What to be able to hand over
A consulting spreadsheet should make the recommendation easy to challenge. Separate the question, assumptions, calculation and conclusion so a client can see what drives the answer.
- A transparent options comparison
- Keep fixed costs and variable rates separate, and test demand on both sides of a break-even point.
- A defensible recommendation
- State the decision rule, identify the trade-off and show which assumption would reverse your conclusion.
- A client-ready handover
- Use consistent units, source notes and a short written explanation that stands up outside the meeting.
Build beyond this course
Client discovery, industry knowledge, structured problem solving and presentation skills extend beyond spreadsheet exercises. Management analyst roles commonly expect related work experience as well as education.
Occupational context: BLS: Management analysts. The handover examples above are our practice suggestions.
Work to practise
- Translate a verbal supplier offer into two cost lines.
- Find the demand at which the offers cost the same.
- Explain the recommendation at more than one demand level.
All examples use original synthetic data. Source row numbers and column letters are shown so you can reproduce the formulas.
Choose a supplier for a small workshop
Find the equal-cost volume. Compare total cost for 100 and 200 packs under the stated fee schedules.
USD and whole packs; no tax, capacity constraints or service-quality adjustment.
| Row | A · Supplier | B · Fixed fee USD | C · Fee per pack USD |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Harbor | 600 | 8 |
| 3 | Meadow | 240 | 11 |
| Row | A · Case | B · Packs |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Lower | 100 |
| 7 | Higher | 200 |
Worked solution and complete results
Equal-cost volume · D2
=(B2-B3)/(C3-C2)Result: 120
Harbor at 100 · D3
=B2+C2*B6Result: 1400
Meadow at 100 · D4
=B3+C3*B6Result: 1340
Harbor at 200 · D5
=B2+C2*B7Result: 2200
Meadow at 200 · D6
=B3+C3*B7Result: 2440
A mistake to catch
Comparing only the unit fee makes Harbor look cheaper at every volume and omits its larger fixed fee.
Correction. Use fixed fee plus unit fee times demand for each offer. Solve the point of equality and check a demand level on each side.
Read the result
Meadow is USD 60 cheaper at 100 packs. Harbor is USD 240 cheaper at 200 packs. Both cost USD 1,560 at 120 packs. The model assumes constant rates and equal service.
Practise the skills in order
- Absolute references Read the guide, then open the actual lesson.
- Break-even units Read the guide, then open the actual lesson.
- SUMPRODUCT Read the guide, then open the actual lesson.
- INDEX with MATCH Read the guide, then open the actual lesson.
- SUMIFS Read the guide, then open the actual lesson.
- Column and line charts Read the guide, then open the actual lesson.
Start with arithmetic and absolute references. This bounded scenario does not cover every consulting case format or establish interview readiness.
Practice break-even volumePay and remote work
U.S. pay reference
- Published occupation
- Management analysts
- Median annual wage
- USD 101,860
- Location and period
- United States · May 2025
A relevant benchmark for management consulting and organizational advice. Strategy, technology and independent consulting may use different pay models; this employee estimate excludes self-employed workers.
These BLS figures cover employees across work arrangements. They are not a remote-only salary, an entry-level offer or an earnings outcome from this course. Median means half earn more and half earn less.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook. Reviewed . Values are U.S. dollars; no currency conversion is applied.
Read a remote posting carefully
Remote delivery can still involve client travel. Check the project’s location, workshop expectations and working hours before comparing a consulting offer to a fully home-based role.
Check the allowed country or state, working hours, employment or contractor status, and the currency and components of the offer. A remote role can still have location restrictions and locally set pay.
One employer example: GitLab’s candidate handbook says to check each listing’s hiring country. Its current compensation policy uses local market data and local-currency ranges. This is an illustration of employer policy, not a claim about every remote job.
Continue in a downloadable workbook
Interview spreadsheet practice
Practise a mixed original work sample covering references, conditional totals, exact lookup and a short report.
USD for invented service orders. This is an original practice sample, not any employer's actual test or a qualification.
Bank version 2026-11-02. Includes Instructions, Practice, AnswerKey; 11 live answer formulas. All source records are invented for education.
The download is an additional practice task. Its Instructions sheet identifies the source coordinates; this page’s illustrative example may use different records.
- Working answers use scalar Excel 2007+ functions. No macros, external links or dynamic-array dependency. Native Excel has not been launched for verification.