Accounting for Non-accountants

The course has been developed around the essential elements of accounting and finance, but specifically has an emphasis on performance and decision making. It is intended to provide a good understanding of accounting for non-accountants. It explores a number of accounting and finance initiatives that help us as managers in our decision making especially as we strive to attain the performance that is expected for the organisation.

It helps you develop an understanding of accounting and finance by showing both the differences between the two as well as their scope and limitations. In doing so, you will hopefully see that the lines of demarcation between the two strands are being continuously minimised to the extent that in the current business context both finance and accounting are almost merged in their use. The course has an emphasis on performance: both its measurement as well as issues around its production. The course will also cover the more qualitative aspects of accounting within such areas as, for example, capital investment appraisal, as well as some emerging issues for accounting and finance.

Content

The course consists of nine substantive (one hour) sessions and one revision session:

1. Introduction
2. Cost Volume Profit (CVP) relationships and interpreting financial statements
3. The nature of CVP relationships in order to make decisions on maximising resources
4. The nature of costs
5. The changing world of budgets and budgeting
6. Management control
7. The nature of capital investment decisions and why they are so important
8. The value added approach
9. Revision of the main themes
10. Revision

By the end of the course you should be able to:

• Describe the differences between financial and management accounting
• Examine the use of the profit and loss and balance sheets along with understanding theirrelationship to one another
• Outline the nature and importance of cash as the important resource of the firm
• Identify the differing needs within various operational contexts for ratio analysis
• Describe the wider purpose and operational context of budgets in the current business environment, including the Capital markets
• Use the various financial techniques involved in investment appraisal
• Identify appropriate methods to adopt for overhead cost recovery including activity-based costing
• Explain the wider purpose and operational context of management control, including the importance of the outside operational environment and its evolution to a focus on performance

The course is intended for directors and managers of private, not for profit and public sector organisations who do not work in finance or accounting but who want to understand the subject.

There are no entry requirements, although you should have a reasonable level of English and Mathematics.

Anyone who wants to understand and learn about accounting and finance to help them in their day to day work and long term career development.

Certificate of completion

Digital certificate - Included