Brilliant Budgets and Forecasts

<p>Introduction <br><strong><br>Part 1: BUDGETING AND FORECASTING ESSENTIALS</strong><br>1. Understanding budgets and forecasts<br>Definitions of budgets and budget forecasts<br>Profit and loss forecasts<br>Cash flow forecasts <br>Spreadsheet-based budgets and forecasts for day-to-day management<br>Forecasts – not the sole province of accountants<br>Planning cycles<br>Fixed, rolling and perpetual forecasts<br>Can a forecast ever be right?&nbsp; Does it need to be?<br>Summary<br><strong><br>2. Using budgets and forecasts&nbsp; <br></strong>Budget management<br>Planning and ‘what if’<br>Cost control<br>Raising finance<br>Cash flow control<br>Summary<br><strong><br>Part 2: SPREADSHEET ESSENTIALS</strong><br>3. Understanding computer spreadsheets <br>How to use the example files&nbsp; <br>What are spreadsheets?<br>Examples of principal facilities and functions<br>Handy tips and shortcuts<br>Summary<br>4. Spreadsheet techniques for budgeting and forecasting <br>So many ways and means&nbsp; <br>Essential practices and conventions&nbsp; <br>Example forecasts<br>Examples of non-essential but useful techniques<br>Summary<br><strong><br>Part 3: BUILDING THE ILLUSTRATION FRAMEWORK</strong><br>5. Preparations for the illustration budget<br>Are everyone’s objectives the same?<br>Budgeting methods<br>Review of a budgeting process <br>The example business ‘Widget Makers Ltd’<br>Deciding the requirements of the example budget<br>A single or departmental budget?<br>Cost categories&nbsp; <br>Cost headings<br>Categorising the cost headings <br>Revenue headings<br>The forecast’s duration and periods<br>Summary<br>6. Creating the illustration framework<br>Making the sales forecast<br>The budget forecast <br>The cash flow forecast<br>Summary<br><strong><br>Part 4: USING THE ILLUSTRATION FRAMEWORK</strong><br>7. Assembling the budget<br>Making the sales forecast<br>Making the budget forecast <br>Cash flow forecast adjustments<br>Charts and key indicators<br>Key ratios<br>Summary<br>8. Causes and effects&nbsp; <br>Adjustment and refinement<br>The reiteration process&nbsp; <br>Examining causes and effects<br>Simple cause and effect <br>Address the cause or the effect?&nbsp; <br>Gross profitability of each product<br>Summary<br>9. Allocation, monitoring and reviewing<br>Visibility, clarity and relevance <br>Budget allocation<br>Performance monitoring principles <br>Setting up monitoring for the Widget Makers Ltd forecast<br>Recording actual figures<br>Reviewing the forecast<br>Summary<br>10. Further analysis&nbsp; <br>The impact of change on cash flow<br>The effect of rapid growth on cash flow <br>‘What if’ analysis<br>Summary<br><strong><br>Part 5: HANDLING VAT</strong> <br>11. VAT in the forecast<br>What is VAT?&nbsp; <br>Calculating and paying VAT <br>Cash flow forecast VAT calculations<br>Summary<br><strong><br>Part 6: MEASURING AND CONTROLLING COSTS</strong><br>12. Measuring and controlling costs<br>First things first<br>Absolute figures and percentages<br>Measuring production costs<br>Measuring manpower costs<br>Activity based costing (ABC)<br>Summary<br><strong><br>Part 7: A PRACTICAL FORECASTING FRAMEWORK</strong><br>13. A practical forecasting framework<br>Features and uses of the practical template<br>Structure of the practical template<br>Sales and direct costs<br>Profit and loss / budget<br>Cash forecast<br>Asset register<br>A typical month end routine<br>Summary</p>