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Duration
4 weeksWeekly study
4 hours
Financial Analysis for Business Decisions: How to Use Tableau and Financial Modelling
Use data visualisation to steer data-driven decision making
Data analytics has become increasingly essential to modern business decision making processes. In few business areas is this more pronounced than finance – already a highly data-driven function.
For businesses seeking a competitive edge, financial analysis plays a central role in data-driven decision making. This finance management course will equip those working in finance-related roles with the skills they need to prosper in this context.
You will learn:
- how to use Tableau data visualisation software, both to find new insights and to communicate them to a broad audience
- how to apply common financial models, incorporating financial assumptions
- how to do a SWOT analysis, and why
Learn how to use Tableau to communicate with a broad audience
Data visualisation can serve an important function in financial analysis. It allows those working in finance-related functions to glean new insights from their data. It also allows these professionals to communicate these insights with a broader audience, in an accessible fashion.
Being able to visualise data is therefore a key finance skill, which can inform data-driven decision making. In this course, you will learn how to use Tableau to import your data sets and create graphics to aid financial analysis.
Discover different types of financial models, and how to use them
You’ll learn about different types of financial models, and their functions, in order to compare them. These models are important in financial analysis and data-driven decision making, allowing you to predict the future consequences of decisions.
Finally, you will discover how to conduct a SWOT analysis, looking at an organisation’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
Syllabus
Week 1
Introduction to the course and communicating performance data
Welcome to the course
You will be introduced to Tableau, a powerful data visualisation software and its various features.
Getting started with Tableau
How can you use Tableau to communicate performance data across an organisation and aid decision making? Learn to understand the nuances of Tableau that will help you to harness the power of your data to support decision making.
Formatting and calculations in Tableau
Let’s explore different options for formatting visualisation in Tableau, as well as looking at options to add interactive elements or perform calculations on your data.
Wrap up
Excellent! You’ve now completed Week 1. Here is a recap of what you learned.
Week 2
Reporting and presenting
Introduction
You will be introduced to an overview of the working of Tableau and using the software for creating effective visualizations!
Reporting and presentation
How will you actually conduct your reporting and presentation in Tableau? Let us explore the working and function of Tableau for interactive and effective presentations.
Wrap up
Excellent! You’ve now completed Week 2. Here is a wrap up of what you learned.
Week 3
Financial models
Introduction
In this third week, you will be introduced to how to approach financial modelling, including the considerations that are required for your business case.
Financial Modelling
How do you prepare for financial modelling, and how can you leverage your Excel and Tableau skills? Learn to bring your financial model together with technology.
Setting the model
Next, you will learn how to treat various assumptions and incorporate treatment of assumptions into case analysis.
Wrap-up
Excellent! You’ve now completed Week 3. Here is a wrap-up of what you learned.
Week 4
Managing assumptions
Introduction
In this final week, you will be introduced to SWOT analysis when working with financial modelling.
Other assumptions
Did you take the assumptions into consideration while preparing your business case? Learn about how to incorporate economic factors and perform SWOT analysis when working on financial modelling.
Course wrap-up
Wow! You’ve now completed the last week of the course! Complete your graded course test, and then reflect on what you've learnt.
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...
- Use Tableau to import data and create graphics
- Compare common financial models and their functions
- Describe how to to treat various assumptions
- Explain the purpose of, and perform SWOT analysis
Who is the course for?
This course is for those who want to support data-driven decision making based on financial analysis. You could be a finance professional seeking career advancement or better communication skills, or a manager looking to strengthen key finance skills.
What software or tools do you need?
During the course we’ll be using Tableau Public and Excel. If you don’t have Excel, you might find this online version useful.
We recommend you use a computer to access this course.
Who will you learn with?
Commercially focused Finance Director / CFO with experience working with fast growth online SMEs in different sectors, including two successful exits (Amazon acquisition & Funding Circle’s IPO)
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
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
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