Model Project Cashflows with Confidence

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Model Project Cashflows with Confidence

This course is part of DCF, Comps, and Scenarios: Financial Modeling and Valuation Specialization

Instructor: LearningMate

2 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

2 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

2 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

2 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Construct and analyze a cash flow waterfall in Excel to forecast cash balances, ensure project solvency, and model key financial lifecycle stages.

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This course is part of the DCF, Comps, and Scenarios: Financial Modeling and Valuation Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

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There are 2 modules in this course

This intermediate course is designed for finance and business professionals who want to master the critical skill of project finance modeling in Excel. You will learn to construct and analyze a complete cash flow waterfall—an essential tool for assessing the financial viability of large-scale projects. The course moves beyond theory, guiding you through the distinct financial lifecycle of a project, from the initial capital-intensive construction phase to the revenue-generating operating period and subsequent debt repayment.

Through hands-on learning and instruction grounded in real-world case studies, such as the Channel Tunnel and the Dogger Bank Wind Farm, you will build a robust model from the ground up. You will learn to project cash inflows, prioritize payments to cover operating expenses and debt service, and determine the cash flow available for equity distributions. By the end of this course, you will have the practical Excel toolkit needed to forecast cash balances, prove a project's solvency, and make confident, data-driven investment decisions, preparing you for demanding financial analysis roles.

This module lays the essential groundwork for project finance modeling. Learners will explore why structured modeling is critical by examining real-world projects like the Channel Tunnel. Learners will also define the key phases of a project's financial life and deconstruct the anatomy of a cash flow waterfall. You will then move into Excel for a hands-on learning activity to build the foundational structure of a professional-grade financial model, setting you up for the detailed calculations in the next module.

What's included

2 videos2 readings2 assignments

2 videosTotal 10 minutes

Channel Tunnel: When Forecasts Fail6 minutes
Anatomy of a Cash Flow Waterfall5 minutes

2 readingsTotal 13 minutes

The Three Acts of a Project's Financial Life7 minutes
Blueprint for a Bulletproof Model: Structuring Your Excel File6 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 25 minutes

Hands-On Learning: Setting Up Your Project Model in Excel20 minutes
Knowledge Check: Project Finance Foundations5 minutes

In this module, you will dive deep into the practical application of building and analyzing a cash flow waterfall in Excel. Through a series of screencasts and hands-on activities, you will model cash flows from revenue down to equity distributions. You will then learn to analyze the model's output to determine project solvency and practice defending your model's assumptions in a simulated scenario. The module culminates in a graded assignment where you will build a complete model for a mini solar project.

What's included

2 videos2 readings2 assignments

2 videosTotal 9 minutes

Modeling the Numbers: From Revenue to CFADS5 minutes
Completing the Waterfall: Modeling Debt and Equity4 minutes

2 readingsTotal 10 minutes

Interpreting the Results: What the Numbers Tell You5 minutes
Formulas for Forecasting: Key Excel Functions5 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 50 minutes

Model a Mini Solar Project30 minutes
Hands-On Learning: Analyzing Solvency: The Final Check20 minutes

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Instructor

LearningMate

246 Courses16,579 learners

Offered by

Coursera

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Frequently asked questions

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

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