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Description

Excel — Advanced Spreadsheet Modelling: Building Calculations, Automating Data and Auditing Workbooks

Two days to replace endless nested formulas with a workbook that can still be understood

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

The management workbook has grown through successive additions. Formulas nested ten levels deep point to other files, links break, and one variance has remained unexplained for two closing periods. Nobody dares touch it except its author, who spends every month-end repairing it.

These 14 hours are designed for users who are already highly confident. Participants replace nested constructions with more readable functions, automate data preparation through a repeatable transformation flow, and build models driven by clearly isolated assumptions. Auditing and stabilising an existing workbook closes the programme.

Learning objectives

  • Replace nested formulas with functions that are more readable and easier to maintain
  • Automate data preparation through a repeatable transformation flow
  • Build a calculation model driven by clearly isolated assumptions
  • Audit an existing workbook and trace the origin of a variance
  • Secure a shared file through targeted controls and protection

What makes this programme different

A real workbook brought by participants is audited and then simplified during the session
Long-winded formulas are rewritten, then compared for readability and calculation time
A deliberately corrupted file is used as a variance-hunting exercise

Programme

1Advanced functions and dynamic calculations

Write less, say more

  • Recent lookup functions and handling of missing results
  • Logical and conditional functions used in combination
  • Dynamically returned ranges and spilled results
  • Defined names used to make formulas readable

2Automated data preparation

Clean up without starting over

  • Import and transformation within a recorded flow
  • Merging and grouping several sources
  • Unpivoting and normalising reporting tables
  • Refreshing data and managing file paths

3Modelling and simulation

Driven by assumptions

  • Separating data, assumptions and results
  • Assumption tables and compared scenarios
  • Goal seeking and trade-off analysis
  • Documenting a model intended to be handed over

4Auditing, stabilising and sharing

Making the workbook defensible

  • Tracing the precedents and dependents of a formula
  • Detecting external links and residual errors
  • Data validation and targeted protection of calculation areas
  • Version control for a shared file

Who is it for

Management controllers, analysts, finance and administration managers, and experienced spreadsheet users.

Prerequisites

Confident use of lookup functions, PivotTables and absolute references.

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.