Introduction

Budget analysts working in the government and NGOs are charged with tracking expenditures, reporting on the performance of the financial plan, and forecasting future needs. Rather than only relying on superficial comparisons against previous years’ data and simple (often intuitive) adjustments, they need more sophisticated analytical skills. This course enables students to use more sophisticated analytical tools and advanced features of Microsoft Excel to draw useful and reliable conclusions regarding financial performance, and demonstrate that information graphically to superiors. This results in more productive analyses (less time-consuming, while providing more valuable information), which will aid organizations’ efforts to track expenditures and control budget execution. Approximately 85% of the course time will be spent using Microsoft Excel.

Duration

10 days

Who Takes This Course?

This course is designed for all program and financial management personnel who want to learn about many of the data analysis tools available in Microsoft Excel to aid in creating more compelling analyses of their programs.

COURSE LEVEL: Intermediate

Learning Objectives

• Navigate the Excel ribbon
• Query databases using the Filter tool and the Advanced Filter too
• Aggregate and display different attributes of a data set using the PivotTable
• Use Excel’s Descriptive Statistics tool to calculate statistical measures of central tendency, variation, and shape
• Use the Histogram tool to organize your data and create a frequency distribution
• Perform graphical analysis of data
• Use the Rank and Percentile tool to calculate a data item’s rank and percentile ranking
• Use time-series data and Excel’s trendline function to forecast future budgets, costs, and workloads
• Learn which trendline (linear, polynomial, logarithmic, or exponential) is the best to use based on R2
• Identify cost drivers using Excel’s Correlation tool
• Develop simple linear and multiple linear regression models to develop forecasts and predictive equations using Excel’s Regression tool

Course Topics

Getting Started: Warm-Up and Review

• The Role of Analysis
• What Is Analysis?
• Program Analysis
• Budget Analysis
• Financial Analysis
• Overarching Analysis Principles
• Excel Overview
• Excel Dimensions
• Review of the Excel Basics
• Order of Operations Review
• Lesson Wrap-Up

Querying and Analyzing Data

• Building Background
• Sorting and Querying/Filtering
• Excel's Filter Tool
• Excel's Advanced Filter Tool
• Excel's PivotTable Tool

Computing Statistics on Collected Data

• Building Background
• Frequency Distributions
• Common Shapes of Frequency Distributions
• Descriptive Statistics
• Normal Distributions
• Excel Functions Used with the Normal Distribution
• Rank and Percentile Tool

Time Series Analysis and Forecasting

• Time Series Analysis
• Inserting A Trendline

Correlation and Regression: Analyzing Costs and Performance

• Building Background
• Simple Linear Regression
• Simple Linear Regression Equation
• Excel’s Regression Tool
• Regression Statistics
• Correlation
• Correlation Versus Causality
• The Correlation Matrix
• Multiple Linear Regression
• More Regression Statistics

Course Administration Details:

Methodology

The instructor-led training are delivered using a blended learning approach and comprises presentations, guided sessions of practical exercise, web-based tutorials, and group work. Our facilitators are seasoned industry experts with years of experience, working as professionals and trainers in these fields.

All facilitation and course materials will be offered in English. The participants should be reasonably proficient in English.

ACCREDITATION

Upon successful completion of this training, participants will be issued with an Indepth Research Institute(IRES) certificate certified by the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA).

TRAINING VENUE

The training will be held at IRES Training Centre. The course fee covers the course tuition, training materials, two break refreshments, and lunch.

All participants will additionally cater for their, travel expenses, visa application, insurance, and other personal expenses.

ACCOMMODATION AND AIRPORT PICKUP

Accommodation and airport pickup are arranged upon request. For reservations contact the Training Officer.

Email:[email protected] / [email protected]

TAILOR- MADE

This training can also be customized to suit the needs of your institution upon request. You can have it delivered at our IRES Training Centre or at a convenient location.

For further inquiries, please contact us on Tel: +254 715 077 817 0r +250 789 621 067

Mob: +254 792516000, +254 792516010   +250 789 621 067 or mail [email protected] / [email protected]

PAYMENT

Payment should be transferred to IRES account through the bank before the course start date

Send proof of payment to [email protected] / [email protected]

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