The Analyst Lab: SG&A Variance Analysis

This is the lab that comes with a verified completion credential, one you earn by getting the answers right.

Your accounting courses covered debits and credits. They didn't cover the raw GL export your manager drops in your inbox on Monday morning. The Analyst Lab is that Monday morning, without the career risk.

You're the new FP&A analyst at NovaTrade Consumer Co. Close just finished. Your manager needs the SG&A variance pack for Friday's leadership review, and the GL export is raw, problems included. Your job is to map it, clean it, roll it up, and explain the three biggest variances.

Everything you need is in the box:

• The workbook. Two months of raw GL detail, the chart of accounts, and the budget, already loaded in one Excel workbook, with a progress panel that ticks off each step as it ties out
• The lab. Five steps, about 90 minutes, with the exact Excel clicks and formulas for each. Two data quality problems are hiding in the data, and every step ends with a check number so you know you're on track
• The field guide. Read the GL, the 6-part field guide (GL anatomy, mapping tables, data quality checks, rollups, variance memos), written like a senior analyst training you on your first Monday
• The credential. Submit your workbook, pass a short verification Q&A (8 questions, 7 to pass), and earn a BTA Verified Completion Credential for your resume and LinkedIn profile

The verification is objective. The dataset has known correct answers, so the credential says you got them. That's what makes it worth listing, and what makes your finished workbook worth showing in an interview.

Who it's for: Accounting and finance students, recent grads in analyst or FP&A roles, and CPA/CFA candidates who want to prove they can do the work before someone gives them the chance to.

Built by a CFO with 15+ years in FP&A. One purchase, instant download, work at your own pace. 30-day money-back guarantee.