Strategic Planning, Budgeting and Rolling Forecasts

The programme

Programme overview

In today’s dynamic business landscape, the ability to effectively link strategic planning, budgeting, and forecasting is vital for any forward-thinking organisation. Traditional static budgets are giving way to agile, real-time financial management practices—empowering leaders to respond swiftly to shifting markets and operational realities.

This masterclass is designed to equip finance and business leaders with the practical tools, digital skills, and strategic insight needed to transform their planning and forecasting processes. The programme goes far beyond theory, blending proven methodologies with hands-on application using the latest technology—including Excel, Power BI, and AI-assisted forecasting for advanced budgeting and reporting.

You’ll learn how to bridge the gap between strategic vision and operational execution, design and implement rolling forecasts for ongoing performance visibility, replace outdated budgeting cycles with flexible, adaptive planning processes, and build high-performance finance teams that drive value across the business.

Who should attend

Who is this programme for?

• Finance Managers, Accountants & Controllers
• Budget & Planning Managers
• Forecasting Analysts
• Chief Financial Officers (CFOs)
• Management Accountants
• Financial Directors & Group Finance Leaders
• Business & Operations Managers
• Financial Systems Specialists
• Strategy and Planning Professionals

Learning outcomes

What you will learn

• Design Dynamic Strategic Planning Processes — develop frameworks that ensure business plans stay relevant in a real-time environment
• Integrate Strategy, Budgeting & Forecasting — link strategic objectives to operational budgets and rolling forecasts for better decision-making
• Utilise Digital Tools — harness Excel, Power BI, and AI-assisted forecasting for scenario modelling, real-time dashboards, and advanced financial reporting
• Implement Rolling Forecasts — move beyond static budgets to continuous, AI-enhanced, data-driven forecasting that adapts to change
• Improve Resource Allocation — optimise performance and align resources through driver-based and priority-based budgeting
• Enhance Financial Agility — adopt best practices in budgeting, forecasting, and performance measurement
• Drive Organisational Value — transform the finance function into a strategic business partner focused on growth and resilience

Explore the programme

Detailed programme outline

• Strategic Planning in Organisations Modern strategic planning models & frameworks Translating strategic plans into actionable business plans and linking strategy to financial plans Identifying and managing strategic risks; effective strategy communication
• Building Effective Financial Plans Traditional vs. modern budgeting processes Integrating planning with budgeting and forecasting Engaging operational managers and driving buy-in
• Digital Tools for Budgeting (Excel, Power BI, and AI) Using Excel for dynamic budgeting and Power BI for live dashboards and visual reports AI-assisted forecasting and driver-based planning, now standard practice in modern FP&A — 26% of FP&A professionals use AI regularly and a further 55% are actively experimenting (2025 Datarails State of AI in FP&A report) Automating financial processes
• The Budget Cycle & Modern Budgeting Approaches The end-to-end budget cycle and characteristics of high-impact budgeting Key budgeting approaches: Incremental, Zero-Based, Flexible, Kaizen, Activity-Based, Rolling
• Next-Generation Budgeting Techniques Top-down vs. bottom-up budgeting Driver-based and scenario planning; flex and priority-based budgeting Developing ‘soft skills’ for budget negotiation and facilitation
• Cash Flow Planning & Capital Expenditure Essentials Building cash flow budgets and core cash management strategies Integrating capital investments into the planning process
• Dynamic Forecasting & Analytics Rolling forecasts: concepts, strengths, and weaknesses Statistical and probabilistic forecasting, including Monte Carlo simulation, now enhanced by AI, which can generate hundreds of scenarios in seconds to test a far wider range of outcomes than manual modelling alone
• Implementing Rolling Forecasts Identifying key business drivers and designing a rolling forecast process Overcoming challenges and driving adoption, drawing on organisations such as Maersk, Danone, and Shell that have successfully transitioned to rolling forecasts
• Performance Measurement and Organisational Impact Identifying and tracking KPIs and key business drivers Linking plans, budgets, and forecasts to strategic objectives Developing a practical action plan to take back into your organisation

5-Day Comprehensive Training Modules

• Modern strategic planning models & frameworks
• Translating strategic plans into actionable business plans
• Linking strategy to financial plans
• Identifying and managing strategic risks
• Effective strategy communication
• Traditional vs. modern budgeting processes
• Integrating planning with budgeting and forecasting
• Engaging operational managers
• Communicating and driving buy-in
• Financial modelling techniques
• Using Excel for dynamic budgeting (advanced functions, lookups, data validation)
• Power BI: Creating live dashboards and visual reports
• AI-assisted forecasting and driver-based planning — now standard in modern FP&A, with 26% of professionals using AI regularly and 55% actively experimenting (2025 Datarails State of AI in FP&A report)
• Automating financial processes
• The end-to-end budget cycle
• Characteristics of high-impact budgeting
• Making budgets value-adding
• Key budgeting approaches: Incremental, Zero-Based, Flexible, Kaizen, Activity-Based, Rolling
• Developing best-practice templates
• Building sales, production, materials, labour, overhead, admin, and departmental budgets
• Consolidating to master budget
• Why leading organisations are adopting new methods
• Top-down vs. bottom-up budgeting
• Driver-based and scenario planning
• Flex and priority-based budgeting
• Developing ‘soft skills’ for budget negotiation and facilitation
• Building cash flow budgets
• Cash management strategies
• Cash vs. accrual approaches in planning
• Consolidation to P&L and Balance Sheet
• Ratio analysis for budget validation (profitability, liquidity, efficiency)
• Inventory and working capital management
• Integrating capital investments in the planning process
• CapEx evaluation, business case development, and contingency planning
• Depreciation and intangible asset budgeting
• Rolling forecasts: concepts, strengths & weaknesses
• Statistical and probabilistic forecasting (including Monte Carlo simulation), now enhanced by AI capable of generating hundreds of scenarios in seconds to test a far wider range of outcomes than manual modelling alone
• Choosing the right forecasting technique
• Identifying key business drivers
• Designing a rolling forecast process
• Overcoming challenges and driving adoption, drawing on organisations such as Maersk, Danone, and Shell that have successfully transitioned to rolling forecasts
• Developing a forecasting capability across the finance team
• Identifying and tracking KPIs and key business drivers
• Linking plans, budgets, and forecasts to strategic objectives
• Benchmarking and best-practice monitoring
• Enhancing reporting for decision support
• Embedding improved management accounting concepts
• Building financial literacy across the organisation
• Ensuring finance leads as a catalyst for growth and agility

Learning approach

How you will learn

Our diverse instructional approaches ensure effective learning:

– Lectures & Presentations: Engage with expert-driven, stimulating content.– Course Material: Access well-crafted supporting resources.– Group Work: Collaborate on discussions and case studies for practical insights.– Workshops & Role-Play: Participate in immersive, scenario-based activities.– Practical Application: Focus on applying theoretical knowledge in real situations.– Post-Training Support: Receive extensive support after training for skill implementation.

Discuss your requirements

Dates, duration & arrangements

Contact Ratomac to confirm dates, duration, delivery format, entry requirements and any applicable assessment or certification before booking.