Using Excel for Business Analysis: A Guide to Financial Modelling Fundamentals, + Website

CHAPTER 12

Presenting Model Output

Once a model has been built, it’s important to display results clearly and concisely to get your message across, whether via a written report or oral presentation.

PREPARING AN ORAL PRESENTATION FOR MODEL RESULTS

As the person who knows the model best, financial modellers are often requested to communicate the results of the financial model as a formal presentation to the board or senior management. Understandably, many detail-orientated analysts often find that it is quite a challenge to distill their 20-megabyte financial model that has taken weeks to build into a 10-minute presentation.

Although most senior management may not be interested in seeing the model itself, they might like to see live and changing scenarios. If the model is built correctly, you’ll be able make a single change to the input assumptions and the audience will be able to see the effects of these changing scenarios in real time. Make sure that you test all possible inputs in advance—nothing looks less professional than a #REF! error during a live sensitivity analysis.

Not all presentations require you to use PowerPoint, but in this kind of environment, where it is necessary to convey lots of information, having the summary tables or charts on a slide behind you while you are speaking will be helpful. It can also help to take the focus off you if you are a little nervous.

Follow these basic rules of presentations:

• Only display one key message per slide. Don’t crowd it or ...