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Financial Analysis for Business Decisions

Discover data visualisation with Tableau and make investment decisions with business case analyses and new market strategies.

A women holding some papers and working at a laptop
  • Duration

    6 weeks
  • Weekly study

    13 hours

This course explores:

  • Advanced financial analytics applications (Tableau business intelligence software)
  • Data driven investment decision making through business cases analyses and new market option strategies appraisal
  • Narrative and quantitative financial analyses and disclosures, using visualisation and storytelling.

Syllabus

  • Week 1

    Financial data analysis

    • Introduction

      You'll be introduced to the fundamentals of financial analysis as well as the course and assessment, in general.

    • Regression analysis

      Regression analysis and the types of linear regression are major statistical methods adopted by experts to make certain conclusions. Learn how to complete an analysis using a regression formula in Excel.

    • Sensitivity analysis

      What will a certain change in variable do to the other variable, while establishing a relationship of financial analysis with risk management? Explore that with learning the why and how of performing a sensitivity analysis.

    • What-if analysis

      You will get an insight into the variation of sensitivity analysis in the form of what if analysis, and learn about a simulation method of analysis.

    • Tying it All Together

      Well done! You’ve now completed Week 1: Financial Data Analysis. Here is a wrap up of what you learned.

  • Week 2

    Capital Budgeting

    • Introduction

      You will be introduced to capital budgeting, specifically, ways to evaluate a capital budgeting project and decide whether to undertake the project or not.

    • Time Value of Money

      What makes a decision a capital budgeting decision and why is it important? You will learn concepts associated with the time value of money, and how it relates to the capital budgeting process.

    • Tools for project evaluation

      What are the main tools used in corporations in making project valuation decisions? Learn the various tools and understand the connection between each of the tools.

    • The best approach

      Now you will evaluate which of the tools is the best for decision making.

    • MIRR

      Modified internal rate of return (MIRR) is an extremely useful tool that essentially overcomes the drawback of the other methods. Calculating MIRR solves for most of the issues with IRR, covered in the previously this week.

    • Tying it All Together

      Congratulations! You’ve now completed Week 2: Capital Budgeting. Here is a wrap up of what you learned.

  • Week 3

    Working Capital Analysis

    • Introduction

      You will be introduced to the characteristics of working capital and how to effectively manage working capital.

    • Working Capital Analysis

      Is your company financially healthy? A working capital analysis can unveil details. You are about to explore more about this.

    • Accounts Receivable (A/R)

      Have you ever encountered overdue payments or non-payments from your clients? You will learn how Accounts Receivable, also called A/R, plays a fundamental role to solve the problem.

    • Inventories

      What is the role of an Inventory in a business? Learn about its importance and more. You also will get a chance to perform basic inventory calculations.

    • Accounts Payables (A/P)

      Where A/R was all about receiving delayed payments, you will explore how A/P is all about letting out delayed payments; you will be learning more about what A/P and it's important.

    • Cash conversion cycle (CCC)

      Cash conversion cycle is the time a firm takes to convert investment in inventory to cash generated from sales. The shorter the better; you are about to explore an excellent tool to measure liquidity of a company.

    • Sources of ST financing

      A firm won’t always match cash inflows and outflows. Shortfalls can be bridged through various sources of financing. You will now learn some popular short term financing options available through banks and other institutions.

    • Tying it together

      Good job! You’ve now completed Week 3: Working Capital Analysis. Here is a wrap up of what you learned.

  • Week 4

    Long Term Financing / Capital Markets

    • Introduction

      You will be introduced to why short term financing are met with short term financing options whereas long term or capital budgeting needs are financed through long term financing instruments.

    • Bonds

      Previous week you learned about short term financing options. But, you might think, what about long term financing options? Learn more about a long term financing option—Bonds.

    • Stocks

      Similar to bonds, stocks or shares could also be issued for raising money for long term uses. The difference is that bonds typically have an expiry and share/stocks do not expire. How is that? Learn more here!

    • Investments and special topics

      Learn to differentiate how stocks and bonds are used to raise money vs investment along with some core emerging innovations in the field for some financial instruments.

    • Tying it together

      Amazing! You’ve now completed Week 4: Long Term Financing and Capital Markets. Here is a wrap up of what you learned.

  • Week 5

    Finance Communication and Storytelling with Tableau

    • Introduction

      You will be introduced to an overview of the working of Tableau and using the software for creating effective visualizations!

    • Getting started with Tableau

      How can you use Tableau to communicate performance data across an organisation and aid decision making? Learn to understand the nuances of Tableau that will help you to harness the power of your data to support decision making.

    • Formatting and calculations in Tableau

      Let’s explore different options for formatting visualisation in Tableau, as well as looking at options to add interactive elements or perform calculations on your data.

    • Reporting and presentation

      How will you actually conduct your reporting and presentation in Tableau? Let us explore the working and function of Tableau for interactive and effective presentations.

    • Tying it all together

      Excellent! You’ve now completed Week 5: Finance Communication and Storytelling with Tableau. Here is a wrap up of what you learned.

  • Week 6

    Business Case Analysis

    • Introduction

      In this final week, you will be introduced how to approach financial modeling, including the considerations that are required for your business case.

    • Financial Modelling

      How to prepare for financial modelling and how can you leverage on your Excel and Tableau skills? Learn to bring your financial model together with technology.

    • Setting the Model

      Next you will learn how to treat various assumptions and incorporate treatment of assumptions into case analysis.

    • Other assumptions

      Did you take the assumptions into consideration while preparing your business case? Learn about how to incorporate economic factors and perform SWOT analysis when working on financial modeling.

    • Course wrap up

      Wow! You’ve now completed the last week, Week 6: Business Case Analysis. It’s time to wrap up the course and look at how to gear up for your business case.

    • Assessment

      Assessment for Financial Analysis for Business Decisions

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

Who is the course for?

This course is part of the Financial Analysis and Decision Making microcredential.

Who will you learn with?

Commercially focused Finance Director / CFO with experience working with fast growth online SMEs in different sectors, including two successful exits (Amazon acquisition & Funding Circle’s IPO)

Who developed the course?

FutureLearn

FutureLearn is a leading social learning platform and has been providing high quality online courses for learners around the world over the last ten years.

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control

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