• The Open University

Corporate Finance: Forecasting

This course will introduce you to some of the key considerations on how businesses make financial forecasts.

Finance planning meeting

  • Duration

    4 weeks

  • Weekly study

    14 hours
Overview
Requirements

Learn about financial forecasting and the planning activities of organisations

You will evaluate the influence of business environments on organisations and their decision making and examine the influence that stakeholders may have on organisations and their business activities. The course will introduce you to basic techniques of forecasting and business planning and how to evaluate and use forecasts appropriately. At the same time, these activities will show you how to plan a literature search, cite your sources and find journal articles.

What topics will you cover?

  • Cash flow analysis
  • Forecasting
  • Taking account of financial structure
  • Assessing trading partners

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.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Evaluate the influence of business environments on organisations and their decision making.
  • Investigate the influence that stakeholders may have on organisations and their business activities.
  • Identify the basic techniques of forecasting and business planning.
  • Assess and use forecasts appropriately.

Who is the course for?

This course is aimed at anyone who works in areas such as investment banking, portfolio management, corporate finance, treasury, law and consultancy.

What software or tools do you need?

A computing device with a browser and broadband internet access is required for this module. Any modern browser will be suitable for most computer activities. Functionality may be limited on mobile devices.

Any additional software will be provided or is generally freely available. However, some activities may have more specific requirements. For this reason, you will need to be able to install and run additional software on a device that meets the requirements below.

A desktop or laptop computer with either and up-to-date version of Windows or macOS.

The screen of the device must have a resolution of at least 1024 pixels horizontally and 768 pixels vertically.

To join in the spoken conversation in our online rooms we recommend a headset (headphones or earphones with an integrated microphone).

Who developed the course?

The Open University

As the UK’s largest university, The Open University (OU) supports thousands of students to achieve their goals and ambitions via supported distance learning, helping to fit learning around professional and personal life commitments.

  • Established

    1969

  • Location

    Milton Keynes, UK

  • World ranking

    Top 510Source: Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020

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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