EXCEL

Financial Modeling in Excel: From Zero to 3-Statement, DCF & Dashboards

Build a complete financial model in Excel step by step: revenue forecast, costs, debt and tax, a linked three-statement model, DCF valuation, scenarios, budget vs actual, a Power BI finance dashboard and a Google Sheets edition.

10h 27mBeginner to Advanced72 lessons

Created by Priyendra Kumar (PK) · NextGenTemplates Academy

What you’ll learn

Lay out a financial model the way analysts do, with clear inputs, calculations and outputs
Use the Excel skills modelers need: absolute references, named ranges, SUMIFS, XLOOKUP, INDEX-MATCH and scenario switches
Read and explain the income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement and how they link
Forecast revenue from drivers, plus costs, working capital, capex and depreciation
Model a term loan, interest, tax with losses carried forward, equity and dividends
Link the three statements so the balance sheet balances, and handle circular references safely
Audit a model with error checks and find the cause when it does not balance
Value a business with a DCF: free cash flow, WACC, terminal value and equity value
Run scenarios, sensitivity tables, goal seek and budget vs actual variance analysis
Present the results in a Power BI finance dashboard and a shared Google Sheets model

A practical route to better work.

A hands-on financial modeling course in 16 modules and 72 lessons. You build one real model from an empty workbook to a finished, checked forecast for Copper Kettle Coffee Roasters, a fictional US coffee business with cafes, wholesale roasting and online subscriptions. Start with the basics: what a financial model is, how to lay it out into inputs, calculations and outputs, and the formatting standards analysts use. Learn the Excel skills modelers rely on every day, including absolute references, named ranges, SUMIFS, XLOOKUP, INDEX-MATCH, date timelines, scenario switches and shortcuts. Read the income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement, then forecast them: revenue drivers, seasonality and channel mix, cost of goods sold, fixed and variable operating expenses, working capital days, capex and depreciation. Add the term loan, interest, tax with losses carried forward, equity and dividends, and link all three statements until the balance sheet balances, including interest on cash and circular references handled safely. Audit the model with error checks, then value the business with a discounted cash flow: free cash flow, WACC, terminal value and enterprise to equity value. Test it with scenarios, data tables, goal seek and a tornado chart, and use it for budgeting, rolling forecasts and budget vs actual variance reports. Take the numbers into a Power BI finance dashboard with a date table, DAX for YTD and variance, a P&L matrix and cash flow visuals, and move the model to Google Sheets with a shared assumptions panel and range protection. Finish with a capstone model for a second business, Bluebird Bakery Co., and a bonus module on comparable company analysis and a simple LBO. Every lesson comes with a practice file and a solution file, and every workbook opens on a lesson guide with live self-checks so you always know your numbers are right.

Inside the course

16 modules · 72 lessons

MODULE 01Welcome+

0.1 Welcome: the model you will build4 minPreview

0.2 Course setup and how to follow along4 min

MODULE 02Financial Modeling Basics+

1.1 What a financial model is and who uses it8 minPreview

1.2 Types of models: 3-statement, DCF, budget, project8 min

1.3 Model layout: Inputs, Calculations, Outputs10 min

1.4 Formatting and colour standards8 min

MODULE 03Excel Skills for Modelers+

2.1 Absolute/relative references and named ranges9 min

2.2 SUMIFS and COUNTIFS for finance data10 min

2.3 XLOOKUP and INDEX-MATCH9 min

2.4 Date functions and model timelines9 min

2.5 Scenario switches with CHOOSE and data validation9 min

2.6 Shortcuts that make you a faster modeler8 min

MODULE 04Reading Financial Statements+

3.1 The income statement10 min

3.2 The balance sheet10 min

3.3 The cash flow statement10 min

3.4 How the three statements link10 min

MODULE 05Assumptions and Revenue Forecast+

4.1 Set up the model file and timeline10 min

4.2 Build the inputs sheet10 min

4.3 Revenue drivers: volume x price12 min

4.4 Growth rates and seasonality10 min

4.5 Revenue by channel: mix and productivity10 min

MODULE 06Costs, Working Capital and Capex+

5.1 Cost of goods sold and gross margin10 min

5.2 Operating expenses: fixed vs variable10 min

5.3 Working capital: receivable, inventory and payable days12 min

5.4 Capex schedule10 min

5.5 Depreciation schedule and PP&E12 min

5.6 Build the income statement to EBIT9 min

MODULE 07Debt, Tax and Equity+

6.1 Term loan schedule12 min

6.2 Interest expense and profit before tax12 min

6.3 Tax, losses carried forward and net income10 min

6.4 Equity, retained earnings and dividends9 min

6.5 Section review: margins and the effective tax rate8 min

MODULE 08Linking the Three Statements+

7.1 Build the cash flow statement12 min

7.2 Build the balance sheet12 min

7.3 Balance check and troubleshooting9 min

7.4 Interest on cash and circular references10 min

7.5 Ratios and KPI summary10 min

MODULE 09Model Audit and Error Checks+

8.1 The 10 most common modeling errors9 min

8.2 Trace Precedents/Dependents and Evaluate Formula10 min

8.3 Build an error-check sheet10 min

8.4 Model review checklist7 min

MODULE 10DCF Valuation+

9.1 Valuation basics: why cash flow matters8 min

9.2 Free cash flow from the model11 min

9.3 WACC step by step11 min

9.4 Terminal value: growth vs exit multiple10 min

9.5 Enterprise value to equity value and share price10 min

9.6 Valuation summary: football field chart9 min

MODULE 11Scenarios and Sensitivity+

10.1 Base / best / worst scenario switch12 min

10.2 One- and two-variable data tables9 min

10.3 Goal Seek and Scenario Manager8 min

10.4 Tornado chart9 min

MODULE 12Budgeting, Forecasting and Variance+

11.1 Build an annual budget by month12 min

11.2 Rolling forecast10 min

11.3 Budget vs actual variance analysis11 min

11.4 Variance waterfall chart10 min

11.5 Monthly management report10 min

MODULE 13Power BI Finance Dashboard+

12.1 Prepare the model output for Power BI8 min

12.2 Import, data model and date table7 min

12.3 DAX for finance: YTD, variance, variance %7 min

12.4 P&L matrix visual5 min

12.5 Cash flow and variance visuals5 min

12.6 Publish and share the report5 min

MODULE 14Google Sheets Edition+

13.1 Moving the model to Google Sheets: what changes4 min

13.2 Shared assumptions panel and range protection4 min

13.3 Live dashboard in Google Sheets4 min

13.4 Sharing, permissions and version history3 min

MODULE 15Capstone Project+

14.1 Capstone brief: Bluebird Bakery7 min

14.2 Full build walkthrough17 min

14.3 One-page summary and presenting your model10 min

MODULE 16Bonus: Comps and LBO+

15.1 Comparable company analysis (comps)15 min

15.2 A simple LBO model18 min

15.3 Next steps and your certificate4 min

Practice files

18 downloadable practice workbooks to follow along with the lessons.

Video lessons

72 step-by-step video lessons (10h 27m), streamed securely.

Certificate of completion

Complete the course to download a certificate of completion with a unique certificate ID.

Is this course for you?

Finance, accounting and FP&A staff who want to build forecasts and budgets with confidence
Small-business owners who need a three-statement forecast and a valuation for their own company
Students and job seekers preparing for finance, analyst and FP&A roles
Excel users who want to move from spreadsheets to real, linked financial models

Before you start

Microsoft Excel 365 or Excel 2021 on Windows or Mac
Basic Excel: entering data and simple formulas such as SUM
No finance or accounting background needed; every statement is explained from scratch
Power BI Desktop (free, Windows) for Module 12 and a free Google account for Module 13

About your instructor

Priyendra Kumar (PK)

Founder, NextGenTemplates · Creator of PK: An Excel Expert

A business intelligence consultant, educator and template creator with more than 20 years of real-world experience in Excel, Power BI, Google Sheets, dashboards and business reporting.

PK has shared Excel tutorials on YouTube since 2017. In this course he teaches the same practical way: understand the idea, work through a business example, and build something you can use.

More about PK

Good to know

How do I buy a course, and which payment methods can I use?+

Choose a course, select Add to cart and complete checkout. With an Indian billing address you pay in INR through Razorpay, using UPI, cards or net banking. From any other country you pay in USD through PayPal, including debit and credit cards. It is a one-time payment, and the course appears in My Learning as soon as payment is confirmed.

Can I learn at my own pace?+

Yes. Lessons are organized into modules, and signed-in learners can save their progress and resume where they left off.

Are practice files included?+

Yes. Practice files are included with each paid course and can be downloaded from the course once you are enrolled. They are for your personal learning and your own internal work.

Will I receive a certificate?+

Yes. When you complete all required lessons (and any knowledge check or assignment in the course), you can download a certificate of completion with a unique certificate ID. It confirms course completion; it is not an academic or professional accreditation.

How long will I have course access?+

You get lifetime access: you can use the course for as long as NextGenTemplates Academy operates and offers it, as described in the Course Access Policy. There is no subscription or renewal fee.

Can I get a refund?+

Courses are digital content with immediate access, so purchases are generally non-refundable. Limited exceptions are explained in the Refund Policy.

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