Course curriculum

    1. Course Instructions

    2. Learning Objectives

    3. Introduction to the Course

      FREE PREVIEW

    4. About Your Instructor

      FREE PREVIEW

    5. What FP&A Is All About

      FREE PREVIEW

    6. The Evolving FP&A Function - Part 1

    7. The Evolving FP&A Function - Part 2

    1. Mechanical vs Intelligence Questions

    2. Tracing Precedents and Dependents

    3. Showing and Auditing Formulas

    4. Error Checking and Evaluating Formulas

    5. The Pyramid Structure Framework

    6. Review Questions

    1. Final Thoughts

About this course

  • $499.00
  • 14 lessons
  • 4 hours of video content
  • 4 CPE Credits

What you'll get out of this course

You'll build technical fluency in Excel and Power BI, then apply it to real financial decisions. This isn't just content and training — it's the mechanical skill and the judgment to interpret what the numbers mean and what to do about it.

  • Develop strategic financial planning capabilities. Strategic financial planning goes beyond short-term budgets and forecasts. You'll learn how to align financial plans with business objectives, assess investment opportunities, and plan for long-term growth.

  • Acquire skills in financial analysis and interpretation. Learn key financial metrics and ratios, interpreting what you see in the financial statements, built from supporting schedules. This analytical skill set will empower you to evaluate business performance and make data-driven decisions within the operations of the business itself.

  • Learn pricing strategies for profitability. Pricing is a critical element in any business model. You'll explore various pricing strategies and learn how to set prices that attract customers while maintaining healthy profit margins. This knowledge will be invaluable for product rationalization and revenue forecasting.

  • Understand cost structures and cost optimization. You'll delve into the various types of costs businesses incur, and analyze the nature of fixed to variable elements. You'll learn techniques for cost analysis and optimization, enabling informed decision-making that maximize profitability without compromising on efficiency.

  • Gain expertise in cash flow management. Cash flow is the lifeblood of any business. You'll discover how to analyze cash flow statements, manage working capital, and implement strategies to optimize cash flow.

  • Master the fundamentals of budgeting and financial planning. You'll learn the essentials of creating and managing budgets, including revenue forecasting and expense tracking. This foundational skill will enable you to allocate resources efficiently, identify financial risks early, and set achievable financial goals.

FP&As and Consultants at these companies have trained:

Join 13,000+ finance professionals globally who have attended training programs, workshops, and seminars

Meet Carl Seidman, your instructor and guide

The person Fortune 500s use for financial leadership development programs | Microsoft MVP

Carl Seidman

Carl serves as a fractional CFO, FP&A advisor, adjunct professor in data analytics, and management consultant to entrepreneurial businesses throughout North America and Europe and assists them with strategic financial planning, value enhancement, and revitalization.

He's a Microsoft MVP and one of the preeminent trainers and facilitators in strategic finance and FP&A, with more than 13,000 participants attending his financial training programs, seminars, workshops, and masterminds. Notable clients include:

ABM Industries, Accordion, AlixPartners, Allscripts, Broadridge, CHEP, Choice Hotels, CIBC, Cigna, Cox Enterprises, Crawford & Company, Deloitte, Dexcom, Discover Financial Services, Dominium, Express Scripts, EY, FS Investments, EVRAZ, Genentech, HCP, Inc., Heartland Financial, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, IGT, KPMG, Marsh & McClennan, Michelin, NerdWallet, Radisson, Rapid7, Sol Petroleum, Spotify, Triple-S, Telus, Santander, United Technologies, Universal Business Team, Verizon, Walmart, and Workday.

Carl is masterful at making the complex amazingly simple, engaging his audiences, building confidence, and facilitating a welcoming and transformative group experience. His content is rich and relatable, used in financial leadership development programs (FLDPs) at Fortune 500 companies, and is utilized or licensed by 7 of the top global financial training companies.

Carl is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) has earned other professional credentials including the CIRA, CFF, CFE, CGMA, AM (Accredited Member in Business Valuation), CSP (Certified Speaking Professional), Certified Anaplan Model Builder, and was a National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts (NACVA) 40 Under Forty honoree. He holds a BA in finance and economics and an MS in managerial accounting.

He's been where you want to be and does the work you want to do.

Contact: [email protected]

Additional Benefits

What else do you get with this course?

  • Model templates

    You'll receive an unfinished template and a completed model, as well as exercise files for every lesson throughout the course.

  • Direct instructor contact

    You have questions? He has answers. Every lesson has an open Q&A. Simply type a question and Carl will respond.

  • Lifetime access

    Your enrollment in the course never expires, which means you can move forward at your own pace and revisit lessons as many times as you'd like.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • I work full-time, what is the expected time commitment?

    The course is 13 lessons and 4 hours in duration. The value of an on-demand, self-paced course is you can complete it on your own time. On average, the course takes approximately 5 hours to complete.

  • How much is this course?

    The course is 499 USD.

  • What should I be expected to know coming into this course? How should I prepare in advance?

    Prerequisites for the course include the following: You should have a basic-to-intermediate understanding of Microsoft Excel You should have a current version (2016 or later) of Microsoft Excel, ideally (though not necessary) on a PC. You should have at least an intermediate understanding of accounting and finance concepts.

  • Do you have other online courses?

    Yes. I have more than 20 online courses which may be found through Maven.com, LinkedIn Learning, AICPA/CIMA, The Association for Financial Professionals, Rice University, the Corporate Finance Institute, Wall St Prep, Universal Business Team, Udemy, and more. I also offer deliver dozens of live virtual and in-person corporate training programs every year to companies of all sizes.

  • What is the difference between this FP&A program and all the other programs you offer?

    I offer more than a dozen training programs and immersive development experiences across a wide range of finance and accounting topics. This program is intentionally designed for professionals who want greater familiarity with financial planning & analysis. Versions of this program have been delivered to the top FP&A teams at Fortune 500 corps.

  • Do you offer any guarantees for success, starting a business or getting promoted?

    No, but I will offer you my promises. Every person who attends my courses comes from different backgrounds, experiences and aspirations which means they have different business models or jobs. My promise to to share with you my techniques, tools, and processes that will accelerate your finance career and make you far more confident in what you do.

  • Is there a refund policy?

    Across hundreds of training, seminars, workshops, and conferences -- in person and virtual and to thousands of people -- I have never been asked once for a refund. For one in-person training program, there was a blizzard and my flight was cancelled. I offered a rescheduling option for a future date. While it is not customary for me to refund, if you have completed the course and found it to be subpar, your emailed request for a refund will be honored.

  • Does this course qualify for CPE (continuing professional education)?

    Yes, it qualifies for 4.0 CPE credits. Attendees must join the live sessions to earn CPE credits. Seidman Financial is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit.

NASBA Details

  • Instructional delivery methods: Self-Study
  • Recommended field of study: Finance and Accounting
  • Prerequisites: Possession of intermediate financial acumen and a general understanding of Excel and general business concepts.
  • Program knowledge level: Basic, Intermediate, Advanced
  • Advance preparation: Access to a laptop with Microsoft 365 or Office 2016 or later


Seidman Financial is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.NASBARegistry.org.