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Financial Modeling for Beginners

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Financial Modeling for Beginners

About The Course
Overview:

A financial model has become a critical tool used by organizations to understand business risks and make important strategic decisions. A practical model is robust and flexible, yet user-friendly so that it can be used to analyze the impact of operational parameters on the value and viability of a business. With a good understanding of the key steps involved in financial modeling, participants can build a well-structured and robust model and use it to solve important business problems. Participants will be able to appreciate the use of the financial model as a powerful tool to communicate complex financial analyses and simulation results to stakeholders. This workshop will cover the basic financial modeling principles, best practices in financial modeling and excel functions frequently used in models. Users will also find out how to use financial model auditing tools to find out for errors in the model. Learning is achieved via practical examples and group discussions that reinforce the theory; case studies and Excel-based exercises allow participants to have hands-on experience with financial models.

Frequently Asked Questions:
What is Microsoft Excel’s Financial modeling feature?

The process of making decisions in business by combining information about projected and historical financials is called financial modeling. One of the most highly valued but poorly understood skills in financial analysis is financial modeling. Financial modeling aims to forecast a company’s future results by combining accounting, finance, and business metrics. In Microsoft Excel, the term “financial modeling” refers to the tools used to prepare expected financial statements that use assumptions and historical performance data to predict the company’s financial performance in the future. These financial models can be used in DCF valuations, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, project finance, and other similar situations. Excel’s financial modeling is widely used online. Learning financial modeling has been the subject of numerous articles. However, the majority of the financial modeling training components are identical. Beyond the usual gibberish, it looks at how Investment Bankers and Research Analysts use practical financial modeling.

How to Explain the Financial Model?

A financial model is merely a spreadsheet that predicts a company’s future financial performance and is typically created in Microsoft Excel. Preparing an income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, and supporting schedules—a three-statement model—is necessary for the forecast, which typically relies on assumptions about the company’s future performance. Discounted cash flow models (DCF models) leveraged buyout models (LBO models), merger and acquisition models (M&A models), and sensitivity analysis models can all be constructed from this point onward.

Where to use the Financial Model?

There are a lot of various kinds of financial models here that can be used for a lot of different things. Whether inside or outside the company, decision-making and financial analysis are facilitated by a financial model’s output. Decisions are made based on financial models about:

  • Debt and/or Equity (Raising capital)
  • Making business or assets acquisitions
  • Organically Expanding the business
  • Selling or separating assets and company units
  • Budgeting & forecasting
  • Priority Capital allocation
  • Helping to Value a business
  • Financial statement Ratio analysis
  • Perform Management Accounting
What is the best Software for Financial Modeling?

It can be difficult to accurately predict a company’s operations in the future. Each company is unique, necessitating extremely specific assumptions and calculations. Because it is the most adaptable and user-friendly spreadsheet software available, Excel is utilized. Excel knowledge, on the other hand, tends to be more universal than that of other software programs and may be too rigid and specialized.

Who Can Develop Financial Models?

Financial model builders come in a wide range of specialties. Like equity research, Investment banking, FP & A, corporate development, and accounting.

How Can You Understand Financial Modeling?

Workout is the finest way to understand financial modeling. It takes years of experience and a lot of practice to become an expert at building financial models. Reading equity research reports can be beneficial because they provide you with something against which to compare your findings. Building a model for the future, calculating the net present value per share, and comparing your projections to current share prices or the target prices in equity research reports are the best methods to train.

A solid understanding of the relevant concepts and skills can also be gained by enrolling in a professional financial modeling training course. In the meantime, you might want to investigate the free Financial Modeling Guidelines provided by CFI or attempt to construct your own financial models. Before enrolling in one of our courses, feel free to make use of the available templates to get started.

Is an accounting background needed for financial modeling?

A solid comprehension of accounting fundamentals is necessary to construct a financial model. You need to know how to calculate the various accounts, what they mean, and how they are connected.

You can also explore other course options here.

What Will You Learn?

Understand the essentials of financial modeling using Excel

Be able to build their first financial forecast model in Excel

Be able to build their first financial decision making model in Excel

Understand core concepts in finance

Understand the financial modeling process

Be able to build their first financial reporting model in Excel

Be proficient in financial model design

Know the business of lemonade stands inside out!

Course Curriculam

1. Introduction to the Course
Financial modeling is the process of creating a mathematical representation of a company's financial performance. It's a valuable skill for anyone interested in finance, accounting, or business, and can be used for a wide range of tasks, including budgeting, forecasting, valuation, and decision-making. Here are some steps to get started with financial modeling: Understand the basics of financial statements: Financial modeling starts with a solid understanding of financial statements, which are the primary source of data for a financial model. The three main financial statements are the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement. Choose a scenario: To start building a financial model, you'll need to choose a scenario to model. This could be anything from a startup business to a mature company with a complex business model. Define assumptions: Once you have your scenario, you'll need to define the assumptions that will drive your model. These can include revenue growth rates, operating expenses, capital expenditures, and working capital requirements. Create a model: Using spreadsheet software like Excel, create a model that incorporates your assumptions and produces financial statements based on those assumptions. Start with a simple model and gradually add complexity as you become more comfortable with the process. Validate your model: Once you have a model, it's important to validate it by comparing it to actual financial results. This will help you identify any errors or inconsistencies in your model and refine your assumptions. Use your model for analysis: Once you have a validated model, you can use it for a wide range of analysis, including budgeting, forecasting, valuation, and decision-making. Remember, financial modeling can be a complex process, and it takes time and practice to develop the skills needed to create accurate and useful models. Start with a simple model and gradually add complexity as you become more comfortable with the process.

  • Introduction
    00:58

2. Jumpstart

3. Important Finance & Accounting Principles
Here are some important finance and accounting principles that are essential to understand for anyone working in finance: The Time Value of Money: This principle is the concept that money received today is worth more than money received in the future due to the opportunity cost of investing that money today. Understanding the time value of money is crucial for investment decisions, such as calculating net present value or internal rate of return. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP): GAAP refers to the common set of accounting principles and standards used by companies to prepare financial statements that are comparable and consistent. Understanding GAAP is important for interpreting financial statements and comparing financial performance across companies. Accrual Accounting: Accrual accounting is a method of accounting that records revenue and expenses when they are incurred, regardless of when payment is received or made. It provides a more accurate picture of a company's financial performance compared to cash accounting, which only records transactions when cash is exchanged. Financial Statements: Financial statements provide a summary of a company's financial performance and position, and include the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement. Understanding how to read and interpret financial statements is essential for financial analysis and decision-making. Cost of Capital: The cost of capital is the rate of return required by investors to invest in a company's equity or debt. It's an important concept in financial decision-making, as it helps determine whether an investment or project is worth pursuing. Ratio Analysis: Ratio analysis involves using financial ratios to analyze a company's financial performance and position. Examples of financial ratios include the debt-to-equity ratio, current ratio, and return on equity. Understanding ratio analysis is essential for financial analysis and decision-making. Budgeting and Forecasting: Budgeting and forecasting involve projecting future financial performance and position based on historical data and future assumptions. This is an important tool for financial planning and decision-making, and helps companies identify potential financial risks and opportunities. Remember, these are just some of the important finance and accounting principles to understand. It's essential to continue learning and developing your skills to succeed in finance.

4. Important Excel Features & Techniques
Excel is a powerful tool for managing data and performing calculations. Here are some important Excel features and techniques: Formulas and functions: Excel offers a wide range of built-in functions for performing calculations, such as SUM, AVERAGE, and COUNT. Users can also create custom formulas to suit their specific needs. Pivot tables: Pivot tables are a powerful tool for summarizing and analyzing large amounts of data. They allow users to group and filter data to create meaningful reports. Data validation: Data validation is a feature that allows users to control what data can be entered into a cell or range of cells. This can help ensure data accuracy and consistency. Conditional formatting: Conditional formatting allows users to highlight cells that meet specific criteria, such as values that are above or below a certain threshold. This can make it easier to identify important data points. Charts and graphs: Excel offers a variety of chart types, including bar charts, line charts, and pie charts. These can help users visualize and communicate data in a clear and meaningful way. Macros: Macros are a powerful feature that allows users to automate repetitive tasks or complex calculations. They can be created using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) and can save users a significant amount of time. Keyboard shortcuts: Excel offers a variety of keyboard shortcuts that can save time and increase efficiency. For example, pressing CTRL + C copies the selected data, while pressing CTRL + V pastes it. By using these features and techniques, users can make the most of Excel's capabilities and streamline their work processes.

5. Building a Financial Forecast Model

6. Building a Financial Reporting Model

7. Building a Financial Decision-Making Model

8. Back of the Envelope

9. Congrats

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12 Courses 2810 Students
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Total 64 Ratings
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  • AG

    Abhishek Giri

    7 days ago
    VERY PRACTICAL AND HELPFUL
  • GG

    Garima Garima

    1 week ago
    Thanks for this great course with valuable information.....
  • AR

    Abu Rafey

    1 week ago
    excellent
  • KG

    Koustav Goswami

    1 week ago
    Overall experience was good. The course contents were great.
  • KA

    Khushboo Arora

    2 weeks ago
    Nice experience
  • KR

    Kartik rana

    2 weeks ago
    The course is very insightful.
  • AS

    Arbaz Shaikh

    3 weeks ago
    excellent course !!!!
  • SM

    Shivam Mishra

    1 month ago
    a very good course
  • RV

    Ritika vyas

    2 months ago
    excellent experience and great learning
  • PP

    Prathamesh Pandey

    2 months ago
    Very good
  • AL

    Ankur Lodha

    2 months ago
    It's a good course. Pls provide the files for Financial Decision making since they have not yet been uploaded
  • JM

    John Mathew

    2 months ago
    its good
  • AP

    Aniket Palande

    2 months ago
    Good & very nice explanation
  • AB

    Akanksha Borade

    2 months ago
    Good course to get information finanacial Modelling
  • IK

    Isha Kumari

    2 months ago
    nice
  • MT

    MUHAMMAD TALHA

    2 months ago
    Very informative with practical work
  • SB

    shlok bansal

    2 months ago
    ...
  • KG

    Kavya Ghildiyal

    2 months ago
    I love and enjoy this course
  • BS

    Bhawna Saluja

    2 months ago
    increase length of the course and take test at the last hide mark as complete button .
  • SG

    Shruti Gurjar

    2 months ago
    good for starting with financial modelling