A highly interactive training course on

Mastering Spreadsheet Skills for Planning, Forecasting & Budgeting

Looking Forward to Organisational Success

Course Schedules

Dubai

21-25 Apr 2025

$5,950

Istanbul

04-08 Aug 2025

$5,950

London

10-14 Nov 2025

$5,950

Training course overview

Effective planning, budgeting, and forecasting skills are critical for organizations to anticipate and effectively manage the rapid and disruptive changes that pose significant challenges to the survival and resilience of 21st-century enterprises. This training course specifically aims to enhance practical spreadsheet skills essential for understanding and actively contributing to these crucial processes of planning, budgeting, and forecasting. Participants will gain practical knowledge to navigate complex data, analyze trends, and make informed decisions that strengthen organizational preparedness and strategic responsiveness in dynamic business environments.

What are the goals?

By the end of this Coventry Academy training course, delegates will be able to:

Participate In and Support the Planning, Budgeting and Forecasting Process
Apply Advanced Excel Modelling Skills in These Key Processes
Apply Latest Techniques in Cost Forecasting and Management
Build Effective Spreadsheet Models to Assist in Investment Decision-Making
Develop Models for Applying Sensitivity Analysis to Risk Management

Who is this training course for?

This Coventry Academy training course will not only be of benefit to planning team members, but it will also provide a useful insights and tools for other professionals in related fields, in particular the course will greatly benefit:

Financial Accounting Team Members
Cost and Management Accounting Staff
Finance Managers
Budget Managers
Commercial Managers
Capital Investment and Project Team Members
Investment Analysts and Acquisition Team Members
Risk Managers

Course Outline

Day One: Fundamentals of Business Planning

The aims and principles of strategic planning
A framework for effective strategic execution
The structure and format of financial statements
Measuring and managing financial performance
Principles of financial modelling
Spreadsheet skills: Excel best practice and modelling tips

Day Two: Principles and Techniques of Business Forecasting

Spreadsheet skills: using Excel’s statistical analysis tools
Using moving averages to analyse time series data
Using linear regression for sales trend analysis
Applying exponential smoothing to forecasting
Spreadsheet skills: using Excel Solver to minimise forecasting error
Avoiding common forecasting problems
Data visualisation – presenting data to non-financial managers

Day Three: Budgeting for Revenue and Operating Costs

The role of budgeting in the planning cycle
Traditional and advanced approaches to cost analysis
Spreadsheet skills: using regression and correlation for cost forecasts
Criticisms and limitations of conventional budgeting methods
Beyond Budgeting
Spreadsheet skills: building rolling forecast models

Day Four: Cash Flow Forecasting and Cash Budgeting

Understanding the drivers of business cash flow
Spreadsheet skills: building a cash flow forecast model
Principles of capital budgeting
Capital investment appraisal tools
Understanding discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis
Spreadsheet skills: building a capital investment appraisal model

Day Five: Incorporating Risk Management in to Planning and Forecasting

Identifying and analysing business risk
Probability based approach to decision-making
Spreadsheet skills: building decision trees in Excel
Sensitivity analysis and “What-If” forecasting
Identifying the key drivers of financial performance
Spreadsheet skills: building a “What-If” forecast for sensitivity analysis

The certificate

Coventry Academy Certificate of Attendance will be provided to delegates who attend and complete the course

Coventry Academy
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