Financial Modelling in Excel: A Practical Guide to Efficient Techniques
This comprehensive guide walks you through the essential techniques of financial modelling in Excel, focusing on efficiency and best practices. Written by Liam Bastick, founder of consulting firm SumProduct with over 25 years of corporate finance experience, this book teaches you how to work smarter, not harder.
What You'll Learn
The book examines common perils and pitfalls that financial modellers encounter, providing clear solutions to avoid costly mistakes. You'll master the most common and necessary Excel functions used in professional financial modelling, with practical applications demonstrated throughout.
Learn the importance of standardized and functional layout design that makes your models easier to audit, update, and share with colleagues. The book explains accounting concepts in simple, accessible terms without unnecessary jargon, making it suitable for both beginners and experienced professionals looking to refine their approach.
The CraFT Methodology
At the core of this book are four key concepts of best practice, known as CraFT:
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Consistency - Maintain uniform structure and formulas throughout your models
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Robustness - Build models that handle edge cases and unusual inputs
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Flexibility - Design models that adapt to changing business requirements
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Transparency - Create clear, understandable models that others can easily follow
Hands-On Learning Approach
With more than 50 practical examples and an extended case study, this hands-on book provides real-world applications of financial modelling techniques. These examples help you work with Excel more efficiently and effectively, eliminating the need for balancing figures, circular references, and complex macros.
This simple methodology has been adopted by many seasoned professionals who have streamlined their workflow and improved the quality of their financial models. The techniques taught in this book are applicable across industries, from corporate finance and accounting to financial analysis and forecasting.
