Microsoft Excel for the key financial tasks of planning, forecasting and budgeting.

At the end of the training course, the participants will be willing and able to join plans for budgeting and forecasting processes, utilize business forecasting with sophisticated Excel functions, and help in Decision Making Impacts by constructing relevant financial models.

Among them detailed development of “what-if” models of risk analysis, scenario and sensitivity analysis for planning and budgeting processes, and preparation of budgets using several methods.

This course would be useful for financial accountants, cost and management accountants, finance and budget managers and managers of commercial units wishing to enhance their Excel based forecasting and budgeting skills.

Course Objectives:

By the end of the Spreadsheet Skills for Planning, Forecasting & Budgeting training Course, participants will be able to:

Participate effectively in planning, budgeting and forecasting process
Apply advanced Excel spreadsheet skills in business forecasting
Employ leading edge tools for cost analysis and forecasting
Develop financial models to assist in capital investment decisions
Make spreadsheet models for cash flow forecasting
Build powerful “what if” spreadsheet models for risk sensitivity analysis

Who Should Attend?

Spreadsheet Skills for Planning, Forecasting & Budgeting training course, is ideal for:

Financial accounting team members
Cost and management accounting staff
Finance managers
Budget managers
Commercial managers
Capital investment and project team members

Course Outlines:

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

Proper Planning:

Introduction to planning
What-if analysis:

Scenario analysis techniques
Sensitivity analysis using spinners & scroll bars

Economic Order Quantity (EOQ)
Build out Data tables to see an entire range of options
1-way Data tables
2-way Data tables
Maximizing vs. optimizing techniques
Utilizing The Goal Seek command to calculate a reverse equation
Using Solver to calculate optimal product mix, distribution problems & capital budgeting

Fantastic Forecasting

Forecasting in perspective - the Past vs. the Future
The necessity to apply a range of different forecasting methods:

Qualitative Models used in forecasting
Quantitative Models focusing on time series and regressions methodology

Forecasting growth rates
Recording, applying, and modifying forecast assumptions

Beyond Budgeting:

What is a budget?
How to build a simple budget
Build a Flexible Budget Model
Build out a complete budget
Operating budget elements
Financial budget elements
Linking them
What is the Variance Analysis report & why is it important to improve your budget
Calculating variance analysis to see what must be changed