Financial Modeling Pro™ : Tutorial and templates for building the heart of your business case

Build, analyze, and present your business case model in the shortest possible time!

The heart of every serious business case analysis is a financial model. This is where cost and benefit impacts are estimated, analyzed, and presented to management with recommendations for action. The case for choosing one action over another is "made" with the financial model, and without it, the business case all but disappears.

Nevertheless, the practical steps in model building are rarely taught or presented in clear, easy-to-follow form. Business case owners who need to support a proposed project, program, product, capital acquisition, or major action, may have little or no background in finance and only very basic skills with spreadsheet modeling. Yet they have to produce a business case with a professional quality financial model–in very few days or weeks.

You may be in this position, or you may have many years of business case experience and still need answers to questions like these:

Where do I start building the financial model?
What kinds of spreadsheet skills will I need? Can I get "up to speed" quickly?"
Exactly how do I estimate cost and benefit cash flow under my proposal? How do I "make the case" for my proposal?
How do I know my model will stand up in front of our CEO? Our CFO?
How do I use the model to ask "What if?" and perform risk and sensitivity analysis?

For those facing such questions, Solution Matrix Ltd. has just announced our newest guidebook-in-a-spreadsheet solution, Financial Modeling Pro™. For a complete list of topics and examples, see the chapter summary below. Designed in the same tradition as the best-selling companion tool, Financial Metrics Pro, Financial Modeling Pro is

A practical step-by step tutorial on building the dynamic model for your business case
A handbook reference, illustrating simple and advanced cost/benefit estimation methods and best-in-class modeling techniques
Working examples and templates to modify and copy into your own modeling system.

Begin building your own business case modeling system as soon as start using Financial Modeling Pro. Complete your own model as you move through the tool. Working in a "live" spreadsheet environment, you can try out examples as you read about them.

Examples and templates in Financial Modeling Pro, and the complete, working financial modeling system furnished with it, can be adapted to fit a wide range of business case situations. .

Financial Modeling Pro is delivered by internet download. The download package includes.:

The Financial Modeling Pro Excel workbook. 16 worksheets with tutorial text, illustrations, and working template examples.
A complete, working example modeling system. This Excel file can be adapted easily to represent many other business case situations.
A 74-page text in PDF format, including the complete text and screen shots from Financial Modeling Pro
A 15-page text in PDF format, including the complete text and screen shots from the Example model.
One-year free upgrade and maintenance insurance.

Financial Modeling Pro is available in versions for Excel 97-2003 and for Excel 2007.

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All spreadsheet-based products and packages are:

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Financial Modeling Pro
For Excel 97-2003, Buy for US $65 / For Excel 2007, Buy for US $65

Financial Modeling Pro + Financial Metrics Pro Package
For Excel 97-2003, Buy for US $98 / For Excel 2007, Buy for US $98

Financial Modeling Pro + Financial Metrics Pro
+ Business Case Guide eBook + Business Case Essentials eBook
For Excel 97-2003, Buy for US $198 / For Excel 2007, Buy for US$198

The No-Hassle Guarantee

Our goal is to reduce risk in business, not raise it. We believe that a decision to try our products 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!

Requirements:
Financial Modeling Pro requires Microsoft Excel 2000 or later. A display monitor width of 1024 pixels or more is recommended. Financial Modeling Pro assumes no prior background in finance and only very limited spreadsheet skills (ability to create and save a spreadsheet file and to write very simple Excel formulas).

Financial Modeling Pro Contents

Introduction

Introduction and Users Guide
How to use Financial Modeling Pro and how to adapt examples and templates for your own models.

Basic Skills and Good Practice

Chapter 1. Financial Modeling for the Business Case
Cash flow models are the heart of the financial business case.
Chapter 2. A Dynamic Modeling System
Dynamic modeling makes it possible to ask "What if?"
Chapter 3. Good Practice in Spreadsheet Modeling
Reduce the risk of errors and improve usability.
Chapter 4. Naming Cells and Ranges
Making it easier to write, understand, and troubleshoot formulas.

Building the Model

Chapter 5. Approach to Modeling
The Natural Order for building model worksheets.
Chapter 6. Creating a Set Up Sheet
Start with headings and other information used throughout the model.
Chapter 7. Building the Cash Flow Statements
Cash flow statements are the model's reason for being.
Chapter 8. Global Assumptions
Bring together user-entered data that are used for all scenarios.
Chapter 9. Scenario Assumptions
Identify and contrast differences between business case scenarios.
Chapter 10. Estimating Cash Flow for Cost Items I
Simple and direct methods for estimating cash outflows over the analysis period.
Chapter 11. Estimating Cash Flow for Cost Items II
Techniques for common but hard to estimate cost impacts.
Chapter 12. Estimating Business Case Benefits
Value important contributions to business objectives as positive cash flow.
Chapter 13. The Benefits Ramp Up
Benefits typically take time to reach maximum value.

Analyzing Results

Chapter 14. Adding Financial Metrics
Compare business case scenarios on the basis of net present value, return on investment, and other financial metrics.
Chapter 15. Graphing Business Case Results
Images add visual appeal and help make results understandable.
Chapter 16. Risk and Sensitivity Analysis¹
Asking "What if?" questions about assumptions.
Chapter 17. Monte Carlo Risk Analysis¹
Measure the uncertainty in your forecast results
Chapter 16. Simulation-Based Sensitivity Analysis¹
Minimize uncertainty and maximize results.

________________________

1 Most of the methods illustrated in Chapter 16 require 3-rd party simulation add-in for Excel, such as Crystal Ball® from Decisioneering, Inc., or @Risk from Palisade Corporation.

Financial Modeling Pro
For Excel 97-2003, Buy for US $65 / For Excel 2007, Buy for US $65

Financial Modeling Pro + Financial Metrics Pro Package
For Excel 97-2003, Buy for US $98 / For Excel 2007, Buy for US $98

Financial Modeling Pro + Financial Metrics Pro
+ Business Case Guide eBook + Business Case Essentials eBook
For Excel 97-2003, Buy for US $198 / For Excel 2007, Buy for US$198

<< Financial Metrics Pro

Financial Modeling Pro™ : Tutorial and templates for building the heart of your business case

Purchase Online

The No-Hassle Guarantee

Financial Modeling Pro Contents

Introduction

Basic Skills and Good Practice

Building the Model

Analyzing Results

Financial Metrics Pro

Financial Modeling Pro

Packages

Business Case Essentials: A Guide to Structure and Content

Getting Your Budget Approved

The No-Hassle Guarantee