Web Course: June 17-21, 2024 -

Business Planning with Microfin
Zoom Group Training
December 11-15, 2023 | June 17-24, 2024

Business Planning with Microfin will again be taught through an online training platform. This course has a reduced time commitment, no travel costs, and allows participants to interact with each other and the instructor as the basics of Microfin are taught through the live input of a specially designed case study, reflecting real life solutions to data challenges some have faced with Microfin.

This course is targeted primarily to those who have little or no experience with Microfin, however as questions are proposed, solutions will be explained for the more advanced user. The case study will be sent ahead of time, allowing participants the opportunity to discover and experiment with data entry on their own, prior to each session, in advance of the formal training.

The course is offered on the dates listed above in two-hour sessions each day with two start times as follows, based on demand:

The cost of the training for 2023 is USD 700. Registration and payment must be made one week before the course date. Wire transfer, credit card, paypal, and venmo are all accepted.

This Microfin training differs from the in-person training in several important elements. There is no way to consolidate 30+ hours of training over 5 days into just 10 hours with internet based training. Much of the rich discussion and interaction among participants cannot take place. Strategic business planning theory will not be presented. If participants want to get full benefit from the training, they will need to take careful notes and diligently review the case study and be creative in imagining how the case study will apply to their unique situation. And ask questions.

All those issues aside, this training is offered for those individuals who would like the training, but find the logistics (visa, hotel, airfare) too expensive or impossible to navigate. Note the registration fee is half of the cost of an in person training. And through both types of training, the participants will be shown how to manipulate the appropriate inputs and create accurate financial projections.

Howard Brady, a seasoned microfinance consultant of 27 years, will perform the training. Howard has been a Microfin instructor with Chuck Waterfield, the original author of the software, since 2000. In April 2016, Howard assumed the future development and maintenance of Microfin. Howard's consultancies have helped increase the efficiency and effectiveness of MFIs worldwide, have helped organizations find solutions to delinquency issues, and have created appropriate internal audit and internal control environments. Howard integrates his first hand experiences into his teaching to provide practical solutions to complex issues facing MFIs today.

Use this online form to register

A detailed, day by day agenda follows:

Microfin Training Agenda

Day 1:

Introduction to Microfin. What it does, how it does it, what you can expect from it. Important elements of working with Microfin, including recalculation of the worksheet, memory and space considerations, and remembering to test assumptions with real data factor into the introduction.

Each Microfin section will then be presented in segments. A period for questions and answers will be taken after each segment.

Segment 1:

Model Setup Sheet: System Parameters including operating mode, consolidated or multi branch/region mode, inflation, indexing, and historical financial statements

Segment 2:

Products Sheet: Loan Products and how to divide overall loan portfolio

Segment 3:

Product Design Sheet: Average loan size by cycle, Repayment frequency and term, Grace period, Compulsory savings, Interest calculation method, Interest rate charged, Credit insurance

Day 2:

Segment 1:

Product Activity Sheet: Initial balances, number of active loans, client retention, resting or delayed disbursements

Segment 2:

Products Sheet: Agent or insurer of credit insurance, Line of credit product parameters, compulsory and voluntary savings parameters

Segment 3:

Graphs Page: Introduction to Loan projection graphs
Branch Page: Line of credit projections, compulsory and voluntary savings projections, credit insurance projections

Day 3:

Segment 1:

Branch Page: Loan loss provision and write off, loan officer analysis, number of branches

Segment 2:

Inst. Cap. Page: Branch office and Head office staffing
Branch Page: Branch office staffing and staffing costs
Head Office: Head office staffing and staffing costs

Segment 3:

Inst. Cap. Page: Branch and head office other operating costs
Branch Page: Details of operating costs
Head Office Page: Details of operating costs

Day 4:

Segment 1:

Inst. Cap. Page: Branch and Head office Fixed Asset definitions
Branch Page: Fixed Asset details and projections
Head Office Page: Fixed Asset details and projections

Segment 2:

Inst. Cap. Page: Building, Other Asset, and In-kind subsidy
Head Office Page: Tax calculations, In-kind subsidy analysis

Segment 3:

Fin Sources Page: Unrestricted and Restricted Sources (beginning balances, interest rates, indexing to foreign currency), Initial cash balances, Liquidity requirements, Market rate cost of funds, Interest Rate refinements

Day 5:

Segment 1:

Fin Flows Page: Detailed financing by source, automated default funding sources, investment strategy (income on investments), cash flows,

Segment 2:

Advanced topics: Advanced Mode, Navigator Page, Optional tools, Export/Import, Variance Analysis, and other tools.

Segment 3:

“How to?” questions and answers

: Last Updated: 24 June 2023