Excel Applications in Finance & Accounting

This highly practical DIXONTECH course equips finance and accounting professionals with the advanced skills to leverage Microsoft Excel for financial analysis, accounting management, and data reporting. Participants will learn to automate financial models, perform scenario analyses, and build dashboards that improve accuracy and efficiency in financial decision-making. The training emphasizes hands-on techniques, empowering delegates to turn data into actionable insights for business success.

TRAINING TOPICS

• Excel Fundamentals for Finance Professionals
• Advanced Formulas and Functions for Accounting Analysis
• Data Cleaning, Validation, and Financial Data Management
• Pivot Tables and Pivot Charts for Financial Reporting
• Financial Modelling and Sensitivity Analysis in Excel
• Budgeting, Forecasting, and Variance Analysis
• Automation with Macros and Excel VBA for Accounting Tasks
• Dashboard Creation and Financial Visualization Techniques
• Linking Excel with Other Financial Tools and Systems
• Case Studies: Real-World Finance and Accounting Applications

BY THE END OF THIS TRAINING COURSE, DELEGATES WILL BE ABLE TO:

• Use advanced formulas for accounting and finance functions
• Build and automate dynamic financial models
• Perform detailed variance and sensitivity analyses
• Design professional financial dashboards and reports
• Streamline budgeting and forecasting processes
• Apply Excel VBA to automate routine accounting operations
• Integrate Excel data with ERP and financial systems

TRAINING IS TAILORED TO:

• Accountants and financial controllers
• Budget and planning specialists
• Finance managers and analysts
• Auditors and internal control officers
• Business consultants and data analysts
• Professionals involved in financial reporting and performance tracking

TRAINING METHODOLOGY

This hands-on program combines live demonstrations, guided exercises, and real-world case studies. Participants will practice each Excel concept through structured templates, financial models, and reporting dashboards. By the end of the training, attendees will be able to automate complex accounting processes and produce high-quality financial outputs efficiently.

DAY 1

Excel for Finance – Core Tools and Techniques

• Review essential Excel features for financial professionals
• Manage and format large financial datasets
• Apply financial and logical formulas (IF, SUMIFS, VLOOKUP, INDEX-MATCH)
• Work with date, text, and reference functions
• Use dynamic named ranges for flexible data management
• Case study: Building a financial statement template

DAY 2

Advanced Financial Analysis Using Excel

• Apply financial functions: NPV, IRR, PMT, and XNPV
• Use data tables for sensitivity and scenario analysis
• Perform profitability, break-even, and trend analysis
• Use Goal Seek and Solver for decision optimization
• Build working capital and cash flow management sheets
• Workshop: Financial ratio and KPI analysis in Excel

DAY 3

Budgeting, Forecasting, and Variance Reporting

• Develop dynamic budgeting templates with linked formulas
• Create rolling forecasts using Excel tools
• Analyze budget vs. actual performance with variance formulas
• Visualize variances through dynamic charts and sparklines
• Link forecast models to performance dashboards
• Exercise: Building a budgeting and forecasting model

DAY 4

Automation and Data Management for Accounting

• Automate accounting tasks using Excel Macros and VBA
• Record, edit, and run basic automation scripts
• Create reusable templates for journal entries and reconciliations
• Manage accounting databases with Excel tables and Power Query
• Integrate Excel with ERP or accounting systems for reporting
• Case study: Automating month-end financial reports

DAY 5

Financial Dashboards and Visualization Techniques

• Design interactive dashboards using charts, slicers, and KPIs
• Visualize key financial indicators using advanced Excel tools
• Apply conditional formatting for impact reporting
• Combine Pivot Tables and Power Pivot for data analytics
• Create executive-ready management reports
• Capstone: Develop a complete financial dashboard from raw data