The Mistakes in Structure and Data Thinking That Break Models with Mark Proctor

The Mistakes in Structure and Data Thinking That Break Models with Mark Proctor

From Financial Modeler's Corner by Paul Barnhurst AKA The FP&A Guy

May 26, 2026 · 50 min

About this episode

Paul Barnhurst and Mark Proctor discuss the importance of structure and automation in financial modeling and Excel.

In this episode of Financial Modeler’s Corner, host Paul Barnhurst (aka The FP&A Guy ) is joined by guest Mark Proctor. Together, they discuss the intricacies of financial modeling and data analysis, with a focus on building efficient models and leveraging automation in Excel. Mark shares his deep expertise on why structure is key, how to automate tedious tasks, and how Excel continues to evolve to meet the demands of modern financial professionals. Mark Proctor is a seasoned financial professional with a background in accounting and finance, an Excel MVP, and the founder of Excel Off The Grid, a platform dedicated to improving efficiency and effectiveness in Excel. With decades of experience, Mark's insights are invaluable for anyone looking to optimize their use of Excel for financial modeling and beyond. He has helped countless professionals streamline their work through better data structure and automation techniques. Expect to Learn Financial modeling vs. data analysis Automation in Excel with Power Query & Pivot Why VLOOKUP is outdated and modern alternatives Building flexible, stakeholder-friendly models Reducing manual and repetitive Excel tasks Here are a few…

People in this episode

Host: Paul Barnhurst

Guest: Mark Proctor

Topics covered

  • financial modeling
  • data analysis
  • Excel automation
  • Power Query
  • Pivot Tables
  • model structure
  • efficiency in Excel

Keywords

  • financial modeling
  • data analysis
  • Excel automation
  • Power Query
  • Pivot Tables
  • VLOOKUP alternatives
  • stakeholder-friendly models
  • manual adjustments
  • Excel efficiency

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Excel Off The Grid

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