How to complete the model

Complete the model in the order below. Each stage improves the reliability of the next one.

1. Frame the decision. Write a specific go/no-go question, objective, owner, sponsor, timing, constraints, and non-financial success criteria.
2. Set the evaluation basis. Choose a start month and a horizon long enough to show ramp-up, seasonality, break-even, and payback. Record currency, opening cash, minimum reserve, discount rate, inflation, and optional targets.
3. Document critical assumptions. Capture demand, price, capacity, timing, cost, financing, and economic assumptions. Give high-impact assumptions an owner, evidence, confidence, and validation action.
4. Build understandable line items. Enter income and costs as one-time, recurring, units × rate, or manual monthly items. Separate operating, investing/startup, and financing cash.
5. Inspect the monthly worksheet. Confirm timing, totals, opening and closing cash, manual overrides, and reserve breaches. Do not hide a funding gap with financing proceeds without explaining the financing plan.
6. Stress the case. Compare base, downside, and upside scenarios. The downside must reflect plausible adverse combinations, not a token percentage change.
7. Review the dashboard and warnings. Read liquidity, NPV, ROI, payback, IRR, margin, evidence gaps, and scenario spread together.
8. Record executive judgment. Select go, conditional go, no-go, or defer; explain why; list conditions, risks, and next actions.
9. Publish the report. Verify the web report and PDF against the saved version before presenting it.

Do not mark a model decision-ready when a material income assumption is unvalidated, startup costs are incomplete, the downside case is missing, or the funding source for a cash deficit is unclear.