Introduction

In an increasingly volatile and competitive global economy, the ability to rapidly analyze financial data and derive actionable insights is paramount for strategic decision-making and sustainable growth. Business Intelligence (BI) for Financial Performance Analysis empowers finance professionals to move beyond traditional, static reporting, leveraging advanced analytical tools to gain real-time visibility into profitability, liquidity, efficiency, and solvency, enabling proactive management and optimized financial outcomes. This training course is meticulously designed to equip financial analysts, controllers, CFOs, accountants, business intelligence professionals, and data-savvy managers with cutting-edge knowledge and practical skills in understanding financial KPIs, mastering data integration from diverse financial systems, designing interactive dashboards for financial reporting, performing variance and trend analysis, leveraging forecasting and budgeting functionalities within BI tools, and effectively communicating complex financial insights to stakeholders to drive strategic financial performance. Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of how to transform raw financial data into a powerful strategic asset, facilitating smarter investments, cost optimization, and robust financial health.

Duration

10 days

Target Audience

• Financial Analysts
• Accountants & Auditors
• Controllers & Finance Managers
• Chief Financial Officers (CFOs)
• Business Intelligence Developers
• Data Analysts (with a financial focus)
• Treasury Professionals
• Investment Analysts
• Risk Managers
• Anyone involved in financial planning, analysis, and reporting

Objectives

• Understand core financial statements and key performance indicators (KPIs) in a BI context.
• Master data integration techniques for financial data from various source systems.
• Develop proficiency in using BI tools to create dynamic financial reports and dashboards.
• Learn to perform advanced financial analysis, including variance, trend, and ratio analysis.
• Understand budgeting, forecasting, and scenario modeling within BI environments.
• Explore techniques for cash flow analysis and liquidity management.
• Develop skills in identifying financial risks and opportunities through data.
• Learn about data governance and security considerations for sensitive financial data.
• Understand best practices for visualizing complex financial information effectively.
• Formulate strategies for automating financial reporting and enhancing accuracy.
• Apply BI insights to drive strategic financial decisions and improve profitability.

Course Content

Module 1. Foundations of Financial Performance Analysis in BI

• Understanding Financial Statements: Income Statement, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow Statement
• Key Financial Ratios: Profitability, Liquidity, Solvency, Efficiency ratios
• Defining Financial KPIs for BI dashboards
• The role of BI in transforming traditional financial reporting
• Overview of a data-driven finance function

Module 2. Data Sourcing and Integration for Financial BI

• Identifying Financial Data Sources: ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics), GL systems, CRM, HRIS
• Extracting data from various formats: Spreadsheets, databases, APIs
• Data Integration Strategies: Merging disparate financial datasets
• Ensuring data consistency and accuracy across sources
• Best practices for financial data ingestion

Module 3. Data Preparation and Transformation for Financial Analysis

• Data Cleaning Techniques: Handling missing values, duplicates, inconsistencies in financial data
• Standardizing Financial Data: Chart of Accounts mapping, currency conversion
• Building robust data models for financial hierarchies (e.g., cost centers, departments)
• Using Power Query (or equivalent) for ETL of financial data
• Validating transformed financial data

Module 4. Introduction to BI Tools for Financial Analysis (e.g., Power BI, Tableau)

• Overview of Selected BI Tool Interface: Connecting to prepared financial data
• Understanding dimensions and measures in a financial context
• Basic financial visualizations: Bar charts for revenue trends, line charts for expenses
• Creating simple calculated fields for financial metrics
• Navigating financial datasets within the BI environment

Module 5. Designing Financial Dashboards and Reports I: Core Financials

• Dashboard Design Principles: Layout, navigation, user experience for finance
• Income Statement Dashboards: Visualizing revenue, COGS, gross profit, operating expenses
• Balance Sheet Snapshots: Assets, Liabilities, Equity at a glance
• Cash Flow Statement Visualizations: Operating, Investing, Financing activities
• Creating summary tables and quick KPIs for executive overview

Module 6. Designing Financial Dashboards and Reports II: Advanced Analysis

• Variance Analysis Dashboards: Budget vs. Actual, Prior Period comparison
• Trend Analysis: Visualizing financial performance over time
• Ratio Analysis Dashboards: Interactive displays of key financial ratios
• Building drill-down capabilities for granular financial insights (e.g., by department, product)
• Using conditional formatting to highlight financial anomalies or targets

Module 7. Budgeting, Forecasting, and Scenario Modeling in BI

• Integrating Budget Data: Connecting actuals with budget figures
• Forecasting Financials: Revenue forecasting, expense prediction using BI tools
• Scenario Analysis: What-if scenarios (e.g., impact of sales changes on profit)
• Visualizing forecast vs. actual performance
• Incorporating driver-based planning into BI models

Module 8. Profitability and Cost Analysis

• Customer Profitability Analysis: Identifying high-value customers
• Product Profitability Analysis: Understanding margin by product/service
• Cost Center Analysis: Tracking and optimizing departmental expenses
• Activity-Based Costing (ABC) principles in BI
• Visualizing cost structures and reduction opportunities

Module 9. Cash Flow and Liquidity Management

• Detailed Cash Flow Reporting: Inflows vs. Outflows
• Working Capital Analysis: Current assets and liabilities tracking
• Liquidity Ratios: Current Ratio, Quick Ratio visualization
• Forecasting cash positions and identifying potential shortages
• Monitoring Accounts Receivable (AR) and Accounts Payable (AP) trends

Module 10. Risk Management and Compliance Reporting

• Financial Risk Identification: Analyzing trends in debt, credit risk
• Fraud Detection: Identifying anomalies in transaction data
• Compliance Reporting: Generating audit-ready reports
• Monitoring financial controls and internal audit findings
• Visualizing risk exposure and mitigation strategies

Module 11. Advanced Financial Calculations and DAX/Tableau Formulas

• Creating Complex Financial Measures: CAGR, YoY growth, Contribution Margin
• Using DAX (for Power BI) or LOD Expressions/Table Calculations (for Tableau) for advanced financial logic
• Handling fiscal calendars and non-standard periods
• Incorporating FX rates for multi-currency analysis
• Optimizing complex financial calculations for performance

Module 12. Data Storytelling for Financial Insights

• Crafting a Financial Narrative: Turning numbers into compelling stories
• Tailoring Insights: Presenting financial data to different audiences (executives, departments)
• Using annotations, callouts, and strategic text to emphasize key findings
• Designing impactful financial presentations
• Influencing financial decisions through clear, data-driven communication

Module 13. Automating Financial Reporting

• Automating Data Refreshes: Scheduling data updates in BI tools
• Setting up alerts and notifications for critical financial thresholds
• Creating subscriptions for automated report delivery
• Integrating BI reports with existing financial portals or tools
• Reducing manual effort and improving reporting efficiency

Module 14. Data Governance and Security for Financial Data

• Importance of Financial Data Governance: Accuracy, compliance, trust
• Implementing Row-Level Security (RLS): Restricting access to sensitive financial data
• Data Privacy (e.g., GDPR, CCPA implications for financial data)
• Audit trails and data lineage for financial reporting
• Ensuring compliance with financial regulations (e.g., SOX, IFRS)

Module 15. Future Trends in Financial BI

• AI and Machine Learning in Finance: Predictive forecasting, anomaly detection
• Robotic Process Automation (RPA) in finance operations
• Real-time financial analytics and continuous monitoring
• Integrated Business Planning (IBP) and connected planning
• The evolving role of the finance professional as a strategic data partner

Training Approach

This course will be delivered by our skilled trainers who have vast knowledge and experience as expert professionals in the fields. The course is taught in English and through a mix of theory, practical activities, group discussion and case studies. Course manuals and additional training materials will be provided to the participants upon completion of the training.

Tailor-Made Course

This course can also be tailor-made to meet organization requirement. For further inquiries, please contact us on: Email: info@skillsforafrica.org, training@skillsforafrica.org Tel: +254 702 249 449

Training Venue

The training will be held at our Skills for Africa Training Institute Training Centre. We also offer training for a group at requested location all over the world. The course fee covers the course tuition, training materials, two break refreshments, and buffet lunch.

Visa application, travel expenses, airport transfers, dinners, accommodation, insurance, and other personal expenses are catered by the participant

Certification

Participants will be issued with Skills for Africa Training Institute certificate upon completion of this course.

Airport Pickup and Accommodation

Airport pickup and accommodation is arranged upon request. For booking contact our Training Coordinator through Email: info@skillsforafrica.org, training@skillsforafrica.org Tel: +254 702 249 449

Terms of Payment: Unless otherwise agreed between the two parties’ payment of the course fee should be done 7 working days before commencement of the training.