Solution Matrix • Cost-Benefit-Analysis

E-Learning Business Case Basics: Using ROI (Return on Investment), TCO (Total Cost of Ownership), and Cost-Benefit-Analysis

  • 2 hour online self-study course from the leading authority on business case analysis
  • Learn the business terms and concepts you need to prepare for building or using the financial business case
  • Learn how to develop and interpret ROI, NPV, IRR and payback period - the most frequently used decision criteria in business today

BCE_Cover_50A_1.jpgLearn now online: 30-day subscription: US$68.00
Each 30-day subscription includes a complimentary copy of the 95-page book Business Case Essentials (PDF edition, a $48 value).

animation_bcb_4.gifMany people feel challenged when facing the need to build or use the financial business case. They may suddenly have to deal with terms and concepts that have - until now - been relegated to the financial professionals, terms like “Net present value” or “Internal rate of return.”

Watch the 5 minute preview

Fortunately, you don’t need an MBA or an extensive background in finance to build and use good business case analysis. You do need, however, to understand and to be comfortable with a few business and finance terms and concepts. But how do you get up to speed quickly? How do you know specifically what you’ll need to know in order to take on the business case challenge? By customer demand Solution Matrix Ltd. has developed “Business Case Basics.”

”Business Case Basics” is an online self-study course, complete with illustrated examples and self-scoring quizzes. The course is based on 11 years experience, helping more than more than 8,500 professionals from all fields develop a firm foundation in basic business concepts.

Who should take the course

  • Those responsible for project, program, or product proposals
  • Those with a need to bring consistency and accountability to decision making and planning in their organizations
  • Consultants who advise clients in decision making and planning
  • IT managers propose or plan major IT projects or upgrades
  • project managers responsible for capital spending decisions
  • Sales professionals and sales managers who need to show customers that the decision to buy their solution is a good business decision

What You Will Learn

  • How the business case supports business decisions
  • What every business case should include
  • How to know which decision criteria are important to your decision makers and planners
  • How know whether you are requesting funding from capital budgets, operating budgets, or non budgeted funds
  • The real meaning of “Cost” and “Benefit”
  • How executives look at important financial decision criteria
    • Return on investment (ROI)
    • Net present value (NPV)
    • Payback period
    • Internal rate of return (IRR).
  • The use and misuse of financial metrics

Learn now online: 30-day subscription: US$68.00
Each 30-day subscription includes a complimentary copy of the 95-page book Business Case Essentials (PDF edition, a $48 value).

Course Overview

A one month subscritpion allows you to access the course as often as you wish during that period. The course includes more than two hours of instruction, examples, and self-scoring quizzes.

Module 1: What’s a Business Case?

  • ROI, Cost Benefit, and Financial Justification: Is there a standard?
  • The nature of the business case
  • The heart of the case: cash flow projections
  • What are “Costs” and “Benefits”
  • What are Financial Metrics?
  • What does a good business case deliver?

Module 1 Self-scoring quiz

Module 2: Basic Business Concepts

  • Why financial statement information can be important to the business case builder
  • The Income Statement: What it is and what it says
    • Gross Margin
    • Operating Margin
    • Profit
  • The Balance Sheet: What it is and what it says
    • Fixed assets and current assets
    • Current liabilities and long-term liabilities
    • Stockholder’s equity
  • Capital budgets: What the casebuilder needs to know
  • Operating budgets: What the casebuilder needs to know
  • The Time value of money (discounting)
    • Present value
    • Future value
    • Net present value of the cash flow stream
  • Why discounting matters

Module 3: Financial Decision Criteria

  • Financial metrics as decision criteria
  • Net present value as a decision criterion (NPV)
  • Return on investment (ROI)
  • Payback period
  • Internal rate of return (IRR)
  • What you need to know about the strengths, weakness, and pitfalls in using financial metrics

Module 3 Self-scoring quiz

Meets AICC and SCORM standards.

Standards based and interoperable with most LMS (learning management systems)

Learn now online: 30-day subscription: US$68.00
Each 30-day subscription includes a complimentary copy of the 95 page book Business Case Essentials (PDF edition, a $48 value).

Business Case Essentials: A Guide to Structure and Content

New edition just published!

The concise, complete guide to what belongs in a business case and why—The world's most popular introduction to business case analysis. With nearly one million copies in circulation, Essentials is also the leading trusted authority (Search Google to see citations). Clear step-by-step guidance for building a compelling case, complete with NOV, ROI, TCO, and other important financial and non financial outcomes. Available in printed, ebook (PDF), and Kindle editions. Order the printed edition online. Or, download the worlds most frequently cited business case resource today as an e-book.

Learn case building at the premier seminar on business case analysis:

Building The Business Case

Building the Business Case Seminar ParticipantsTwo days hands on learning and practice with the leading source for business case training. Join more than 16,000 professionals on five continents who successfully completed Building the Business Case seminars.
Qualify for professional eductaion and certification credits.

Request detailed seminar contents and agendas.

Cost/Benefit Newsletter

Read newsletter past issues

  • ROI Users Survival Guide
  • Getting a Yes from the CFO
  • Business Case Critics:
    De-Clawing the Cat
  • Do "Soft" Benefits Belong in a Business Case?
  • And more...

Subscribe to the free weekly newsletter and receive a free
e-mail course: "5 Days to Success with Your Business Case"



We value your privacy
Read newsletter past issues

The No-Hassle Guarantee

Our goal is to reduce risk in business, not raise it. We believe that a decision to try the Business Case Guide, Business Case Essentials, the Definitive Guide to Getting Your Budget Approved, Financial Metrics Pro, or Financial Modeling Pro should be risk-free. Solution Matrix Ltd. stands behind them with a 30-day "no hassle" guarantee. If for any reason you wish to return the purchase, simply let us know within 30 days of your order that you have destroyed all copies of the product in your possession, in electronic or any other form, and you will receive a prompt refund of the full purchase price. No problem, no hassle!