Making a difference

Essential Budgeting & Accounting (includes a laptop computer)

Budgeting is a key management tool for planning and controlling a department within an organisation. Managing budgets effectively requires a sound grasp of accounting principles and concepts.

This essential budgeting & accounting course will examine all aspects of the budget cycle and the techniques a manager needs to handle financial information with confidence and contribute fully to their organisation's planning activities.

Who should attend
Executives and managers at all levels in both the public, private and NGO sectors who wish to improve their analytical and financial planning skills. It will particularly benefit those requiring an understanding of how finance and accounting can be used as an aid to decision-making and communicating more effectively.

How you will benefit
By the end of the course you will be able to:

• apply essential accounting techniques in your day-to-day planning activities
• explain how accounting information can improve decision making
• participate more actively in the budget preparation process
• use budgets as a tool to communicate ideas and to monitor progress of an organisation or project
• compare and evaluate project investments

Course profile
Accounting knowledge consolidation

• Nature and purpose of accounting
• Accounting statements and measurement issues
• Public and private sector accounting
• Accrual-based accounting

Financial reporting

• International standards of accounting
• Management reporting
• Interpreting financial reports
• Auditing and management

Budgetary Planning and Control

• Budget cycle and administration
• Accounting as a tool for planning and control
• Budgeting in the public sector
• Risk awareness

Accounting and Decision Making

• Cost concepts and measurements
• Sensitivity analysis and break even analysis
• Value-for-Money, measures of economy, efficiency and effectiveness

Funding and project evaluation

• Use of present value concepts
• Project and opportunity appraisal, discounted cash flow techniques
• Preparing project accounts