Finance for non-financial managers

Better Business Understanding

Who Should Attend And Why

All managers need to be aware of the financial factors vital to business success. This workshop will show how money works in a business and will highlight the critical issues of profitability, liquidity and financial structure. Delegates will gain an understanding of the processes and principles of financial reporting together with how to budget and control costs.

Understanding the financial point of view and the mindset of their financial colleagues will be a theme of the workshop and will enable delegates to communicate more effectively with their financial colleagues. Delegates will see how their actions influence company results.

By The End Of The Workshop Participants Will Be Able To:

Understand financial records and processes; and the role and the limitations of company financial reports

Recognise the financial pitfalls of business and understand how profitability can be improved

Demystify finance and financial jargon to facilitate communication with the financial function

Make better business judgements through better appreciation of the financial implications

Workshop Overview

The Wider Financial Context
statutory accounts
auditors
company law
the responsibilities of Directors

Breaking Through the Barriers Caused by Financial Jargon
introduction to the principles of accounts

P&L and Balance Sheet Statements
how they are derived
their content and interpretation

Cash Flow and Working Capital Control

Measuring Business Performance through Key Financial Ratios

Fixed and Variable Costs
calculating the break even point
the implications of different company cost structures
business models

Management Accounts
product and customer profitability statements
derivation and interpretation

Identifying and Controlling Costs
the concept of activity based costing

The Budgeting Process
effective budgeting

Overview of investment appraisal methods and of the assessment of financial risk