Model Architecture Template

When to use

Use this skill at the very start of any new Excel model build -- before a single formula is written -- to establish the structural foundation. Trigger it when a team is starting a new model from scratch, when a model has been handed over from another team and needs to be restructured to a consistent standard, or when an organization wants to establish a house standard for all Excel models. It is the most upstream skill in the Modelling OS category and produces the empty architectural shell that all other skills populate.

What it does

Produces a complete master architecture for any new strategy or finance Excel model: the full tab set with naming conventions, purpose, and color labels; a conventions sheet defining color codes, font sizes, number formats, and structural rules; print area and page setup for every tab; and a version history system. This is the skeleton into which all content skills (DCF, Scenario Model, KPI Dashboard) are built.

Method

1. Define the universal tab set. Every strategy or finance model, regardless of its specific purpose, should include these structural tabs: