FinRobot is an automatic assembler of financial Models in Microsoft Excel. It allows you to set online parameters for your project and download a financial Model with working formulae and input fields in Microsoft Excel.

When ordering your Model online, sensitive financial data about your business does not need to be inputted, if you prefer not to. Your Model will be delivered with dummy financial data, which can be replaced with your own inputs off-line as needed.

Your Model can be further modified off-line. Unlike the black box solutions, the code and type of formulae are intentionally simple and transparent.

Currently, FinRobot provides six versions of the Model called 'Base Model', 'Case Builder Model', ‘TopLine Model’, ‘Manufacturing Model’, ‘Quick IRR Model’ and ‘Quick RE Development Model’. This Manual describes the functionality of the TopLine Model. To read more about our other Models please refer to their respective manuals (available on-line and as a download in pdf).

Initial understanding of the Model’s layout and templates can be achieved by viewing screenshots of the Model from the Models’ section of our site. Note that yellow fields are data input fields which can be re-populated with data off-line without any risk of unintentionally altering the functionality or structure of the Model.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) has recognised FinRobot’s TopLine Model as being compliant with ICAEW’s Twenty Principles for good spreadsheet practice. The purpose of these Principles is to help reduce the amount of time wasted, and the number of errors caused, by businesses (including accountancy practices) as a consequence of the way they and their employees use spreadsheets.

In compliance with Principle 20 of the Principles, all worksheets of the Model are locked except for designated data input fields. If you need to change working areas of the Model you can unlock any tab by going to the Review menu at the top of Excel and clicking on ‘unprotect sheet’ button. Default password is finrobot, but you may wish to substitute a password of your own choice in place of the default. We recommend the Model is locked again after any planned changes to avoid accidental overwrites by end users.

Please ensure you make a back-up after downloading your Model.

* Users should be aware that the Topline Model does not cover all aspects of good spreadsheet practice and therefore should ensure that they follow the best practice appropriate to their specific circumstances when relying upon spreadsheets.

Our Models have been successfully tested for Microsoft Office Excel 2007-2013. If your installation of Microsoft Office is different, you may wish to use free Microsoft Office converters. However, we do not guarantee that the Model will retain all of its functionality and graphical representations if opened in a different version of Microsoft Office. 

Sibling of Base Model, Topline Model has more functionality on the top line and allows you to -

  • Set your own start date and calendar for forecast periods: years, quarters, or months;
  • Model revenues by customer traffic or sales volume and create up to ten product lines or user groups –
  • each user group is modelled off customers’ acquisition and retention rates and an average spend (check) per customer
  • each product group models gross revenues by volume and price per product and then assigns sales to up to four sales channels varied by price discounts or rebates by channel
  • Assign up to five direct cost elements for each product line or user group, driven by cost per user/unit or by general inflation factors, as desired;
  • Model and populate separate schedules for overhead costs for up to five line items, fixed or variable, as desired;
  • Set parameters for your opening balance sheet and working capital requirements, book future CapEx program (the Model will automatically work out its depreciation schedule);
  • Calculate income tax by taking into account potential loss carry forwards;
  • Simulate three reporting forms: balance sheet, profit and loss statement, and cash flow statement;
  • Calculate NPV and IRR for business or a project;
  • Save time with an easy interface to rename key elements of your revenue and cost items to suit your business environment, again with the ability to make later changes in Excel

The TopLine Model provides more additional flexibilities and built-in functionality as described in this Manual.