The goal seek function in Excel is a finance person’s secret weapon, and I will help you understand how to use it! Have you ever been in one of those grueling budgeting or forecasting sessions, where you have endless discussions about things like revenue and headcount? Usually, the finance person is the one picking up the pieces after the meeting, to make sure everything is correctly reflected in the spreadsheets. Here’s one such spreadsheet: the cash flow forecast spreadsheet. The months are at the top here, then the opening cash balance by month, various types of cash movements (inflows and outflows) during the month, and the expected cash ending balance down here. Now you’ve probably noticed the number in red for June. A negative cash balance. That’s not supposed to happen. That number needs to be at least zero. You bring it up to your manager, who responds “aaah, just plug it”, or “just fix the spreadsheet”. That’s where you take out the secret weapon called “goal seek”: it’s a tool that gives you the ability to calculate backward to obtain an input that would result in a given output. Let’s see how goal seek works.

Use Goal Seek in #Excel to find the result you want by adjusting an input value. If you know the result that you want from a formula, but are not sure what input value the formula needs to get that result, use the #goalseek feature!

The cash flow forecast file is available for download for channel members, I have posted the link on the Community tab for channel members to use. For information on the membership levels and benefits, check https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQQJnyU8fALcOqqpyyIN4sg/join

⏱️TIMESTAMPS⏱️
0:00 When to use goal seek in Excel
1:03 What does goal seek do?
2:05 Goal seek error: cell must contain a value
3:39 Using goal seek on a percentage value
4:35 How to use goal seek to get the right outcome
5:37 Spreadsheet reality vs business reality
6:35 How not to use goal seek
7:36 Goal seek error: cell must contain a formula
7:54 Excel goal seek function summary

Philip de Vroe (The Finance Storyteller) aims to make accounting, finance and investing enjoyable and easier to understand. Learn the business and accounting vocabulary to join the conversation with your CEO at your company. Understand how financial statements work in order to make better investing decisions. Philip delivers #financetraining in various formats: YouTube videos, classroom sessions, webinars, and business simulations. Connect with me through Linked In!

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