Expected learning outcomes
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By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
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Understand the fundamental principles and purpose of financial modeling in business and project contexts.
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Build structured and dynamic financial models using spreadsheet tools (Excel or Google Sheets).
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Apply models to analyze financial statements, cash flows, and business performance.
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Conduct scenario, sensitivity, and valuation analyses to support decision-making.
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Present model results effectively to stakeholders for strategic planning and investment evaluation.
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Who should attend?
- Any functional line managers working with finances, public money, budgets, supply chain management, asset control or strategic planning in the public or municipal sectors; including parastatals and/or municipal entities.
- Entry-level budget and/or strategic planning experts in the government and municipal sectors. (There are other, more advanced financial management and budgeting short learning programmes registered that cater for CFOs and more advanced experts in the field of financial, budgetary and/or strategic planning in the broader public sector domain).
- Municipal Councilors.
- Personnel of government and municipal sector institutions working in a financial or budgetaryrelated capacity.
Course modules and outline
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Introduction to Financial Modeling
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What is financial modeling and why it matters
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Types of models (forecasting, valuation, budgeting, feasibility)
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Key characteristics of effective models
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Structuring a Financial Model
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Model planning and design principles
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Linking assumptions, inputs, and outputs
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Spreadsheet best practices and formula accuracy
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Understanding Financial Statements
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Review of income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements
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Relationships among financial statements
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Building a fully linked 3-statement model
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Forecasting Techniques
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Revenue and cost projections
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Growth assumptions and drivers
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Inflation, taxation, and working capital considerations
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Modeling Cash Flows
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Operating, investing, and financing cash flows
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Free cash flow calculation
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Adjusting for non-cash and one-off items
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Scenario and Sensitivity Analysis
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What-if scenarios and data tables
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Stress-testing assumptions
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Presenting different business cases
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Valuation and Investment Appraisal
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Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) modeling
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Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), and Payback analysis
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Evaluating project and investment feasibility
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Risk Analysis and Model Validation
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Identifying and managing modeling risks
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Error checking and version control
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Auditing and reviewing financial models
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Visualization and Reporting
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Using dashboards and charts for model outputs
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Creating professional reports for management
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Effective presentation of key findings
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Case Studies and Practical Exercises
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Building a project finance model from scratch
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Modeling for SMEs, NGOs, and government projects
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Final group exercise: developing and presenting a financial model
Key course benefits
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