Using Excel for Business and Financial Modelling: A Practical Guide

Build Spreadsheets That Work Like Financial Models

Danielle Stein Fairhurst’s Using Excel for Business and Financial Modelling: A Practical Guide is not a generic spreadsheet manual. It focuses on the specific habits, structures, and techniques that separate a working financial model from a loose collection of formulas.

This third edition reflects current Excel practice while keeping the emphasis on modelling discipline. The material moves from fundamental model design into more advanced functions and display tools, so readers can follow a clear progression from first concept to polished, audit-ready output.

Core Skills You’ll Work Through

• Defining what a financial model is—and what it is not
• Designing models with clear layouts, flowcharts, and version control
• Applying best-practice principles such as linking, consistent formulas, and documented assumptions
• Reducing errors through checks, structured formulas, and careful external references
• Using essential Excel functions for aggregation, lookups, dates, loans, and project evaluation
• Presenting results effectively with custom formatting, conditional formatting, and sparklines

Each chapter combines explanation with practical examples that make sense in a business or finance context. Rather than just listing features, the guide shows why certain approaches help keep models transparent, flexible, and easier to review.

A Practical Reference for Analysts and Modellers

Readers who already use Excel will find the book especially useful when they need to move beyond ad hoc spreadsheets and build models that others can understand and rely on. The third edition’s structure works well for self-study or as a desk reference during real modelling projects.

With its focus on finance and business applications, the guide is relevant for analysts, accountants, finance professionals, consultants, and anyone responsible for making data-driven decisions in Excel.