Take control of your company's finances...

This practical one-day course teaches the principles of good accounting and financial management for digital media companies without specialist financial staff. The aim is to demystify accountancy practices for non-financial managers, and help you to organise your company's financial affairs more effectively.

The workshop will help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to ensure that you are running a profitable and successful business. Topics covered include:

• Management accounting - budgets and forecasts , costing and job profitability
• Preparing a budget
• Financial accounting - maintaining informative, good-quality records
• The importance of cashflow - and how to manage it more effectively
• Financial information - profit and loss statements and balance sheet explained
• How to measure performance

At the end of the course you will be able to:

• Ease cashflow problems by following a set of simple procedures, including staged payments, credit control systems and good account management.
• Understand that good profitability does not necessarily equal good cashflow.
• Ensure that projects are properly costed to make allowances for overheads and other expenses.
• Understand historical trading figures expressed through standard accounting reports, such as profit and loss statements and balance sheets.
• Identify the strengths and weaknesses of a business through its trading figures.
• Prepare a basic profit budget.
• Speak the language and jargon of financial management - and understand your bank manager and accountant better!

Preparation

Investigate your company's current financial systems, including record keeping, invoicing, credit control methods and budget forecasts.

Workshop Sessions

• Analysing strengths and weaknesses of a sample company.
• Preparation of a job costing.
• Preparation of a basic profit and loss forecast.

Who Should Attend?

The course is designed for managers, directors and partners of small to medium-sized digital media companies, particularly those who have become responsible for financial management but have little or no formal training in this area.

Lunch is included with this course.

Course Leader

Sian Arnold
Sian is a freelance management consultant focusing on financial planning and business management. She has expertise and knowledge in managing and supporting freelancers and small businesses.

Her 20 years experience working with a major bank has equipped her with a variety of the skills necessary to support small and medium sized businesses in their achievement of improved profitability, growth and development. She has several years' practical experience of working with new media companies providing very close and regular management support on finance, administration and basic employment issues.