Many spreadsheet users do not fully exploit the power of their software. Business forecasting, planning and budgeting are areas in which personal computers may be used to great effect in both large and small firms. By developing spreadsheet models, the work required to produce forecasts can be dramatically reduced.
Furthermore, these forecasts can be easily transferred to business plans which provide a guide to the overall performance of the firm. These plans may then in turn be readily developed into operating budgets. By using the personal computer, all of these forecasts, plans and budgets may be reviewed through extensive what-if analysis to find key factors for management to monitor.
In addition today’s spreadsheets may be conveniently used to perform advanced techniques such as goal seeking, sensitivity analysis and risk models. The course's usefulness is enhanced by the fact that it is designed to apply to any Windows spreadsheet – to enable you to use it more effectively.
The course uses large screen demonstrations to illustrate the spreadsheet techniques discussed. Spreadsheets are demonstrated using Microsoft Excel, but the course is relevant for Lotus 1-2-3 users and a disk in Lotus 1-2-3 format is available for anyone who requires it.
This course is endorsed by ACCA.
THIS COURSE IS RUN BY CIMA MASTERCOURSES
9.00 Registration and coffee
9.30 Forecasting, planning and budgeting as part of the management accounting function
9.45 Business forecasting
- A review of some of the modern quantitative methods available including:
- smoothing techniques
- regression analysis
- time series analysis
- expected value calculations
11.00 Coffee
11.15 Business planning models
- A look at available techniques including
- deterministic,
- stochastic,
- optimising models
- Examples used to illustrate techniques will cover
- Profit and Loss,
- Balance Sheets,
- Funds Flow,
- Cash Flow,
- Capital Investment Appraisal, etc
12.30 Lunch
1.30 Business planning techniques
- What-if analysis
- Backward iteration
- Risk analysis
3.00 Tea
3.15 Budgeting techniques
- Producing
- budgets,
- actuals,
- calculating variances,
- producing year-to-date figures and
- consolidating reports
- When to use multiple sheets and multiple files
- Consolidation options
4.30 Close of seminar