Analysis and presentation
Scenario switches
Build downside, base and upside cases on the Inputs tab and switch the whole model with one cell.
Learning objectives
- Lay out scenario assumptions with a live case that feeds the model
- Build a scenario switch with CHOOSE or INDEX
- Compare outputs across scenarios and explain what drives the difference
A single forecast is a point estimate, and decisions are made on ranges. A lender sizes a loan on the downside case; a board approves a store rollout after seeing what happens if like-for-like sales disappoint. A scenario switch lets one model show all of these cases, consistently, by changing one cell.
This lesson adds a switch to a condensed version of Rawdah Home Retail Co.'s forecast. Rawdah Home Retail Co. is a fictional retailer; all figures are SAR millions and illustrative.
Layout: for each driver that varies by scenario, the Inputs tab holds one row per scenario (downside, base, upside) and a live case row below them. The live row picks the active scenario's value, and the rest of the model reads only the live row. A selector cell at the top of Inputs (1, 2 or 3) controls everything.
Included with a Formula Quest membership
The rest of this lesson is for members. Members get the full lesson, including its 3 graded exercises, and every other Finance Quest lesson.