Concepts of financial models

The use of computers in financial planning has become an area of increasing interest to financial management and data processing users. Computing systems facilitate the use of financial models in that they allow for the storage and retrieval of a representation of a financial plan and also for the evaluation of the consequences of “what if” conditions. Thus a financial model is a tool that can assist in the entire business planning process whether it be forecasting, cash management, or projection of profits. This paper presents introductory concepts that provide a basis for systems design and implementation of financial models. Described are the terminology, the basic components of financial models, and two general approaches to the construction of these models.