Exporting Your Financial Model
Exporting lets you download your IdeaFuel financial model as a standalone file you can share with investors, advisors, co-founders, or your accountant. IdeaFuel supports two export formats: Excel and PDF.
"In a nutshell" — Use Excel when you want an interactive workbook your audience can explore and modify. Use PDF when you need a polished, read-only report for presentations. Both formats include all scenarios and your break-even analysis.
Excel Export#
The Excel export produces a professional workbook that goes far beyond a static spreadsheet.
What You Get
- Real formulas — Every cell contains a live formula, not a hard-coded value. Change an assumption and the entire workbook recalculates, just like it does inside IdeaFuel.
- Named ranges — Key inputs and outputs use descriptive named ranges (e.g.,
MonthlyChurnRate,TotalRevenue_Y1) so formulas are easy to read and audit. - Scenario toggle sheets — A dedicated sheet lets you switch between your base, optimistic, pessimistic, and custom scenarios. The financial statements update automatically when you select a different scenario.
- Structured tabs — Separate worksheets for Assumptions, P&L, Cash Flow, Balance Sheet, and Break-Even so everything is organized.
How to Export Excel
- Open your model and click Export in the top toolbar.
- Select Excel (.xlsx).
- Choose which scenarios to include (all by default).
- Click Download.
Tip: Share the Excel file with financially sophisticated investors or advisors who want to dig into your numbers and test their own assumptions.
PDF Export#
The PDF export creates a presentation-ready document designed for readability rather than interactivity.
What You Get
- Formatted statements — Your P&L, Cash Flow, and Balance Sheet rendered in clean, print-friendly tables.
- Charts and graphs — Revenue growth, cash runway, and break-even visualizations embedded directly in the report.
- AI narrative summaries — IdeaFuel's AI writes plain-language analysis of each statement, highlighting key trends, risks, and milestones. This saves you from having to interpret every number for your audience.
- Scenario comparison — A summary page comparing key metrics across all your scenarios.
How to Export PDF
- Open your model and click Export in the top toolbar.
- Select PDF.
- Optionally customize the cover page with your company name and logo.
- Click Generate PDF. The file is ready to download in a few seconds.
Pro Feature: PDF export with AI narratives is available on Pro and Enterprise plans. Free accounts can export to Excel only.
When to Use Each Format#
| Situation | Recommended Format |
|---|---|
| Investor due diligence | Excel — they will want to explore and stress-test |
| Pitch deck appendix | PDF — clean and self-contained |
| Board meeting | PDF — easy to present on screen or print |
| Working with your accountant or CFO | Excel — they can integrate with their own tools |
| Quick share with a co-founder | Either — PDF for a summary, Excel for collaboration |
Sharing Best Practices#
- Version your exports. Include the date or scenario name in the filename (e.g.,
Acme_FinModel_BaseCase_2026-03.xlsx) so recipients know which version they are reviewing. - Add context. When emailing an export, include a brief note explaining which scenario is your base case and what the key assumptions are. The PDF's AI narratives do this automatically.
- Protect sensitive data. If your model includes confidential assumptions, consider sharing a PDF (which cannot be easily edited) rather than an Excel file.
Note: ERP integration with QuickBooks and Xero for syncing actual financial data into your model is coming soon for Enterprise accounts.
Next Steps#
- Make sure your assumptions are up to date before exporting.
- Create at least three scenarios (base, optimistic, pessimistic) so your export tells a complete story.
- Return to the Financial Modeling overview for links to all related guides.