Practical Training Course Outlines

Auditing – Basic
This course is aimed at new staff who will need to carry out basic audit procedures and will cover such areas as the purpose of a statutory audit and introduction to materiality, risk and audit sampling, auditing testing; cash at bank; working papers etc. The only prerequisite is a basic knowledge of double entry bookkeeping.

Auditing – Intermediate
This course builds on the topics covered on Basic Auditing and the practical experience staff have received. It focuses on areas such as financial statement assertions and audit objectives; completeness; valuation and allocation; presentation and disclosure; physical stock-takes and auditing stock; analytical review procedures; fraud and error, compliance.

Auditing - Advanced
This course develops the topics covered previously and uses a series of case studies to cover areas such as analytical procedures; interaction of materiality, risk assessments and sampling; sample selection, planning and reviewing; consequences of errors.
 
Basic Accounting
This is a three-day introduction to accounting for absolute beginners, designed to give a clear understanding of the accounting process. It will look at the principles of double entry, bank reconciliations, trial balance etc leading to the production of a Profit & Loss Account and a Balance Sheet.

Basic Bookkeeping 2-day course
A two-day course designed for those starting to do bookkeeping for clients or for their own business. The course will introduce the theory of double entry using manual systems. Delegates often find it helpful to follow this course by attending one of our Sage training courses.

Basic Bookkeeping 1-day course
This is a one day course aimed at those with no knowledge of bookkeeping and will be of particular interest to individuals running small businesses. Topics covered will include: personal versus business income/expenditure; capital & revenue; analysed cash book; bank reconciliations; rules of double entry; journals; simple P&L and balance sheet; VAT analysis.

Business Writing
Aimed at junior staff, this course covers the principles of writing for business. The course will cover all types of written business communication, including letters, reports and email.  It will concentrate initially on spelling, punctuation and layout and will then move on to cover the principles of formal and informal writing, tone and style.  The day will include a series of practical exercises as well as teacher-led instruction. 

Company Accounts
This course is aimed at those who produce statutory and management accounts for SMEs and will look at accounts for private limited companies, treatment of fixed assets and depreciation, leases, directors’ remuneration and appropriate use of abbreviated and full statutory accounts. Delegates for this course must have a sound knowledge and understanding of double entry bookkeeping.
 
Incomplete Records
A two-day course for junior staff in professional offices who are dealing with clients whose accounting records are incomplete. The course takes a practical approach, using both manual and computerised systems and those attending should have a good basic knowledge of accounting.
 
PAYE/NI
Recommended for anyone in their first year of studying accounts, this course provides an introduction to payroll, including: PAYE and tax codes; expenses; tax credits and end of year procedures and will incorporate practical exercises.
 
Money Laundering & the Bribery Act
This course is aimed at junior staff and is designed to introduce them to the various regulations and ethical principles which are relevant to their role in the office. Through lecture, practical examples and case studies, it will cover the key principles of the ICAEW and ACCA Code of Ethics, the requirements of the Money Laundering Regulations, focusing on the impact on them personally and also cover the new rules of the Bribery Act 2010.
 
Tax Workshop
A half-day workshop for junior staff that reviews the main points arising from the latest Budget or Finance Act and considers selected press releases, extra statutory concessions and recent tax cases.
 
VAT
A one day introduction to VAT for individuals with little or no prior knowledge of the subject. It covers all the basic principles of VAT including areas such as partial exemption, cash accounting and bad debt relief. There will also be practical instruction on how to complete a VAT return.