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Description

Financial Business Plan: Modelling Forecasts, Working Capital and the Funding Plan

Build a coherent spreadsheet-based financial model linking profit, cash flow and funding requirements

  • 2 days — 14 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • Intermediate
  • Up to 6 participants

A forecast that shows a healthy bottom line but overlooks working capital leads straight to a cash shortfall. Models built under time pressure accumulate weaknesses: assumptions buried inside formulas, payment terms ignored, funding plans balanced manually, and no way to test a scenario without breaking the file.

These two days focus exclusively on building the financial model in a spreadsheet. The narrative part of the business plan is set aside in favour of file architecture, the linkage between profit, balance sheet and cash, and sensitivity analysis.

Learning objectives

  • Structure a financial model that separates assumptions calculations and outputs
  • Build the forecast income statement from activity assumptions
  • Calculate working capital requirements and their movement
  • Prepare the funding plan and the cash flow forecast
  • Run a sensitivity analysis and present the resulting scenarios

What makes this programme different

A complete model is built cell by cell in a spreadsheet over the two days
The linkage between profit balance sheet and cash is verified through an automatic balancing check
Each participant leaves with the completed file and its assumptions documentation

Programme

1Financial model architecture

Building a readable and auditable file

  • Separate the assumptions calculation and output sheets
  • Name parameters and eliminate hard-coded values
  • Set conventions for periodicity and signs
  • Put in place consistency checks across the file

2Operating forecast

Quantifying activity and margin

  • Model revenue by volume and by price
  • Distinguish variable costs from fixed costs
  • Incorporate payroll costs and their evolution
  • Calculate margin break-even point and operating profit

3Working capital and cash

Connecting profit to actual cash

  • Model customer and supplier payment terms and inventory
  • Calculate the working capital requirement and its variation
  • Build the cash flow statement and the cash forecast
  • Identify periods of pressure and their magnitude

4Funding plan and sensitivity

Balancing the model and testing its robustness

  • Quantify capital expenditure and related depreciation
  • Build the funding plan and loan repayment schedules
  • Balance the forecast balance sheet and verify the equilibrium
  • Run a sensitivity analysis on key assumptions

Who is it for

Finance and administration managers · management controllers · treasurers · accountants and consultants required to build a quantified forecast.

Prerequisites

Working knowledge of spreadsheets and familiarity with standard financial statements are required.

Dates & locations

36 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.