Finance and Accounting

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I. — Understanding the Basics of Finance

The language of business is finance and it is critical that business professionals understand key terms and concepts.  This course will provide valuable insights into the corporate financial structure, key financial responsibilities and financial statements.  Components of the balance sheet, funds statement and income statement will be described and analyzed to gain insight into company performance.  When the topic of discussion is finance, you will have a greater understanding and confidence.

Objectives

At the conclusion of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Describe types of business structures
• Describe how businesses operate from a financial perspective
• Define key GAAP concepts
• Define key components of the Income Statement, Funds Statement and Balance Sheet
• Use ratios to analyze financial statements
• Describe the link between financial measures and shareholder value
• Identify ways to positively impact corporate performance
• Define key financial terms and concepts

II. — Financial Decision Making for Business Professionals

Business professionals initiate programs and projects for the benefit of the company.  This workshop will provide you with a framework and tools for presenting your ideas to demonstrate the financial impact.  Topics will include cash flow analysis, time value of money and capital decision-making.  You will be able to analyze and present your ideas with the numbers to back them up.

Objectives

At the conclusion of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Describe the difference between cash flow and profit
• Describe the impact of the time value of money
• Determine cash inflow and outflow for a project
• Define capital project types and decision concepts
• Use evaluation methods to select and rank viable capital projects
• Present projects demonstrating the financial impact

III. — Operating Plans and Budgets

You were just asked to prepare a plan for your department.  This course will focus on key steps for developing operating plans and budgets that support the goals of your department.  Topics include forecasting, the budgeting process, developing a cash budget and tracking performance.  Create a budget that will work for you and use it as an effective tool to operate your department.

Objectives

At the conclusion of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Explain the types, advantages and uses of budgets
• Identify budgeting weaknesses
• Define key budgeting terms and concepts
• Develop a master budget including all underlying schedules
• Prepare pro forma financial statements
• Describe the importance of cash budgeting and cash flow
• Develop a cash budget
• Describe the relationship between cost behaviors and budget variances

IV. — Business Acumen

Business acumen is an almost intuitive and applicable understanding of how your company makes money.

Objectives

At the conclusion of the program, participants will be able to:

• Describe the key business processes and how they affect performance as well as quantify business performance using key financial measures.
• This session will focus on what business professionals need to know about the drivers of business success. The language of business is finance and it is critical that business professionals understand key terms and concepts.
• Describe the importance of cash management, asset utilization, stakeholder expectations and honor

 This course will provide valuable insights into the

• corporate business operations,
• key business processes and performance impact,
• financial statements,
• effective business strategies and
• corporate governance.

When the topic of discussion is business acumen, you will have a great understanding and confidence.

V. — Business Functions Can Impact Financial Business Performance

This workshop focuses on analysis of the Client’s financial statements with particular emphasis on the impact of a particular business function (information technology, human resource, engineering, etc.) selected by the Client.

Sample Content

• What the financial statements mean
• Key components of the financial statements
• What to look for in each component
• What is included in each component
• Increases or decreases in each component and how to interpret the change
• Possible reasons for increases or decreases in each component
• Where the particular business function has the most impact
• What can the particular business function do to positively impact the financials
• Which departments drive which numbers
• Financial measures used at the Client (e.g., RONA, Return on Equity, etc.)
• Questions to ask
• Comparison of the Client to competitors

Objectives

At the conclusion of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Describe the key components of the Client’s financial statements
• Describe the impact of the particular business function on key components of financial statements
• Analyze the Client’s performance compared to competitors
• Identify key financial issues for the Client and information technology based on the financial statements

VI. — Estimating Return on Investment

This workshop is designed for business professionals who do not have time to become financial experts and yet must develop proposals for investment of corporate resources requiring ROI calculations and interpretations.  You will learn how to properly structure proposals requiring funding in order to increase your chances of the financial decision makers endorsing your request.

Objectives

At the conclusion of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Describe the ROI methodologies and their pros and cons
• Collect hard and soft data, convert data to monetary value, analyze it and calculate ROI
• Determine cash inflow and outflow for a project
• Develop a value proposition for projects requiring new investment dollars
• Develop effective ROI proposals
• Present projects demonstrating the financial impact

VII. — Finance and Accounting for Finance and Accounting Personnel

Having global finance and accounting professional understand how to use your company’s Finance and Accounting policies and procedure produces timely reports and reduces risks associated with Sarbanes Oxley, USGAAP and local statutory compliance.  Receiving good internal audit rating is associated with comprehensive knowledge and skill by finance personnel around transactional and analytical policies, procedures and effective internal controls.

Bradley/Lambert tailors training to client-specific finance and accounting policies and procedures.  Training materials can include: presentation slides, workbooks, self-study guides and computer based training programs.  We deliver training worldwide and transition the training program facilitation to client personnel by conducting train the trainer sessions.

Objectives

At the conclusion of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Describe the corporation's financial system and how it works
• Depending on the individual professionals assignment, understand, be knowledgeable, able to explain, or demonstrate superior skills in the following areas:

Transactional Processes	Planning and Reporting	Tax, Customs and Treasury
General ledger Fixed assets and depreciation Accounts payable Inventory and cost of sales Accounts receivable	Business planning and budgeting process Variance analysis and reporting Cash forecasting	Foreign exchange Insurance Credit management Cash management Relationship with banks
Project and Fixed Asset Management	Internal Controls and Risk Management
Capital appropriations and disposal Construction work in process Capital leases	Pricing and Market Analysis Product Cost and Expense Analysis New Business Development