Effective financial modelling is a key skill for supporting budgeting, forecasting and strategic decision-making. This practical one-day course introduces participants to best-practice financial modelling techniques in Microsoft Excel, focusing on how to design clear, robust and flexible models that are easy to understand and reliable to use. Participants will learn how to structure and build an integrated three-statement financial model, covering areas such as revenue and cost modelling, working capital, capital expenditure, financing and corporation tax. The course also explores key Excel functions, model design principles and techniques for testing and reviewing models to ensure accuracy.

By the end of this course participants will gain practical skills to apply that can be applied immediately in the workplace, whether developing budgets and forecasting, improving existing spreadsheets, or supporting financial planning and decision making.

Pre-Requisites

• You will need Excel 2010 or later installed on the device you will be using
• Key things you will need to know already in Excel is how to add, subtract, multiply and divide, as well as how to use $ sign to fix the absolute reference of cells, how to navigate Excel generally (e.g. how to copy & paste formula and how formatting works, such as how to change font colours, backgrounds, fonts etc).
• From an Accounting perspective, you will need to know the fundamentals of debits & credits and double-entry, the difference between the income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statementand how they interact with each other and you will need to be familiar with basic financial concepts like working capital, depreciation, debt financing as well as KPIs such as EBITDA, gross profit margins, debtor days etc.

Course Content

Fundamentals & Best Practice

• Characteristics of best-practice financial models
• Structure and layout
• Transparency and Auditability
• Separation of inputs, calculations and outputs
• Consistency and simplicity

Golden Rules – Dos & Don’ts

• Avoiding common spreadsheet mistakes
• Documentation and version control
• Making models robust and user-friendly

Designing a Financial Model

• Planning before building
• Structuring worksheets logically
• Developing the thought process behind model design

Excel Techniques for Financial Modelling – Application of Core Functions

• SUM
• IF
• SUMIF
• MIN/MAX
• ROUND
• AND
• EDATE for timeline modelling
• PPMT for loan repayments
• Cell referencing best practice
• Reviewing and auditing formulas

Automation Approaches in Excel

• Efficient use of formulas
• Structured layouts to reduce manual updates
• Power Query – When it can help automate data preparation

Building an Integrated Financial Model in Excel

• Step-by-step construction of a dynamic three-statement financial model
• Revenue Modelling – Revenue drivers and forecasting approaches
• Cost Modelling – Variable costs – fixed costs – activity-based costing concepts
• Working Capital – Receivables – Payables – Inventory
• Capital Expenditure & Fixed Assets – Capex Planning – Depreciation modelling
• Financing– Debt and Repayments – Interest calculations
• Corporate Tax

Completing the Integrated Model – Linking the Core Statements

• Integrated Income Statement
• Cash Flow Statement
• Balance Sheet
• Additional modelling components including:
  
  • Indexation and inflation assumptions
  • Control accounts
  • Ensuring the model balances

Testing & Reviewing Financial Models – Ensuring Models are Reliable and Credible

• Integrity and signal checks
• Error detection techniques
• Stress-testing assumptions
• Reviewing cells and formulas effectively
• Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Who Should Attend?

This course has been designed for aspiring and experienced finance professionals who are familiar with the fundamentals of Excel and who have a good grasp of basic accounting and who want to learn how to build best practise financial models in Excel.

Certification

On completion of this one-day training course, you will receive your Certificate of Attendance. Please note certificates are issued at the close of the training course to participants on completion of the course.

This course may qualify for CPD points. Please check directly with your association or awarding body to see how many points they will award.

Cost

An ‘Early Bird’ discounted rate of €545 is currently available. This training course normal rate is €645. Places are limited and are allocated on a first come first served basis. PLEASE NOTE THE EARLY BIRD RATE CLOSES 3 WEEKS PRIOR TO COURSE DATE. The course cost includes all course documentation and Certificate of Attendance.