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Ms Excel

Budget vs Actual (BVA) Analysis in MS Excel

Variance reporting, conditional formatting, and budgetary control templates

5 CPD credits on completion
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Certificate on completion
Downloadable resources
Self-paced learning

About This Course

Course Information

This course provides a basic understanding of how MS Excel can help with budgetary control. In this course, we prepare a basic template for ‘budget versus actual’ analysis that helps in computing and interpreting variances and aiding in controlling and monitoring the performance.

Certificate on Completion

This course is made up of videos, questions and additional reading materials and accounts for 6 units of CPD. One unit is the equivalent of one hour of learning. A certificate will be issued once you have completed all 6 units.

Course Sections

This Course is made up of the following sections:

  • BVA – Total Results (Video and Quiz)
  • BVA – Monthly Results (Video and Quiz)
  • Additional Quizzes and Course Completion Survey
  • Additional Reading Materials

What You Will Learn

  • Prepare a budget versus actual template that computes variances for the full financial year
  • Calculate monthly variances by building a view that filters results to a selected month
  • Apply conditional formatting to colour-code favourable (green) and adverse (red) variances
  • Explain how an exceptional reporting threshold flags variances that require management attention
  • Describe how to express variances as both absolute amounts and percentages
  • Identify the purpose of upward and downward arrow symbols for quick visual interpretation

Who This Course Is For

  • Management accountants who prepare budgetary control reports
  • Finance professionals who compare planned versus actual performance each period
  • Small business owners who want a structured approach to tracking budget variances in Excel

Prerequisites

  • Basic Excel skills (entering data, simple formulas, navigating worksheets)
  • No prior budgeting or variance analysis experience is required

Frequently Asked Questions

Course Details

CPD Credits5
CertificateYes

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Everything included in your subscription:

CPD certificate on completion
Downloadable resources
Self-paced learning
Expert-led content
24/7 access
Mobile friendly

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