Financial Modeling with Crystal Ball and Excel (Wiley Finance) (Paperback)

by John Charnes (Author)
Key Phrases: expansion point, overlay chart, trend chart, Crystal Ball, Decision Table, Cancel Help (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Praise for
Financial Modeling with Crystal Ball(r) and Excel(r)

"Professor Charnes's book drives clarity into applied Monte Carlo analysis using examples and tools relevant to real-world finance. The book will prove useful for analysts of all levels and as a supplement to academic courses in multiple disciplines."
-Mark Odermann, Senior Financial Analyst, Microsoft

"Think you really know financial modeling? This is a must-have for power Excel users. Professor Charnes shows how to make more realistic models that result in fewer surprises. Every analyst needs this credibility booster."
-James Franklin, CEO, Decisioneering, Inc.

"This book packs a first-year MBA's worth of financial and business modeling education into a few dozen easy-to-understand examples. Crystal Ball software does the housekeeping, so readers can concentrate on the business decision. A careful reader who works the examples on a computer will master the best general-purpose technology available for working with uncertainty."
-Aaron Brown, Executive Director, Morgan Stanley, author of The Poker Face of Wall Street

"Using Crystal Ball and Excel, John Charnes takes you step by step, demonstrating a conceptual framework that turns static Excel data and financial models into true risk models. I am astonished by the clarity of the text and the hands-on, step-by-step examples using Crystal Ball and Excel; Professor Charnes is a masterful teacher, and this is an absolute gem of a book for the new generation of analyst."
-Brian Watt, Chief Operating Officer, GECC, Inc.

"Financial Modeling with Crystal Ball and Excel is a comprehensive, well-written guide to one of the most useful analysis tools available to professional risk managers and quantitative analysts. This is a must-have book for anyone using Crystal Ball, and anyone wanting an overview of basic risk management concepts."
-Paul Dietz, Manager, Quantitative Analysis, Westar Energy

"John Charnes presents an insightful exploration of techniques for analysis and understanding of risk and uncertainty in business cases. By application of real options theory and Monte Carlo simulation to planning, doors are opened to analysis of what used to be impossible, such as modeling the value today of future project choices."
-Bruce Wallace, Nortel

From the Back Cover

Praise for
Financial Modeling with Crystal Ball® and Excel®

"Professor Charnes's book drives clarity into applied Monte Carlo analysis using examples and tools relevant to real-world finance. The book will prove useful for analysts of all levels and as a supplement to academic courses in multiple disciplines."
—Mark Odermann, Senior Financial Analyst, Microsoft

"Think you really know financial modeling? This is a must-have for power Excel users. Professor Charnes shows how to make more realistic models that result in fewer surprises. Every analyst needs this credibility booster."
—James Franklin, CEO, Decisioneering, Inc.

"This book packs a first-year MBA's worth of financial and business modeling education into a few dozen easy-to-understand examples. Crystal Ball software does the housekeeping, so readers can concentrate on the business decision. A careful reader who works the examples on a computer will master the best general-purpose technology available for working with uncertainty."
—Aaron Brown, Executive Director, Morgan Stanley, author of The Poker Face of Wall Street

"Using Crystal Ball and Excel, John Charnes takes you step by step, demonstrating a conceptual framework that turns static Excel data and financial models into true risk models. I am astonished by the clarity of the text and the hands-on, step-by-step examples using Crystal Ball and Excel; Professor Charnes is a masterful teacher, and this is an absolute gem of a book for the new generation of analyst."
—Brian Watt, Chief Operating Officer, GECC, Inc.

"Financial Modeling with Crystal Ball and Excel is a comprehensive, well-written guide to one of the most useful analysis tools available to professional risk managers and quantitative analysts. This is a must-have book for anyone using Crystal Ball, and anyone wanting an overview of basic risk management concepts."
—Paul Dietz, Manager, Quantitative Analysis, Westar Energy

"John Charnes presents an insightful exploration of techniques for analysis and understanding of risk and uncertainty in business cases. By application of real options theory and Monte Carlo simulation to planning, doors are opened to analysis of what used to be impossible, such as modeling the value today of future project choices."
—Bruce Wallace, Nortel

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Wiley (March 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471779725
• ISBN-13: 978-0471779728
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #248,332 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars goes beyond deterministic assumptions, June 23, 2007

By	W Boudville (Terra, Sol 3) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

The book is all about simulations. In financial modelling, as opposed to engineering or science. Readers from the latter 2 fields who have coded simulations will find much in common. The specific equations in the text for finance are largely different from what you've met before. But the basic treatment is essentially the same.

Typically, the text will describe some financial equation. The Crystal Ball program lets you easily generate random data as input to simulations, which it then runs.

Despite Excel in the book's title, the book is mostly about using Crystal Ball. Charnes shows how you can go well beyond a simple deterministic treatment of an income statement or balance sheet. Typically, most companies just use the deterministic approach. The danger is that this approach relies on certain assumptions. Using Crystal Ball and the book, you can test the effect of relaxing these assumptions on the balance sheet. A more robust approach to financial planning.

4.0 out of 5 stars Good but typos must be excised in the next edition, December 1, 2008

By	Beau Sabreur (San Antonio, texas United States) - See all my reviews

It is a good technical book, especially for thosse who are used to work with crystal ball software, as a way to revise your knowledge and the versatility of the techniques. The only problem is that the book contains a great number of typos, some mistakes, text and titles which do not correspond to the numbering on the outline. The good thing is that it is relatively easy to spot them. All in all, I recommend the book, and expect that the next edition will be revised.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not much better than the origianl user manual, December 30, 2008

By	C. Chen (New York) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is not all that useful compared to the original user manual. I expected some basic examples of bond defaults, but it goes over what is already in the user manual. Also, the examples are not very well developed. This is for very basic users who should just read the user manual.