Commercial Awareness Training Course

1 Day

Course Overview

For those managers with little or no formal training in finance, this highly interactive one-day introductory programme concentrates on the key principles, tools and techniques of financial management. Supported by analysis and practical exercises this course will give participants the understanding and ability to discuss, present and manage the financial aspects of their business and positively influence the financial factors under their control.

Who Will Benefit From The Course?

Managers wanting to gain a clearer understanding of the fundamentals of business finance and how finance impacts on the decisions they make on a day-to-day basis either at a departmental or company-wide level.

Also, managers, who are comfortable and competent in understanding and managing the financial aspects of their day-to-day business, benefit from improved business skills and performance, internal respect from colleagues and senior management, enhanced external relations, better cash flow management and ultimately improved career prospects.

With The Help Of This Course Delegates Will Be Able To:

• Understand the basic principles and terminology of finance and interpreting key financial information
• Identify the relationship between the key financial statements – Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet and Cash Flow
• Communicate and present their financial position more credibly to their colleagues and board members
• Differentiate turnover, profit and cash and understanding the methodologies and language of the finance function
• Calculate profitability, liquidity and management of working capital

Key areas to be covered in the programme and the accompanying documentation

The Need for Financial Information

• Why do we need financial information?

• What are the differences between management accounts and statutory accounts?

• Understanding the language of finance, company accounts and annual reports

The Importance of Return on Capital Employed
• Why ROCE is so important and why it should form a key measure in determing a plan’s success?
• How to affect ROCE

Profit and Loss Account
• The structure of the P & L account
• The difference between expenditure and capital expense
• The importance of marginal performance in improving performance
• The link between cost of sales, selling price, volume and expenses
• How to identify profit leaking from a business

Balance Sheets
• Content and layout of balance sheets
• Controlling the Working Capital
• Depreciation of Fixed Assets

Cash Flow
• The difference between profit and cash
• Cash flow forecasting

The day will be supported with the following activities and Microsoft Excel models:

Activities:
1. Participants will be provided with a set of A6 sized information cards and asked to construct a basic Profit and Loss Account with the information they are provided with. They will need to remember some of the key points delivered during the session to complete the task successfully.

2. Participants will be provided with details of a business that manufactures a product. With the information provided they need to answer a series of questions relating to “what if?” scenarios.

3. Appreciating the difference between assets and liabilities can be more fun when debated in an activity. The participants will have a deck of A6 sized cards. Each card will have either the name of an asset or a liability written on it. The participants have to decided which are the assets and which are the liabilities. To make the activity more thought provoking several “jokers” will be in the pack.

4. The participants will be provided with information about a new start company. They will need to construct a cash flow forecast, a projected basic Profit & Loss statement and a basic closing Balance Sheet for the first six months of trading. This activity successfully pulls together the key learning points within the last three sessions.

Microsoft Excel models:
1. Marginal Performance Improvement - This models illustrates the change in operating profit when selling price, buying price, sales volume and expenses are changed. Participants will be provided a copy of this model so that they can apply their own figures.

2. Working Capital – This model illustrates how changes in working capital management can have an impact upon a business’s cash position. The participants will also have a copy of this model provided.

3. Cost, Volume, Price and Breakeven – This model supports the answer to Activity No 2.

The workshop will be lively, interactive and supported by various visual aids such as PowerPoint and Flipcharts.

Would You Like To Make An Enquiry Or Ask A Question?

Call us for FREE on 0800 849 6732

Email us at enquiries@m-t-d.co.uk

Complete our online form

What Makes MTD Different From The Rest?

Reason # 1

We Will Design And Deliver A Custom Designed Solution Centred Around Your Training Needs And Requirements At No Additional Cost To You.

Reason # 2

Our Courses Are Rated 9.2 Out Of 10 On Our Feedback Forms And 100% Of Our Clients Say That They Would Use Us Again - Your Staff Will Be In Safe Hands!

Reason # 3

We Supply Only The Very Best Trainers For Your Event. We Will Select The Trainer That Has The Highest Skill Level And Experience Relative To Your Requirements. Our Trainers Are Specialists In Their Fields - This Means That Your Staff Receive The Very Highest Standards Of Training Content And Delivery.

Reason # 4

Every Manager That Attends A Course Run By MTD Will Receive Unlimited

Post-Course Email & Telephone Support Whilst They Are Implementing The Techniques And Strategies That They Have Covered On The Course. After All, That's When The Real Work Starts!

Reason # 5

We Offer You Great Value For Money. Our courses start from as little as £695 per day for in-house training. This provides incredible value for money especially when you bear in mind that the cost includes:

• All of the preparation time required in order to gather your requirements and to get an understanding of your training needs.

• The time and expertise required to design and develop your bespoke course

• The delivery of your event by a highly experienced and specialised trainer

• Top quality course materials, manuals, handouts, assessments etc

• Lifetime unlimited email and telephone support after the course

• Providing feedback on the success of the event and on individual training development needs

• Course certificates

Reason # 6

Our Delivery Methods Will Ensure That Your Event Is A Success Or We Will Refund Your Money In Full

Reason # 7

We Provide Flexible Solutions For Your Training Needs. Whether It Be Through A Course, One On One Coaching Or A Management Development Programme, We Can Design A Tailor Made Solution To Exceed Your Expectations