Finance for Non-Financial Professionals

By the end of the course, learners will be able to:

• Be familiar with the various accounting principles
• Understand a balance sheet
• Interpret an income statement
• Analyse trends in the various accounts

Introduction and course objectives

Day-to-day business operations and their impact on the financial statements

Purchases:

• Impact on the profit and loss account: Recording of expenses
• Impact on the balance sheet: Stock, trade payables
• Sales:

Sales:

• Impact on the profit and loss account: Recording of revenue
• Impact on the balance sheet: Trade receivables, reduction in stock.

Investments:

• Impact on the balance sheet: Fixed assets, depreciation
• Impact on the profit and loss account: Depreciation charges

Storage:

• Impact on stock (balance sheet): Recording changes in stock.
• Costs related to stock management (profit and loss account): Storage costs, write-downs.

Practical exercises: Case studies to illustrate the impact of economic transactions on financial statements: Simulation of transactions

The Balance Sheet: Structure and interpretation

Definition and role of the balance sheet.

Definition and role: Assets vs Liabilities:

• Assets: Definition, classification, examples
• Liabilities: Definition, classification, examples
• Practical exercises: Reading and interpreting a simplified balance sheet

The Profit and Loss Account: Structure and interpretation

Definition and role: Presentation of income and expenses.

Analysis of the different types of income and expenses:

• Operating expenses: Purchases, wages, rent.
• Financial expenses: Interest on loans.
• Extraordinary expenses: Fines, bad debts.
• Operating income: Sales of goods and services.
• Financial income: Interest received.
• Extraordinary income: Gains on disposal of assets.
• Practical exercises: Reading and interpreting a simplified profit and loss account

Analysing trends in financial aggregates

• Analysing trends in turnover, profitability, solvency, etc.:
• Using financial statements to analyse a company’s performance.
• Identifying trends and anomalies.
• Practical examples: Analysing trends in key financial aggregates

Using financial ratios

Key financial ratios:

• Profitability ratios: Net margin, ROE
• Liquidity ratios: Current ratio, quick ratio
• Solvency ratios: Debt ratio, debt coverage ratio
• Practical exercises: Calculating and interpreting financial ratios from financial statements

Summary and conclusion of the training course

• Certification of prior learning

• All audiences

This course is aimed at directors of micro-enterprises and SMEs, business founders or buyers, operational managers, department heads, sales representatives or account managers, as well as any employee wishing to learn the basics of financial analysis.

It is also suitable for professionals who are not finance specialists but wish to better understand and interpret a company’s key financial documents (balance sheet, profit and loss account, key indicators).

It is primarily aimed at companies with fewer than 50 employees operating in sectors covered by AKTO. Funding is also available for companies with more than 50 employees. Please contact us.

• Technical prerequisites:

No prior accounting or financial training is required, but participants should wish to understand the basics of financial management. This course is open to anyone wishing to acquire the essential financial concepts needed to better understand a company’s results and economic indicators.

Between 4 and 8 trainees

• Fully classroom-based training

• Personalised course
• Group lessons

• Resource centre
• Room equipped with networked computer workstations
• Unmarked room with video projector

Positioning upstream of training entry.

Interviews, remediation with the educational referent and/or company referent during training.

Taking account of beneficiary satisfaction during and at the end of training.

Possibility of post-training support.

For beneficiaries with disabilities: possible adaptation of training and certification arrangements, support by the TH referent.

Education Nationale certified teachers, Bac +3 trainers with significant experience in adult education, professional lecturers.

Coursework assessment (CCF)

By the end of this training course, participants will be able to understand the company’s key financial indicators, interpret data from accounting and financial documents, and incorporate financial considerations into their operational decisions. They will thus be able to communicate more effectively with financial stakeholders and contribute to managing the company’s performance.

Access for people with disabilities

Education Nationale certified teachers, Bac +3 trainers with significant experience in adult education, professional lecturers.

1st training session, we have no Quality indicators.