Math for Business Operations

Applied Accounting with Excel

Capstone · Week 4

Start‑up Budget

Sort your costs: CapEx vs. OpEx. Build a clean expense log that rolls into a monthly budget. Use drop‑downs for category codes.

Grading follows the capstone Rubrics.

What to include
Accuracy and structure
  • Expense log: date, vendor, amount, category, notes.
  • Validation: flag if category is missing or invalid.
  • Roll‑up: monthly totals by category.
  • Short note: top three cost drivers to watch.
Excel Requirements
Categories, validation, and roll‑ups
  • Create a category list with codes (e.g., CAPEX‑EQUIP, OPEX‑RENT).
  • Use data validation drop‑downs for category in the log.
  • Use SUMIF/SUMIFS to roll up by month and category.
  • Add a simple error flag column if category cell is blank.
Quality Checks
Numbers you can trust
  • Totals in the roll‑up match the log (spot‑check a few items).
  • Categories are consistent and labeled; no “misc” catch‑all.
  • Formatting is clear: currency, dates, and headings are readable.
Submission
What to turn in
  • Excel file with expense log, category list, and monthly roll‑up.
  • Short write‑up (3–5 sentences) on biggest cost drivers and any risks.