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Budgeting and Planning course

In this course you learn financial planning, forecasting and budgeting. You translate strategy into appropriate budgets and are introduced to Beyond Budgeting.

4,6 on Google NRTO quality mark

Free cancellation up to four weeks before the start, so feel free to book now.

For a team or department? Arrange your own group, at your premises or ours. In-company for your team

In brief. Budgeting and Planning is a 2-day classroom course. You can take it in Amsterdam and Rotterdam or online, in a group of no more than 8 participants. The price is € 1250,- excl. VAT per participant, including course materials, lunch on location and a certificate of attendance. For a team or department we also deliver this course in-company.

  • Control over budgets and strategy
  • Practical methods you can apply straight away
  • Ready for Beyond Budgeting
  • A strong sparring partner for stakeholders
  • Insight into risks and bottlenecks
Luis

Your trainer: Luis 162 reviews in total, with an average score of 8,9. View the trainers

Sound planning and budgeting form the basis of a financially healthy business. In this course you will get to grips with the budget cycle, forecasting and modern methods such as Beyond Budgeting. This enables you to translate strategy into well-founded financial choices.

Description

Sound planning and budgeting forms the basis for a financially healthy and future-proof business. It helps you get a grip on longer-term opportunities, risks and bottlenecks, make well-founded financial decisions and stay ahead of your competitors.

In the Budgeting and Planning course you gain insight into an organisation's budgeting cycle and into the various types of budgets and their components. You work with methods such as Activity-Based Budgeting, Zero-Based Budgeting, scenario planning and Driver-Based Budget models, and you weigh up their advantages and disadvantages.

You also work on forecasting, rolling forecasts and variance analysis. You learn how to deal with risks, bottlenecks and budgetary slack, and you discover why more and more financial managers are moving away from traditional budgeting in favour of Beyond Budgeting principles. Afterwards, you will be able to translate the company strategy into a workable financial plan and appropriate budgets.

Topics

In that time you gain a grip on your organisation's financial planning. You learn how to set up the budget cycle, which types of budgets there are and which methods best suit your situation.

Topics covered include:

  • The importance of budgeting and planning for sound business operations
  • The budgeting cycle and planning & control
  • Forecasting: insight into opportunities, risks and bottlenecks
  • Types of budget: sales, production, liquidity, return, investment and project budgets
  • Budget components: operating budget, cash flow budget, investment budget, balance sheet forecast and project budget
  • Budgeting methods such as Activity-Based Budgeting, Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing, driver-based budget models, Zero-Based Budgeting, incremental budgeting and scenario planning
  • Resource planning within overhead departments
  • Management by objectives
  • From strategic objectives to a suitable budget
  • Dealing with budgetary slack
  • Traditional budgeting versus Beyond Budgeting
  • Adjusting course with rolling forecasts
  • Variance analysis: forecast versus actuals

Result

After this course you will be able to translate the company strategy into a feasible financial plan and appropriate budgets. You will understand your organisation's budgeting cycle and know the main budgeting and planning methods, including their advantages and disadvantages.

You supply the right management information for sound financial decision-making and take a proactive approach to planning and budgets. You gain control over financial opportunities, risks and bottlenecks, create added value and stay ahead of the competition.

You will also be a solid sparring partner for shareholders, investors, banks and other financial stakeholders. And you will understand why more and more organisations prefer Beyond Budgeting principles to traditional budgeting.

Target audience

The Budgeting and Planning course is intended for anyone who is responsible for, or plays a role in, translating the company strategy into a well-founded financial plan and appropriate budgets. Think of the CFO, financial manager, financial controller, business controller, financial administrator, business development manager, sales manager, financial consultant or accountant.

Teaching method

The Budgeting and Planning course is taught in a classroom setting in a small group. You work with an experienced trainer from financial practice, so there is ample room for questions and your own cases.

The trainer alternates theory with practical examples, exercises and discussion. You get to know the budgeting cycle, the various types of budgets and the most commonly used methods, and you apply them directly to situations from your own work. This allows you to translate what you have learned straight into your daily practice.

You will receive course materials that you can consult during and after the course. Afterwards you will receive a Learnit certificate of participation.

Prior knowledge

No specific prior knowledge is required for this course. It does help if your work involves financial planning, budgets or business operations.

Comments

Teaching method

The Budgeting and Planning course alternates between theory and practice. Various planning and budgeting methods are covered by means of practical, recognisable assignments. You will work with useful calculation models that help you translate your business strategy into sound financial planning and budgeting. There is also ample opportunity to ask questions during the course.

Practical information

Number of days
2 days
Course times
from 10 am to 5 pm
Teaching hours
12 hours
Education level
Suitable for all levels
Preparation time
None
Included
Course materials and lunch on site
Certificate
At the end of the course you will receive a certificate of attendance
Cancel
Free up to four weeks before the start (cancellation terms)

Language

The course is given in Dutch as standard. The trainer speaks English. English-language course materials can be used. If at least 3 participants register, the course can also be given entirely in English.

In-company

Would you like to organise this training for a whole group or several groups? This can be cost-effective. For example, we can tailor the content entirely to your organisation, and training a whole group is also cheaper.

Are you looking at large numbers of participants or a complete academy? That involves a great deal. Consider planning and communication, for example, or identifying and agreeing the objectives and content of the training. Or differences in level, feedback mechanisms and safeguarding. Fortunately, Learnit has extensive experience in this field (more than 25 years) and we are happy to help you through this process.

Request a quote More about Budgeting and Planning in-company

All start dates

2 training days. In order of date.

  • Tue 9 & Wed 10 February 2027 Amsterdam · 10:00–17:00Free cancellation until 12 January Enrol
  • Tue 9 & Wed 10 February 2027 Online · 10:00–17:00Free cancellation until 12 January Enrol
  • Tue 10 & Wed 11 August 2027 Rotterdam · 10:00–17:00Free cancellation until 13 July Enrol

No suitable start date? Send us a date request, and we'll look at the options together.

This course for your team?

Plan your own group on a date that suits you, at your office, at our premises or online. We tailor the content to your day-to-day work, and training a whole group is cheaper than individual bookings.

  • Your date and location
  • Tailored content
  • Multiple groups or an academy are also possible
  • More than 25 years' experience
Request a quote No obligation, an adviser will be in touch shortly How in-company works

The trainers for this course

Ratings from participants after completing their course, across all courses by this trainer.

Luis

Finance and tax trainer 8,9 from 162 evaluations

What others say about this course

"A course with strong content, in which good course materials are used to teach new things effectively and efficiently."

Participant

"Extremely instructive, built up step by step and easy to understand for people with no prior knowledge of this."

Participant

"Useful and interesting course!"

Participant

"For me, the biggest plus was that the course material is very clear. This means you can follow the course at your own pace, without the stress of wondering what they actually mean. I was very pleasantly surprised. I should say, though, that I already had some knowledge of Access."

Participant

"Fine course"

Participant

Training formats

Classroom

2 days€ 1250,-
  • Pleasant venue with a good trainer
  • Small groups
  • Inspiring and motivating
Choose a date

Online

2 days€ 1080,-
  • Online with a trainer
  • Personal
  • Practical and interactive
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In-company

Bespoke trainingOn request
  • 100% for your group
  • Bespoke training
  • At your place or ours
View in-company

Workshop

Up to 4 hours for groupsOn request
  • Suitable for events
  • Interactive and inspiring
  • Large groups too
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Private training

At our place or yoursOn request
  • 100% just for you
  • Achieve a lot in little time
  • Whenever you want
Request a quote

Frequently asked questions

Can I cancel free of charge?

Yes. Up to four weeks before the first day of the course you can cancel free of charge, without giving a reason. You then receive a credit note or, if you have already paid, a refund. If you cancel later, you pay part of the course fee: 25% between four and two weeks before the start, 75% in the two weeks before it and 100% in the final week. Moving to another start date is free of charge up to two weeks before the start, after that 50%. Sending a colleague in your place is always possible. Read the cancellation terms.

Who is the Budgeting and Planning course suitable for?
The Budgeting and Planning course is suitable for anyone who translates business strategy into financial planning and appropriate budgets. Think of CFOs, finance managers, financial and business controllers, financial administrators, business development managers, sales managers, financial consultants and accountants. Prior knowledge of financial management is useful, but not a strict requirement. You take the course in a classroom setting with a small group.
Which topics and methods are covered in the Budgeting and Planning course?
You will cover the complete budgeting cycle, types of budgets and modern methodologies. Day 1 focuses on forecasting, sales, liquidity and investment budgets. Day 2 addresses Activity-Based Budgeting, Zero-Based Budgeting, scenario planning, rolling forecasts and Beyond Budgeting. You will also learn how to deal with budgetary slack and variance analysis between forecast and actuals.
Do I need any prior knowledge for the Budgeting and Planning course?
No specific prior education is required for the Budgeting and Planning course, but a basic knowledge of financial management is useful. You may work as a controller, financial manager, CFO or accountant, for example, and have experience with budgets or financial reports. The classroom course ties in with your day-to-day practice and builds on your existing financial foundation.
Do I receive a certificate after the Budgeting and Planning course?
Yes, on completion of the Budgeting and Planning course you will receive a certificate of participation from Learnit. This certificate confirms that you have attended the course and gained knowledge of budgeting cycles, forecasting, methodologies such as Zero-Based Budgeting and Activity-Based Budgeting, and Beyond Budgeting principles. A useful addition to your CV or LinkedIn profile.
Can I take the Budgeting and Planning course in-company?
Yes, you can also take the Budgeting and Planning course in-company. The trainer then comes to your organisation and the content is tailored to your own budget cycle, sector and strategic objectives. Useful if several colleagues from finance, control or management need the same knowledge.
When should you choose a classroom Budgeting and Planning course instead of self-study or an online financial management course?
You choose Learnit's classroom-based Budgeting and Planning course if you want to get beyond reading theory. You discuss your own budget cycle and strategy with an experienced trainer and with peers. During the course day you work interactively on topics such as Activity-Based Budgeting, Zero-Based Budgeting, scenario planning, rolling forecasts and Beyond Budgeting. That is difficult through self-study, because you receive no feedback on your specific situation. Self-study or an online course is suitable if you only want to become familiar with the concepts. A classroom-based course is a better fit if you are responsible for translating strategy into budgets and are looking for practical tools for issues such as budgetary slack or variance analysis.
What is the difference between traditional budgeting and the Beyond Budgeting principles covered in this course?
Traditional budgeting works with a fixed annual budget that is set at the start of the financial year and settled afterwards on the basis of variances. Beyond Budgeting abandons that fixed annual budget and works with rolling forecasts, relative targets and decentralised decision-making. Teams adjust continuously on the basis of current figures and market developments, instead of sticking to a budget drawn up twelve months ago. In the Budgeting and Planning course (classroom) we cover both approaches side by side, including their advantages and disadvantages. You will also learn why more and more financial managers are making the switch: less budgetary slack, a faster response to change and better alignment with the corporate strategy. Which approach suits you best depends on your organisation, sector and management culture.
What does Learnit's Budgeting and Planning course give me that I cannot get from a book or an online article?
The Budgeting and Planning course is classroom-based. You work with an experienced trainer in a small group and discuss situations from your own organisation. That gives you three things a book or article cannot offer. One: direct feedback on your budget cycle, forecasts and variance analysis. Two: a comparison of methods such as Activity-Based Budgeting, Zero-Based Budgeting, Driver-Based models and Beyond Budgeting, applied to recognisable cases. Three: discussion with other finance professionals about budgetary slack, rolling forecasts and translating strategy into realistic budgets. You go home with an approach you can use on Monday, not just with theory. Self-study works well as a reference; for applying things in practice, the classroom format works faster.
How long will it take before I can actually apply what I learn in the Budgeting and Planning course in my work?
The Budgeting and Planning course takes 2 days and is designed to be directly applicable. On day 1 you work on the budget cycle and the various types of budgets (sales, production, cash, profitability, investment and project budgets). On day 2 you practise with methods such as Activity-Based Budgeting, Zero-Based Budgeting, scenario planning and rolling forecasts. Many participants apply parts of the material straight after day 1, for example when drawing up an operating or cash budget. For structural changes, such as a move to Beyond Budgeting or redesigning the budget cycle, expect a few months in practice. The sooner you apply it, the sooner it sticks. The course is taught in a classroom setting.
Which budgeting method from the course is best suited to a fast-growing organisation facing a high degree of uncertainty?
For a fast-growing organisation facing considerable market uncertainty, rolling forecasts and scenario planning (what-if) are often more practical than a fixed annual budget. In Learnit's Budgeting and Planning course (classroom-based) we cover eight methods together with their advantages and disadvantages: Activity-Based Budgeting, Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing, Driver-Based Budget models, resource planning within overhead departments, incremental budgeting, management by objectives, scenario planning and Zero-Based Budgeting. In dynamic environments, Beyond Budgeting principles are often a better fit than traditional annual budgeting, because you adjust continuously on the basis of actuals versus forecast. Which choice suits you depends on your sector, data quality and management philosophy. On day 2 you will learn to make this assessment yourself and link it to your business strategy.
How does this classroom course compare with a more extensive postgraduate controllers programme or a short e-learning on budgeting?
Learnit's Budgeting and Planning course sits between two extremes. A short e-learning module or YouTube tutorial gives you the concepts, but no practice with your own cases and no direct feedback from a trainer. A postgraduate controllers' programme easily takes a year or more, costs thousands of euros and covers far more than budgeting alone. This course focuses specifically on the budget cycle, forecasting, methodologies such as Activity-Based Budgeting, Zero-Based Budgeting and scenario planning, plus Beyond Budgeting. Suitable if you want to gain practically applicable knowledge, not if you are looking for a formal controller's qualification. Classroom-based in a small group, so you can put questions about your own organisation directly to the trainer.
How much does the Budgeting and Planning course cost and how long does it take?

You can find the current price at the top right of this course page, along with the schedule, location and delivery format. For in-company or bespoke courses we are happy to provide a quotation on request.

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Next start date: Tue 9 & Wed 10 February 2027 in Amsterdam, also available online

Free cancellation up to four weeks before the start, so you can secure a place now.

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€ 1250,-excl. VAT · next start Tue 9 Feb
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