Business Plan Modelling using Excel

Prerequisites

Requires participants to have a good knowledge of Excel basics (including Excel functions such as IF, Choose, etc.) It will be assumed that participants understand the principle rules in working with Interactive Spreadsheets

Who will benefit?

This course is designed for accountants who need to prepare business plans, forecasts or budgets using MS Excel (currently 2010 version). Specifically the course has two main objectives:
1. To gain experience in the thought concepts needed to develop a business model. This is achieved here using a case study rather than modular approach, so that relevant techniques are seen in their natural state.
2. To learn new Excel techniques. However unlike an Advanced Excel course, this is the secondary objective of the day.

What are the benefits?

Learn to optimise Excel as a tool in the preparation of financial models
As theory is delivered, participants put the techniques into practice using an interactive case study on screen which develops into a full blown model by the end of the day.
Utilising the power of the model to facilitate decision making through use of scenarios and sensitivities.
Opportunity to discuss everyday Excel issues with both Trainer and fellow participants.
One to one assistance during the break times during the day (lunch and 30 minutes after completion).

Programme content

Do's and Don'ts of modelling
Communicating with your audience
Creation of a large model containing typical business issues encountered often
Building the model through logical stages of development
Applying sensitivity analysis to the resultant model
Maximising flexibility and business model dynamics
Automating dates and months in the model
Modelling to incorporate future needs
Building the detailed working sheet and importing workings from subsidiary schedules
Dealing with capital expenditure and funding
Developing Profit & Loss, Balance Sheets and Cash Flows and manipulating these with minimum level inputs.
Scenario setting and manipulation.
Preparing and reporting on Key Performance Indictors
Preparing formulae to relate accounting concepts in spreadsheets
Building sanity checks and balances to ensure model integrity throughout the workbook.
Ensuring the model is self-balancing.

Output

Copy of master model on soft copy
Manual covering the Excel skills encountered during the day.