Professional Certificate in Financial Analysis, Modelling & Forecasting

Introduction

This leading edge Professional Certificate in Financial Analysis, Modelling & Forecasting training course will provide you with the essential financial modelling skills to analyse and manage risk and business performance in the turbulent conditions of the 21st century. In today’s globally competitive world decision-makers face unprecedented levels of risk and uncertainty and traditional financial analysis and forecasting tools do not provide the flexibility and responsiveness to manage in these demanding conditions.

This practical hands-on training course will provide you with the methods and techniques of financial modelling in Excel that will equip you with a set of powerful financial tools with which to anticipate and manage the opportunities and threats confronting your organisation. 

This Professional Certificate in Financial Analysis, Modelling & Forecasting training course will highlight:

• Competitive challenges for 21st century business
• Advanced skills in financial modelling with Excel
• Mastering the tools and techniques of financial analysis
• Improving forecasting quality and minimising error
• Effective capital investment decision-making
• Models and techniques for managing risk and uncertainty

Objectives

This training course has been designed to provide you with up to date knowledge and practical skills in the preparation and interpretation of public sector financial statements and budgets.

By the end of this Professional Certificate in Financial Analysis, Modelling & Forecasting training course you will have learned to:

• Design and build practical and effective financial models in Excel
• Improve your skills in analysing and interpreting financial statements
• Build financial forecasting models for a range of business applications
• Apply financial modelling techniques to investment decision-making
• Use a range of tools to analyse and manage business risk

Training Methodology

This is an interactive course. There will be open question and answer sessions, regular group exercises and activities, videos, case studies, and presentations on best practice. Participants will have the opportunity to share with the facilitator and other participants on what works well and not so well for them, as well as work on issues from their own organizations. The online course is conducted online using MS-Teams/ClickMeeting.

Who Should Attend?

This Professional Certificate in Financial Analysis, Modelling & Forecasting training course is designed to provide useful insights and practical skills to professionals from a wide range of disciplines and industry sectors, but particularly those involved in planning, forecasting and investment decision-making in an age of risk and uncertainty.

This Professional Certificate in Financial Analysis, Modelling & Forecasting training course is suitable to a wide range of professionals but will greatly benefit:

• Financial Accounting Team Members
• Cost and Management Accounting Staff
• Finance Managers
• Planning Managers
• Commercial Managers
• Capital Investment and Project Team Members

Course Outline

1. Day 1

The Competitive Challenge in the 21st Century

• Identifying and Managing Stakeholder Needs
• Business Models and How They are Disrupted
• An Integrated Approach to Risk Management
• The Essentials of Business Performance Management

Fundamentals of Financial Modelling

• Financial Statements Basics
• Fundamentals of Financial Modelling

1. Day 2

Mastering Financial Analysis

• Building a Financial Ratio Database in Excel
• Practical Modelling: The Cost-Volume-Profit Relationship
• Measuring and Improving Return On Investment
• Measuring and Improving Asset Management Efficiency
• Measuring and Managing Capital Structure and Risk
• Practical Modelling: The Effect of Gearing on Shareholders’ Earnings

1. Day 3

Improving Financial Forecasting

• Practical Modelling: Using Excel Statistical Analysis Tools
• Avoiding Common Forecasting Problems
• Using Moving Averages to Analyse Time Series Data
• Using Linear Regression for Sales Trend Analysis
• Using Excel Solver to Minimise Forecasting Error
• Using Regression and Correlation to Forecast Costs
• Practical Modelling: Cash Flow Forecasting

1. Day 4

Financial Models to Improve Investment Decision-making

• Principles of Capital Investment Decision-making
• Sources and Cost of Business Finance
• Practical Modelling: Using Excel Discounted Cash Flow Tools
• Practical Modelling: Capital Investment Analysis
• Essentials of Business Valuation
• Practical Modelling: Business Valuation Based on Shareholder Value Added

1. Day 5

Managing Risk and Uncertainty

• Identifying and Analysing Business Risk
• Probability Based Approach to Decision-making
• Monte Carlo Simulation
• Sensitivity Analysis and “what-if” Forecasting
• Identifying the Key Drivers of Financial Performance
• Practical Modelling: Key Driver “what-if” Forecast