19 Educators providing Other courses in Manchester

OVERVIEW -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Financial Analysis and Decision Making specifies a financial outline to support the life cycle approach of managing tedious projects over a long time scale. This course includes the advanced level of accounting structures which are required to insert knowledgable information in order to make decisions or to support the decision-making process where accounting and financial information overlaps other decision-making processes. In order to manage the growth of the organisation and measure the profitability it is very important to do a financial analysis. This course will take you through different models of accounting and finance which is helpful for the decision-making process thereby helping ensure sustainable growth and success.

OVERVIEW -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In today's competitive business world firms are under unprecedented pressure to deliver value to their shareholders and other key stakeholders. Senior executives in all parts of the organisation are finding that they need some degree of financial know-how to cope with the responsibility placed on them as business managers and key decision-makers; monitoring and improving business performance, investing in capital projects, mergers and acquisitions and budgets. All require some degree of financial knowledge. 

OVERVIEW -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Understanding the grants coming in and their monitoring, spending and many other factors are directly proportionate to effecting Grant Accounting and Grant Management. Many different funding entities give grants to so many companies, the government sector, and private sectors with the aim to encourage growth and employment and economic viability.  It is important to recognise the government grants in the profit and loss account, so at the end, it can match the costs to which they relate. Considering these grants efficiently in the accounts is very important, as many entities (including the grant-making body) may closely monitor the accounts; and any errors will reflect badly on the accountant. Many development projects are funded through grants from donors. Therefore, it becomes the responsibility of the project management team to safeguard that the limited resources are used efficiently to achieve maximum impact.  This course is planned to train the participants with best practices and essential skills in effective grants management.

OVERVIEW -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is particularly important for PPP projects where long-term commitments are made now based on bankability, value for money and risk allocation. During the course, participants will gain knowledge and skills on the frameworks, tools, and methodologies necessary to build quantitative models for financial decision-making in order to improve the financial viability and bankability of PPP projects. Participants will master modelling frameworks on capital budgeting, risk measurement, regression analysis and Monte Carlo Simulation among others.

OVERVIEW -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is particularly important for PPP projects where long-term commitments are made now based on bankability, value for money and risk allocation. During the course, participants will gain knowledge and skills on the frameworks, tools, and methodologies necessary to build quantitative models for financial decision-making in order to improve the financial viability and bankability of PPP projects. Participants will master modelling frameworks on capital budgeting, risk measurement, regression analysis and Monte Carlo Simulation among others.

OVERVIEW -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Business modelling requires analysts to produce the quantitative models that top management uses to support their decision-making, but top management must also understand the strengths and weaknesses of the models if they are to use them effectively to support their decisions and robustly navigate the strategic negotiation landscape. This is particularly important for PPP projects where long-term commitments are made now based on bankability, value for money and risk allocation. During the course, participants will gain knowledge and skills on the frameworks, tools, and methodologies necessary to build quantitative models for financial decision-making in order to improve the financial viability and bankability of PPP projects. Participants will master modelling frameworks on capital budgeting, risk measurement, regression analysis and Monte Carlo Simulation among others.

In today's competitive business world firms are under unprecedented pressure to deliver value to their shareholders and other key stakeholders. Senior executives are finding that they need some financial know-how to cope with the responsibility placed on them as decision-makers. Key financial skills are not as difficult to learn as many people believe and in the hands of an experienced senior executive can provide a formidable competitive advantage.   This one-day workshop is not intended to take you from a managerial position to that of a Chief Financial Officer. However, these topics will familiarise you with the most common terms and practices in terms of working with finance.   This course is suitable for managers and others in finance related roles: * with some or no financial knowledge * who need to understand the financial implications of every day decision making? * who need to increase profitability and performance of their business? This one-day workshop will help you teach participants how to: • Understand fundamental business finance concepts • Understand the vital difference between profit and cash flow • Evaluate pricing decisions • Use powerful analytical tools to measure performance of their own company and competitors • Understand the role of business finance in formulating and implementing competitive strategy   Course Overview You will spend the first part of the day getting to know participants and discussing what will take place during the workshop. Students will also have an opportunity to identify their personal learning objectives.   Business and finance fundamentals The objectives of the firm: delivering value to shareholders and key stakeholders, leading to a better understanding the drivers of shareholder return and who uses financial statements and why.   Basic principles Understanding business funds flow, using the balance sheet the profit statement. This would help to recognise the vital difference between profit and cashflow and what financial statements can and cannot tell us.   Managing and improving Budgets and Forecasting We will look at why you need to set budgets and what is known as ‘the bottom line’. We will also explore the purpose of forecasting over a period of monthly, quarterly and also annually.   Managing and improving profit Understanding how profits generate cashflow. The fundamental nature of costs: fixed and variable business costs and realising gross margin and break-even   Managing business performance We will explore the business planning cycle, by using budgets to support business strategy and monitoring and managing financial performance. We will look at a ‘Pyramid of Ratios’ to manage business performance that will help us understand and use key performance indicators   Measuring and managing business performance We will understand Return on investment (ROI): the ultimate measure of business performance and how profit margin and net asset turnover drive return on net assets. We shall do a case study on why some companies are more profitable than others.   Workshop Wrap-Up At the end of the course, students will have an opportunity to ask questions and fill out an action plan.

No-one in business will succeed if they are not financially literate - and no business will succeed without financially-literate people. This is the ideal programme for managers and others who don't have a financial qualification or background but who nonetheless need a greater understanding of the financial management disciplines essential to your organisation. This course will give the participants a sound understanding of financial reports, measures and techniques to make them even more effective in their roles. It will enable participants to: * Overcome the barrier of the accountants' strange language * Deal confidently with financial colleagues * Improve their understanding of your organisation's finance function * Radically improve their planning and budgeting skills * Be much more aware of the impact of their decisions on the profitability of your organisation * Enhance their role in the organisation * Boost their confidence and career development 1 REVIEW OF THE PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL STATEMENTS * What each statement contains * Outline * Detail * Not just what the statements contain but what they mean * Balance sheets and P&L accounts (income statements) * Cash flow statements * Detailed terminology and interpretation * Types of fixed asset - tangible, etc. * Working capital, equity, gearing 2 THE 'RULES' - ACCOUNTING STANDARDS, CONCEPTS AND CONVENTIONS * Fundamental or 'bedrock' accounting concepts * Detailed accounting concepts and conventions * What depreciation means * The importance of stock, inventory and work in progress values * Accounting policies that most affect reporting and results * The importance of accounting standards and IFRS 3 WHERE THE FIGURES COME FROM * Accounting records * Assets / liabilities, Income / expenditure * General / nominal ledgers * Need for internal controls * 'Sarbox' and related issues 4 MANAGING THE BUDGET PROCESS * Have clear objectives, remit, responsibilities and time schedule * The business plan * Links with corporate strategy * The budget cycle * Links with company culture * Budgeting methods * 'New' budgeting * Zero-based budgets * Reviewing budgets * Responding to the figures * The need for appropriate accounting and reporting systems 5 WHAT ARE COSTS? HOW TO ACCOUNT FOR THEM * Cost definitions * Full / absorption costing * Overheads - overhead allocation or absorption * Activity based costing * Marginal costing / break-even - use in planning 6 WHO DOES WHAT? A REVIEW OF WHAT DIFFERENT TYPES OF ACCOUNTANT DO * Financial accounting * Management accounting * Treasury function * Activities and terms 7 HOW THE STATEMENTS CAN BE INTERPRETED * What published accounts contain * Analytical review (ratio analysis) * Return on capital employed, margins and profitability * Making assets work - asset turnover * Fixed assets, debtor, stock turnover * Responding to figures * EBIT, EBITEDIA, eps and other analysts' measure 8 OTHER KEY ISSUES * Creative accounting * Accounting for groups * Intangible assets - brand names * Company valuations * Fixed assets / leased assets / off-balance sheet finance

What do engineers and project managers need to know of finance? 'Nothing - leave it to the accountants!' No, no, no! Engineers must be conversant with the terminology and statements that accountants use. Technical expertise in projects, service delivery, production or other areas can only really be harnessed if the managers understand the accounting and reporting that drives businesses. This course gives the necessary understanding to project, production and technical managers. It develops their skills in understanding financial and management accounting. Accountants may not always like it but a major part of their work is to be the 'servants of business' and to gather, compile and present your figures. So you must understand the figures - they belong to you, your processes or projects. There are many reasons for maintaining accurate accounts. This course focuses on the strategic issues (those over-used words) - what figures reveal about the drivers of business and what they reveal about the day-to-day issues that accountants bother you with. The course will enhance your understanding of finance and of the accounting issues which affect your projects, production and technical areas of business. This course will help you: * Understand the business world in figures - make sense of what the accountants are telling you * Appreciate what drives business - and how this affects your role in your part of the business * Relate your activities to the success of the business - through figures * Gain the skills to advance in management - financial awareness is a 'must have' if you are to progress in your career 1 WHAT DO ACCOUNTANTS DO? * The finance function, types of accountant, financial v management accounting and the treasury function * Understanding the role of the finance function and how the information you provide may be used 2 THE BASIC FINANCIAL STATEMENTS * Balance sheets and income statements (P&L accounts) * What they are, what they contain and above all what they can reveal - how to read them * The accounting process - from transactions to financial statements * What underpins the statements - accounting systems and internal controls 3 WHY BE IN BUSINESS - FROM A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE * The driving forces behind financial information * Performance measures - profitability, asset utilisation, sales and throughput, managing capital expenditure 4 ACCOUNTING RULES - ACCOUNTING STANDARDS * Accounting concepts and the accounting rules: accruals, 'going concern' - substance over form and other 'desirable qualities' * Accruals - why the timing of a transaction is so important to the finance function * Depreciation and amortisation - the concepts and practice * Accounting standards - the role of International Financial Reporting Standards 5 CASH * The importance of cash flow - working capital management * Cash flow statements - monitoring overall cash flows * Raising cash - levels of borrowing, gearing * Spending cash - an outline of capital expenditure appraisal 6 BUDGETING * Why budget? - good and bad practice * Determining why budgets play a key role and should not be simply an annual ritual * Justifying your budgets - the link between the strategic plan and day-to-day budgeting - alignment of company culture * Budgets as motivators - the importance of the right culture * Techniques to improve budgeting - whether day-to-day or capital budgeting 7 COSTING * The type and detail of costing very much depends on your business - eg, manufacturing piston rings is quite different from the construction of a power plant * Issues with overhead allocation * Accounting for R&D 8 READING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS * Annual financial statements - why they are produced, what's in them and what you should look for * Learning what a set of accounts reveals about a company's current situation, profitability and future prospects 9 PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT - ANALYTICAL REVIEWS AND RATIO ANALYSIS * ROI/ROCE * Profitability, margins and cost control * Sales - asset turnover * Efficiency (asset / stock turnover, debtor / creditor days) * 'City' measures * Investment (interest / dividend cover, earnings per share, dividend yield)

In today's competitive business world firms are under unprecedented pressure to deliver value to their shareholders and other key stakeholders. Senior executives in all parts of the organisation are finding that they need some degree of financial know how to cope with the responsibility placed on them as business managers and key decision-makers; monitoring and improving business performance, investing in capital projects, mergers and acquisitions: all require some degree of financial knowledge. The key financial skills are not as difficult to learn as many people believe and in the hands of an experienced senior executive they can provide a formidable competitive advantage. After completing this course delegates will be able to: * Understand fundamental business finance concepts; understand, analyse and interpret financial statements: Profit Statement, Balance Sheet and Cashflow Statement * Understand the vital difference between profit and cashflow; identify the key components of working capital and how they can be managed to generate strong cashflow * Evaluate pricing decisions based on an understanding of the nature of business costs and their impact on gross margin and break-even sales; managing pricing, discounts and costs to generate strong business profits; understand how lean manufacturing methods improve profit * Use powerful analytical tools to measure and improve the performance of their own company and assess the effectiveness of their competitors * Apply and interpret techniques for assessing and comparing investment opportunities in capital projects, business acquisitions and other ventures; understand and apply common methods of business valuation * Understand the role of business finance in formulating and implementing competitive business strategy; the role of budgeting as part of the planning process and the various approaches to budgeting and performance measurement 1 BASIC PRINCIPLES * Delivering value to key stakeholders * Accounting concepts, GAAP, IFRS and common terms * Understanding and using the balance sheet * Understanding and using the profit statement * Recognising the vital difference between profit and cashflow * Understanding and using the cashflow statement * What financial statements can and cannot tell us 2 MANAGING AND IMPROVING CASHFLOW * Sources of finance and their advantages and disadvantages * What is working capital and why is it so important? * Managing stocks, debtors and creditors * Understanding how working capital drives business growth * Understanding and avoiding the over-trading trap * Unlocking the funds tied up in fixed assets: asset backed loans and leasing 3 MANAGING AND IMPROVING PROFIT * Understanding how profits generate cashflow * The fundamental nature of costs: fixed and variable business costs * Understanding gross margin and break-even * How common pricing methods affect gross margin and profit * Effective strategies to improve gross margin * Using value chain analysis to reduce costs * Lean manufacturing methods * Understanding Just-in-time, 6 Sigma and Kaizen methods * Improving profit * Effective and defective strategies 4 MEASURING AND MANAGING BUSINESS PERFORMANCE * Measures of financial performance and strength * Investor behaviour: the risk and reward relationship * Return on investment (ROI): the ultimate measure of business performance * How profit margin and net asset turnover drive return on net assets * Why some companies are more profitable that others * Understanding competitive advantage: cost and differentiation advantage * Why great companies fail * What happened to Kodak? * Using a 'Pyramid of Ratios' to improve business performance * Using Critical Success Factors to develop Key Performance Indicators 5 BUDGETING AND FORECASTING METHODS * Using budgets to support strategy * Objectives and methods for effective budgets * Using budgets to monitor and manage business performance * Alternative approaches to budgeting * Developing and implementing Balanced Scorecards * Beyond Budgeting * Forecasting methods and techniques * Identifying key business drivers * Using rolling forecasts and 'what-if' models to aid decision-making