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Description

Budgeting: Building the Process, Analysing Variances and Steering Results

Turning the budget cycle into a genuine steering tool rather than a roll-forward exercise

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

The budget cycle absorbs weeks of effort and too often produces figures that are already out of date before the process closes: assumptions carried over from one year to the next, operational managers negotiating safety margins, and variances analysed too late to be corrected. The management controller ends up producing spreadsheets instead of acting as a genuine counterpart to the business.

Two days to rebuild the budgeting process from end to end: framing and assumptions, operating budgets, cash budget and forecast financial statements, then variance monitoring and reforecasting. All work is based on a complete case study carried out on spreadsheet.

Learning objectives

  • Organise the budgeting process and its timetable
  • Build sales, production and procurement budgets
  • Prepare the cash budget and the forecast income statement
  • Break down price, volume and mix variances
  • Run a reforecast and document the assumptions applied

What makes this programme different

A single case study run on spreadsheet from framing through to reforecasting
Variances are broken down and translated into actions to propose to operational managers
A budget framing memo template developed during the session

Programme

1Budget Process and Framing

Setting the rules before entering any figures

  • Linking the strategic plan to the annual budget
  • Drafting the framing memo and setting assumptions
  • Organising the timetable and review cycles with operational teams
  • Choosing between incremental and zero-based budgeting

2Building the Operating Budgets

Costing activity line by line

  • Building the sales budget and the capacity plan
  • Preparing production and supply budgets
  • Costing payroll and overhead expenses
  • Incorporating capital expenditure and its funding

3Budget Consolidation and Cash

Checking that the budget holds financially

  • Consolidating budgets into a forecast income statement
  • Building the cash budget month by month
  • Preparing the forecast balance sheet and measuring funding needs
  • Testing budget sensitivity to key assumptions

4Budget Control and Reforecasting

Making variances a basis for decision

  • Organising monthly reporting and its deadlines
  • Breaking down price, volume and mix variances
  • Writing variance commentary that management can act on
  • Running a reforecast during the financial year

Who is it for

Management controllers, finance managers, accountants and operational managers involved in preparing the budget.

Prerequisites

Practical experience of general accounting and spreadsheet use is 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.