Leading the Budgeting Process

Program Curriculum

Run a collaborative budgeting process

A budget created by finance alone lacks the depth necessary to improve decision-making. Learn how to engage the cross-functional leadership team.

What you will learn

Create annual budgets that help leaders make better decisions and set you up for the next step in your finance career.

Module 1
Introduction to the Planning Process

• Objectives, Desired Results, and Dependencies of:
  • Long Range Planning
  • Annual Budgeting
  • Target Setting
  • External Guidance
  • Forecasting
• Planning Across Different Firm Sizes
  • Illustrative Examples for Small, Medium, and Large Companies
  • Differences in Characteristics, Focus, and Challenges

Module 2
Planning Best Practices 

• How to Create a Long-range Plan
• Defining Targets
• Developing External Guidance

Module 3
Understanding Annual Budgeting

• Top-down versus Bottom-up Planning
• Budgeting: Roles and Responsibilities
• Pros and Cons of Annual Budgeting
• Budgets that Support Decision-Making

Module 4
Leading the Annual Budgeting Process

• Pre Kick-Off Phase
  • Learning from the Previous Year's Budget
  • Improving Speed
  • Creating Trackability
  • Defining Ownership Structures
  • Budget Timelines
• Joint Planning Phase
  • Collecting Inputs: The Budget Template
  • Gap Closing
  • Encouraging Cross-functional Collaboration
  • Managing Risks & Opportunities
• Consolidation Phase
  • Building Speed and Accuracy
• Iteration Phase
  • Addressing Alignment Issues
• Final Alignment Phase
  • Crafting the Budget Deck

Enroll now and immediately start learning how to lead the annual budgeting process:

Your investment is 100% risk-free

If you don’t find the course valuable, we’ll happily refund your full payment until 7 days after your purchase date.

Your Instructor

Christian Wattig is an accomplished FP&A expert and educator with over a decade of leadership experience in multinational corporations and fast-growing tech start-ups. 

He worked in FP&A leadership roles at Procter & Gamble, Unilever, and Squarespace.

Christian shares his FP&A expertise as the Director of the Wharton School's FP&A Certificate Program and as a corporate trainer through his own company, FP&A Prep. 

Christian Wattig

Online Course

Navigate each of the five phases of annual planning

We'll walk you through from budget kick-off to final alignment so you can avoid common mistakes and lead the process confidently.

Create a budget that helps leaders make decisions

A budget needs to remain useful even when variances to actuals become significant. You'll learn how leading companies achieve it.

Based on budgeting best-practices followed at:

...and many other companies.

Take the Next Step in your Finance Career:

Frequently Asked Questions

What will I learn from this program?

In short, you will learn job-ready planning and budgeting skills. By the end of the course, you will be able to lead the annual budgeting process confidently.


I want to transition into FP&A from a different field. Is this course for me?

Many job seekers successfully land FP&A roles coming from other fields like accounting, treasury, banking, or even non-finance careers. Since budgeting is a core task of almost all FP&A roles, being able to hit the ground running is critical.


I’m already in FP&A and plan to apply for a more senior role. Can this course help me?

During the budgeting process, you interact with senior leaders across the company. Additionally, budgeting is one of the few company-wide processes where FP&A leads from start to finish. That means it's a fantastic opportunity to establish yourself as a competent leader who is ready to take on more responsibility in a senior role.

I don't work in Finance, but I have budgeting and planning responsibilities. Is this course for me?

This course focuses on process, rather than financial theory. That means the planning and budgeting skills we cover are widely applicable across functions. So, if you are tasked with planning the supply chain, headcount, or product launches, you will pick up skills you can implement right away.


How much time will it take to complete this course?

Most learners will spend about five hours watching the video lessons, reading the materials, and doing the exercises.


What’s the format of the lessons?

You’ll learn through video lessons that you can speed up or slow down to learn at your own pace. Additionally, you'll get templates and downloadable slides that are detailed enough to stand on their own, as well as hands-on exercises with provided solutions. 


Is there a community included in the course?

When you enroll in the program, you’ll gain access to a private LinkedIn group, where you can connect and network with peers and hiring managers.


How long will I have access to the course?

You have lifetime access to all materials.


What’s the refund policy?

If you complete the lessons and still don’t find the course valuable, we’ll happily refund your full payment until 7 days after your purchase date.


How do I register for this program?

Click the "Enroll Now" button below to register for the budgeting course.

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Format: On-demand Videos, Exercises
Duration: 4.5 hours
Price: $500

Christian trained over 500 finance professionals, including: