Financial Modelling and Decision Making (FA11)
Duration: 5 days
This course equips finance and investment managers with practical financial modelling skills, enabling them to interpret and build dynamic, Excel-based models for both operational and strategic decision-making. Delegates will learn how to structure, evaluate, and stress-test financial models to support short-term cash flow decisions, long-term investment appraisals, and business planning. The course also explores how leadership skills and model-driven thinking can enhance internal decision-making and modernise financial reporting.
This course is designed for mid- to senior-level professionals in finance, investment, and strategic planning roles who work with financial data and require deeper modelling skills to improve decision-making. It is particularly relevant for finance managers, analysts, business controllers, and those supporting operational or capital planning. Delegates should have a working knowledge of Excel.
Modelling short term (operational) financial decisions
- Building and interpreting working capital models
- Forecasting cash flows using scenario-based tools
- Applying break-even and contribution margin analysis
- Using Excel functions for operational planning and variance analysis
- Enhancing decisions through short-term profitability models
Modelling long term (capital) financial decisions
- Evaluating investment appraisals using NPV, IRR, and payback methods
- Integrating wider financial considerations into models
- Modelling capital structure and cost of capital
- Comparing strategic alternatives using decision-tree logic
Leadership skills and Tailoring your business model
- Identifying key drivers of business performance using structured frameworks
- Mapping external trends and internal capabilities
- Challenging team assumptions using Six Thinking Hats and 5 Whys techniques
- Exploring leadership influence in driving innovation and change
Building risk and uncertainty into spreadsheet models
- Ways to build quantifiable risk into your spreadsheet models
- Conducting scenario and sensitivity analysis for risk-based decisions
- Identifying assumptions and modelling volatility
- Stress-testing models to reflect external economic uncertainty
- Using outputs to address operational challenges
Modern management reporting
- Creating interactive dashboards using PivotTables and Charts
- Designing KPIs aligned with business goals
- Visualising data for executive decision-making
- The human element: communicating the results of financial modelling
At the end of this course, delegates will be able to:
- Build and interpret Excel-based models to support short- and long-term financial decisions.
- Apply investment appraisal techniques within dynamic spreadsheet models.
- Integrate financial strategy into business model design and stakeholder communication.
- Use modelling tools to analyse profitability, liquidity, and capital investment alternatives.
- Incorporate uncertainty, risk, and scenario analysis into decision-making models.
- Create management reporting tools that support clear performance insights.
- Communicate financial insights effectively to non-financial decision-makers.
- Strengthen financial leadership through evidence-based modelling and reporting.