Revelation Training
Putting Finance Into Plain English
Logo01.png

In our experience the following topics are most likely to be of use to managers and we can certainly include others as required.
These tailored sessions are always designed to allow scope for delegates to raise issues from the workplace or the current economic climate and facilitate discussion.

The exact content is always tailored to your precise requirements: we can liaise with your finance team to ensure a completely bespoke experience.

Introduction
We recommend starting with sessions designed to provide an understanding of the language used in accounting and finance (the first 2 topics below). We then build on the firm foundation created and provide excellent insight into areas that are relevant to business and the delegates.

Accrual Accounting
Performance is judged using accrual accounting, budgets are set using accrual accounting, profit and tax are based on accrual accounting. We cover the meanings and implications of accrual accounting for both business and the manager.
We pay particular attention to the fact that a business can be short of cash and still report a profit, that highly profitable companies can fail, and others report a loss for a number of periods and yet still have plenty of cash.

Accounting Treatments
How can a profit be turned into a loss (and vice versa)? Why does work in progress include salary costs? How can profits be “smoothed?” How can a change in accounting for leases wipe out divisional profits?
The specific accounting treatments adopted by a company have an impact on all the above: we cover how they work, best practice and specific company policies.
We can cover any relevant areas. Common choices include


Financial Performance
Both a company and the managers within it are judged according to financial performance.
We ensure proper understanding of the income statement (profit and loss account), the balance sheet and then move on to key accounting ratios.
We highlight the key drivers of business success and demonstrate the value of these ratios. This ensures the managers understand which actions help achieve target performance and realise company goals.
We can cover any specified ratios used within business. Typical examples may include


We can also provide insight into the less traditional measures such as


Cash Management
One of the biggest causes of corporate failure is poor cash management. We highlight the importance of good cash management and identify actions that can be taken to improve cash flow. We cover all levels of the organisation from the day to day operational decisions to the overall strategy ensuring the techniques are relevant to all delegates.

Costs And Cost Control
Controlling costs is only possible with a proper understanding of their nature. We cover the definitions and importance of different types of costs giving particular emphasis to what causes a cost to change and linking that to management control. Particular terminology that will be covered includes costs that are fixed, variable, stepped, semi-variable and activity based.

Financial Control
Budgets are used to judge performance, control staff and authorise expenditure. We cover the full range of the uses of budgets and move on to their preparation and limitations. We can also cover standard costing systems, if they are used. We finish by giving proper consideration to comparisons between actual performance and budget.
We can also cover forecasting and break even calculations.

Financial Decisions
We are all regularly faced with management decisions but, without proper understanding, may ignore the financial dimension. Typical decisions covered include whether to undertake a task internally or outsource it, how much of a discount to give to boost volumes, the minimum price that makes a sale worthwhile and the maximum that is worth paying for a resource.

Links To Strategy
It is important that managers view each function of the organisation as part of the whole and avoid the “silo mentality.” During our courses we regularly make the link between finance, marketing, human resource, learning and development, risk management and competitive strategy.

Hot Topic: Current Economic Climate
Companies are being asked to cope with an increasingly hostile financial and economic environment. We look at the key causes of the current situation, the impact on companies and the actions that companies should take to ensure survival.

Other Topics
We can include any topics that are relevant to the business. Some recent requests are listed below
Click here for a sample finance for non financial managers course timetable

We can include any other areas required by your business, please contact us to discuss your exact requirements


Logo01.png