Finance for Non-Financial Professionals

Introduction

Financial awareness is an essential requirement for every role and at every level in organisations. The integration of all processes within businesses means that accounting and financial information and techniques must be understood and communicated by all functions, but at a level greater than the budgeting and recording of financial information.

Participants in PROCLAD Academy’s Finance for Non-Financial Professionals training course will be provided with knowledge that can be shared amongst their own colleagues, and with other departments. The awareness and understanding of the various financial techniques available will enable delegates to communicate better with financial professionals, within and external to their organisation.

The key features of PROCLAD Academy’s Finance for Non-Financial Professionals training course are:

• Immediate use of the tools and techniques of financial analysis and financial management that will be acquired
• Becoming better informed and using new financial skills that will help improve management decision-making
• Communication of the various financial tools that are available to help the organisation enhance its competitive positioning and improve the all-important cash flow

Learning Objectives

PROCLAD Academy’s Finance for Non-Financial Professionals training course will give participants the required level of financial awareness and practical application, by enabling them to:

• Analyse the profit and loss account (income statement), balance sheet, and cash flow statement, and use ratios to interpret financial statements and identify their limitations.
• Appreciate the significant importance of cash flow (rather than profit) and discounted cash flow (DCF) in creating shareholder value.
• Develop costing systems such as activity based costing (ABC) for optimal decision-making to maximize shareholder wealth.
• Appreciate the role of managers in the budget process and the use of activity based budgeting (ABB).
• Determine the cost of capital in order to evaluate alternative sources of financing and optimal financial structure (gearing).
• Effectively manage cash and working capital to reduce costs and improve cash flow.

Target Audience

PROCLAD Academy’s Finance for Non-Financial Professionals training course is designed for:

• Non-financial professionals in every functional area of responsibility in all industries
• Personnel from any function, including finance, who need to improve understanding and usage of financial information

Training Methodology

PROCLAD Academy’s Finance for Non-Financial Professionals training course provides theoretical background to some key areas of financial management, which are put into a real world context by providing a practical “toolkit” of financial techniques. It includes many worked examples and case studies relating to each of the topics covered. Participants are therefore provided with an opportunity to apply financial techniques in practice and to discuss the various issues that may arise.

Since many of the practical examples, for investment appraisal, breakeven analysis, and budgetary control, are illustrated using spreadsheets, delegates need to bring their own Excel^® enabled laptop for practice.

Course Outline