Roadmap

This is intended to a loose roadmap - mainly a collection of ideas.

How to use this wiki

Consume

It's a desktop-first site and will be quirky on most other devices. Read and view like normal websites. There's a search box and a roadmap.

Contribute

Contributing to the Financial Modelling Wiki

Approaches

Standards etc

Main page, and have supporting pages:

• BPSMS
• FAST
• Financial Modelling Code
• IBM
• SCILS
• SMART

Topics - including tips/tricks/techniques/traps

Calculation modes and types

Calculation speed

Charts (including series formulae, seeing/editing source data ranges, selecting elements, accessing context menu, source dates on multiple rows/columns, dynamic labels)

Circular logic

Checks (i.e. specific automated checks and alerts)

Clarity

Conditional formatting (including where it works well and where it often bugs)

Consistency

Data validation (including shortcomings and supporting techniques)

Dealing with Excel bugs and quirks - have a main page [what is a good name for it?] and supporting pages:

• Excel crashing when inserting rows (especially big blocks of copied rows) and reducing risk of crash by scrolling so that the insert occurs out of view
• Slow paste

Freeze panes

Group and outline (and manual grouping of rows/columns)

Hardcoding

Helpers (like repeating precedents locally to simplify formulae, separating MATCH from INDEX(MATCH) for calculating efficiency and to simplify formulae, helpers that are commonly in freeze panes, right down to counters etc)

Keyboard shortcuts

LAMBDA function

Logic flow

Mouse (i.e. getting the most out of it - fits with keyboard shortcuts)

Paste - this is part of Moving and copying workbook content

Paste special

• Formulas
• Values
• Formats
• Column widths
• Operation (add/subtract/multiply/divide)
• Transpose
• Link

Protection (i.e. sheet/VBA/workbook including shortcomings)

Risks (e.g. types of errors, error rates and ways to reduce them, risks in model development/review like time/cost overruns)

Scenarios and sensitivities

Self service BI (Get & Transform / Power Query and the data model etc)

Separation of inputs, calculations and outputs

Simplicity

Sparklines (including where they work well and where they often bug)

Tables (i.e. Excel's native table functionally that automatically expands and enables structured references)

VBA (including how to sanity check and run code you find online)

Types of model

Bid models - maybe separate out rail bids

Equity research

Fund

Operational

Portfolio

Project development

Components

Control account (a.k.a. roll-forward / corkscrew / running balance) ◀ This was the first reasonably complete page, and is useful as an example of how to use sections and embed spreadsheets.

Cascade

Waterfall

Checks (i.e. collating/summarising/presenting the results of all automated checks and alerts)

Change log

Dashboard

Scenario manager

Table of contents / navigation

User guide

Workflows

Build

Review

Audit

Roll-forward

Maintain

Optimisation

Software

Reminder: Wikipedia's conflict of interest guideline applies to this wiki - e.g. do not add or edit software that you or your employer etc has any sort of interest in.

Establish a template before including information on any commercial offerings. Promote plain facts presented in a neutral manner, aim for zero marketing creativity. Maybe it is restricted to having a name, website, and up to [5] offerings listed - and there being guidelines (and examples) of permitted/prohibited ways of presenting offerings.

Main page - likely distinguish between free / soft paywall / paid

Native to Excel (e.g. Get & Transform, Inquire)

Excel add-ins

SAAS

Training

Reminder: Wikipedia's conflict of interest guideline applies to this wiki - e.g. do not add or edit training that you or your employer etc has any sort of interest in.

Establish a template before including information on any commercial offerings - see longer note in 'software' section.

Main page - likely distinguish between free / soft paywall / paid

Books

Online

In-person

Delivery

Reminder: Wikipedia's conflict of interest guideline applies to this wiki - e.g. do not add or edit delivery that you or your employer etc has any sort of interest in.

Establish a template before including information on any commercial offerings - see longer note in 'software' section.

FAQ

Answers to questions commonly asked by people learning modelling, e.g. on forums and questions that new modellers commonly ask colleagues etc.

Worked examples

Example questions and exercises that may be set in modelling courses, job skills assessments, and competitions.

Remember copyright and plagiarism - i.e. examples are to be either permitted by the owner or newly created for this wiki.