Programme Agenda

Three days and twelve modules: intelligent budgeting and forecasting, then financial reporting, dashboards and analytics, then cost optimisation, governance and implementation.

3Training days

12Modules

190-day AI finance action plan

Day 1 – AI in Finance, Intelligent Budgeting & Forecasting. What AI can and cannot do for finance, and how to build budgets and forecasts on better data.

Module 1

Introduction to AI in Finance

Overview of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and automation in finance
How AI is changing budgeting, reporting and cost management
AI vs traditional finance tools
Opportunities and limitations of AI in finance departments
Common AI use cases in corporate, public sector and project finance environments

Module 2

Building a Data-Driven Budgeting Framework

Traditional budgeting challenges
Moving from static budgets to dynamic and rolling forecasts
Data requirements for intelligent budgeting
Integrating historical data, operational data and market indicators
Improving budget assumptions using analytics

Module 3

AI-Driven Forecasting and Scenario Planning

Using AI for revenue, expense and cash flow forecasting
Predictive budgeting and trend analysis
Scenario planning for best-case, worst-case and expected outcomes
Sensitivity analysis and what-if modelling
Early-warning indicators for budget overruns

Module 4

Practical Budgeting Applications

AI-supported departmental budgeting
Capital expenditure budgeting
Project and programme budgeting
Public sector budget planning considerations
Budget consolidation and automated budget review

Day 2 – Intelligent Financial Reporting, Dashboards & Analytics. Cut manual reporting work, explain performance clearly and monitor it in real time.

Module 5

Automating Financial Reporting

Challenges in manual financial reporting
AI and automation in monthly, quarterly and annual reporting
Automated report generation and commentary
Reducing reporting errors and duplication
Using AI to explain financial performance trends

Module 6

Financial Dashboards and Real-Time Reporting

Designing finance dashboards for executives and managers
Key financial KPIs and performance indicators
Budget vs actual dashboards
Cash flow, profitability and cost dashboards
Visual storytelling for financial decision-making

Module 7

Variance Analysis and Performance Monitoring

AI-assisted variance detection
Identifying unusual transactions and spending patterns
Explaining budget deviations
Linking financial performance to operational drivers
Creating automated alerts for financial risks

Module 8

AI Tools for Finance Teams

Overview of practical AI tools and platforms
Using Excel, Power BI and AI assistants for finance reporting
Prompting AI tools for financial analysis and report commentary
Data privacy and confidentiality considerations
Human review and quality control of AI-generated outputs

Day 3 – Cost Optimization, Governance & Implementation. Find savings that last, keep AI use controlled and leave with a plan for your own finance team.

Module 9

AI-Driven Cost Optimization

Understanding cost structures and cost behaviour
Identifying cost drivers using data analytics
Detecting inefficiencies, waste and duplicate spending
AI-supported procurement and supplier cost analysis
Optimising operational, project and overhead costs

Module 10

Strategic Cost Reduction Without Damaging Performance

Cost reduction vs value creation
Prioritising savings opportunities
Cost-benefit analysis of business activities
Optimising resource allocation
Using AI to support productivity and efficiency improvement

Module 11

Risk, Ethics and Governance of AI in Finance

Risks of using AI in financial decision-making
Bias, inaccurate outputs and over-reliance on AI
Financial controls and audit trails
Data governance and access controls
POPIA, confidentiality and responsible AI use
Role of finance professionals in validating AI outputs

Module 12

AI Implementation Roadmap for Finance Teams

Assessing finance department readiness
Selecting the right AI use cases
Building a business case for AI adoption
Managing change and staff adoption
Developing policies, controls and approval workflows
Creating a practical 90-day AI finance action plan

Practical activityCreate a practical 90-day AI finance action plan for your own team

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Certification

ICL Certificate of Completion

Delegates who attend the full programme receive the Institute of Corporate Learning Certificate of Completion on the final day.

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Spend less time building the numbers and more time using them.

Classroom in Pretoria & Johannesburg or Live Online · Pretoria 25–27 Nov 2026 · Johannesburg 27–29 Jan 2027 · Live Online 25–27 Nov 2026 or 27–29 Jan 2027. Seats are limited to keep the sessions interactive.