The Effective Accounts Assistant

Overview:

Introduction:

Understanding and interpreting financial information are essential for all levels of personnel, both within and outside the finance function, if they are to properly contribute to the success of the business.

Conference Objectives:

At the end of this conference the participants will be able to: 

• Understand the basic areas of accounting and finance, the terminology and the structure
• Learn a range of practical analytical skills for interpreting and handling financial information
• Understand the key mechanics of accounting in the context of a practical working environment
• Be more confident about dealing with financial information, particularly when reviewing your company or others’ financial data
• Be able to read and confidently interpret complex information presented in financial reports
• Enhance decision support skills

Targeted Audience:

• Anyone who needs to acquire a broader understanding of finance to improve their current role or plan their future career
• Financial staff who need to expand their knowledge beyond their current experience, particularly if they are considering taking up professional qualifications or broaden their mandates
• Non-financial personnel who use financial information in their job and are called on to make financial decisions
• Particularly useful for staff working in a smaller company where they are required to take on financial responsibilities alongside an operational role

Conference Outlines:

Unit 1: Understanding Different Types of Financial Information  

• The different types of financial information
• The flow and hierarchy of information in a company regulated and non-regulated information
• Distinguishing different types of information and what it is derived from
• Basic accounting terminology explained
• The significance of different accounting terms
• Reporting formats and opportunities to enhance their effectiveness

Unit 2: The Cash Cycle 

• Cash vs. profit
• The flow of money in and out of a company
• How this is managed and controlled
• Customers & Suppliers: the collection and payment processes
• Basic cash flow statements – creating it and using it to interpret performance

Unit 3: Inventory and Fixed Assets

• How to establish the value of a companies’ inventory
• Different methods of valuation
• How fixed assets are recorded
• Asset lives and depreciation choices
• The physical verification of assets
• Firm value vs book value
• Ratios to measure asset effectiveness

Unit 4: Financial Statements

• Understanding the composition of the income statement (P&L account)
• Computing profitability, liquidity, and gearing ratios
• The Balance Sheet explained
• Interpreting results and making comparisons between companies

Unit 5: Costing and Budgeting 

• How we classify costs and set standards
• Different costing methods used in business
• Using cost information to determine break-even profitability points
• Basic forecasting techniques
• Comparing actual performance against the budget- variance analysis