Financial Modeling and FP&A Tools

Effective FP&A isn’t just about crunching numbers—it’s about building models and plans that drive insight, challenge assumptions, and support confident decision-making. In this session, you’ll learn how to develop robust financial models that adapt quickly, facilitate better planning conversations, and support long-term forecasting. We explore the building blocks of ROI models, break-even analysis, internal rate of return, lifetime value, and sensitivity analysis. You’ll also discover practical planning approaches—including top-down, bottom-up, zero-based, and driver-based budgeting—and how to use forecasting to stay agile in fast-changing environments. Whether you’re reviewing investment decisions or running annual planning cycles, this session gives FP&A professionals the tools and frameworks to lead with clarity and foresight.

You’re welcome to join just this workshop, but for a deeper dive, we recommend registering for the full program.

Testimonials

Setting up a new FP&A team in a fast-paced business, the FP&A bootcamp was a great way to get everyone on the same page as quickly as possible. We loved Catherine's teaching style and the interactive format of the course. The team took examples from the very first workshop and immediately put them into practice. It sparked such debate in the team that we almost have too many new ideas! A nice problem to have... Thanks Catherine and GrowCFO!

This is both a good refresher for seasoned professionals and a good introduction for individuals with less experience. Time went by very fast as it was an enjoyable course.

The course takes you through a practical approach to FP&A and you walk away with ideas and strategies you can begin to utilize in your business right away.

If you are new to FP&A or have been doing it for years, this is a great course to ensure you are on the correct path. The time commitment isn’t so much that you take too much time away from work, but enough that you feel you are getting plenty of resources to take back to your job.

The courses were very comprehensive and out team learned a lot from them. The breakout groups were both fun and engaging, and the trainers were excellent, bringing impressive first-hand experience in solving these real-world challenges.

This course was fantastic! It was the perfect refresher I needed to start a new job in FP&A. I thoroughly enjoyed the Zoom class sessions along with the exercises that we did in class.

I recommend this to everyone who is interested in understanding FP&A. I’m transitioning to an FP&A role and this course helped me get a jumpstart to prepare myself with the skills required to succeed.

Overview

What we Cover:

Core financial models used in FP&A decision support (ROI, DCF, IRR, LTV, break-even)
Design principles for efficient, error-resistant financial modeling
Scenario and sensitivity analysis for high-impact planning
Budgeting techniques: zero-based, percentage-based, driver-based planning
Building collaborative top-down and bottom-up planning cycles
Rolling forecasts and balancing judgment with data-driven models

The Challenges:

Creating models that are accurate, flexible, and easy to update
Aligning planning processes with business realities and strategic goals
Handling high volumes of data and business inputs in limited time
Bridging the gap between financial models and real-world decisions
Communicating complex model outputs to non-finance stakeholders

The Barriers:

Manual spreadsheet work prone to version control issues and errors
Overly complex models that slow down iteration and hinder collaboration
Siloed planning processes that limit business buy-in and ownership
Difficulty incorporating uncertainty into forecasts
Lack of tools to consolidate, align, and execute forecasts at scale

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this course, finance professionals will be able to:

Understand the key use cases for financial models in FP&A
Design clear, modular, and scalable financial models for fast iteration
Evaluate budgeting approaches and match them to business needs
Build alignment between top-down targets and bottom-up plans
Learn how to use forecasts for strategic decision-making and scenario planning
Gain confidence in reviewing models, preparing for stakeholder questions, and telling the “so what” behind the numbers

Business Benefits:

Faster, more aligned planning cycles with clear accountability
Smarter investment decisions grounded in robust modeling
Clearer visibility into financial performance and risks
A more collaborative, insight-driven approach to budgeting and forecasting
Empower FP&A teams to lead as strategic advisors—not just number crunchers

Facilitator

Catherine Marks

Catherine led the O2 FP&A team through its merger with Virgin Media.

Prerequisites: Must have a basic understanding of FP&A.

Advanced Preparation: No advanced preparation is required

Program Level: Basic

Delivery Method: Group Live

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