Budgeting and Forecasting

What You Will Learn

• 1 Learn the core principles and governance of the budgeting cycle to align financial plans with strategic objectives.
• 2 Understand incremental, zero-based, and activity-based budgeting methods and when to apply each.
• 3 Build dynamic financial models using assumptions, drivers, and scenario analysis to support decision making.
• 4 Apply top-down and bottom-up revenue forecasting techniques including time series and regression models.
• 5 Analyze cost behavior patterns and implement allocation methods such as activity-based costing.
• 6 Evaluate capital investments using net present value, internal rate of return, and payback period.
• 7 Forecast cash flow and manage working capital to ensure liquidity and operational stability.
• 8 Develop scenario and sensitivity models to test assumptions and mitigate financial risk.
• 9 Explore budgeting software, data visualization, and automation tools for efficient planning.
• 10 Integrate budgeting with performance management systems like balanced scorecards and OKRs.