What prior knowledge do you need for the Reading Financial Statements course?
No prior financial knowledge is required for the Reading Financial Statements course. The course has been developed precisely for people who do not deal with finance on a daily basis, such as board members, managers from marketing, HR, sales or IT, in-house lawyers, solicitors, shareholders and investors. Financial jargon and difficult definitions are explained in plain language, so that you learn to read and interpret annual accounts from scratch.
Who is the Reading Financial Statements course suitable for?
The Reading Financial Statements course is intended for professionals who do not work with finance on a daily basis but who do have to make decisions based on annual figures. Think of directors and managers from marketing, HR, sales or IT, in-house lawyers, solicitors, shareholders and investors. You learn to read, interpret and see through a set of financial statements.
Which topics are covered in the Reading Financial Statements course?
In the Reading Financial Statements course you cover the balance sheet, the profit and loss account, the notes and the accounting policies. You learn to interpret financial indicators and ratios, the difference between commercial and tax-based annual figures, and how to spot accounting tricks such as window dressing. The statutory requirements, the role of the accountant and strategic decision-making based on annual figures are also covered.
Do you receive a certificate after the Reading Financial Statements course?
Yes, on completion of the Reading Financial Statements course you receive a certificate of participation from Learnit. This certificate confirms that you have successfully completed the classroom-based course and that you are able to read, interpret and analyse annual accounts. You can use the certificate to demonstrate your basic financial knowledge to an employer or client, or within your personal development plan.
Can the Reading Financial Statements course also be taken in-company?
Yes, the Reading Financial Statements course can also be taken in-company. This is useful if several colleagues want to learn at the same time how to read and interpret a set of financial statements. The programme is tailored to the practice of your organisation, so that the examples and exercises match your own annual figures. The classroom course ; for in-company you receive a tailored quote.
What is the difference between the Reading Annual Accounts course and a complete bookkeeping course?
The Reading Annual Accounts course focuses on interpreting existing annual figures, not on drawing them up yourself. You learn to understand the balance sheet, income statement, notes and accounting policies, to interpret financial indicators and to see through flattered figures (such as window dressing). A bookkeeping course, by contrast, teaches you how to process transactions, make journal entries and build up a set of annual accounts yourself. That This course lasts (classroom-based,) and is intended for people who take decisions on the basis of annual figures: board members, managers from marketing, HR, sales or IT, corporate lawyers, shareholders and investors. You do not need a financial background. Choose this course if you want to be able to read and analyse annual reports; choose a bookkeeping programme if you have to keep the books yourself.
When should you choose a classroom Reading Financial Statements course rather than a YouTube tutorial or e-learning?
A classroom course makes sense if you want to discuss financial statements from your own practice and learn to interpret them in a targeted way. At Learnit You may bring along your own financial statements and go through them together with the trainer. You will not get that from a YouTube tutorial or a standard e-learning. An intake takes place beforehand, so that the content matches your background and learning objectives. Tricks such as window dressing and profit steering are also covered, with direct feedback on your questions. For self-study, a book or online video will suffice if you only want to recognise concepts. If you want to learn to interpret your organisation's figures and underpin strategic decisions, a classroom course is more effective.
How do I know whether the Reading Financial Statements course offers enough depth for my role as an investor or supervisory board member?
The Reading Financial Statements course focuses on interpreting annual figures, not on drawing them up yourself. For investors, shareholders and supervisory directors that is usually exactly what you need: you learn to get to grips with the balance sheet, the profit and loss account and the notes, to interpret financial indicators and to recognise flattered figures (such as window dressing and earnings management). The difference between commercial and tax-based figures and the role of the accountant are also covered. The course lasts If you want to go deeper into the valuation models (DCF, multiples, due diligence), this is a good basis but not an end point. For strategic decision-making based on annual figures it is generally sufficient, partly because you may bring along your own financial statements.