Excel like a finance pro.
Keep base, upside and downside in one file
AltA, W, STables & dataNamed sets of inputs you can switch between, instead of three copies of the workbook.
Difficulty
1What it does
The usual way to hold three scenarios is three files, and within a week nobody can say what differs between them. Scenario Manager stores named sets of values for the same input cells and swaps them in on demand — and its Summary button produces the side-by-side comparison table you'd otherwise build by hand. The constraint is that it only stores INPUTS, up to 32 cells, so it suits a model with a tight assumption block and not one where the changes are scattered.
2The shortcut
- 1
Alt + A,W,S, then **Add**. Name the scenario and select the input cells it covers. - 2Type the values for that scenario. Repeat for each one — the same cells, different numbers.
- 3**Show** swaps a scenario in. **Summary** builds the comparison table on a new sheet.
3Before → after
Press the shortcut to play it on a sample sheet.
Scenario: Base
| A | B | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Revenue | $486,000 |
| 2 | Gross margin % | 38% |
| 3 | Operating expenses | $164,000 |
| 4 | Net income | $20,680 |
One file, three named sets of INPUTS. It stores inputs only — up to 32 cells — so it suits a model with a tight assumption block.
4When you use it
- Hold base, upside and downside without three files diverging.
- Produce the scenario comparison a board asks for, as a table.
- Record what the assumptions actually were when a plan was approved.
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