Cambridge-Isanti Community Education

Designed for non-financial managers, business owners, entrepreneurs, and other decision-makers, this advanced course will take the mystery out of money matters. Learn to assess and analyze the financial information that drives your business. Be empowered to make smart decisions when it comes to budgeting, setting goals, and assessing performance within your own area of influence. 

This course can be taken alone or as part of the 3 course Certificate in Accounting and Finance For Non-Financial Managers..

Class Details

Unit 1: Financial Strategies

1.1 Your Role in Financial Decision Making

• Who is responsible for the financial decisions in your company?
• The Goal of Business

1.2 Understand the Language of Finance

• Accounting as a Language
• Learn the Language
• Visual Activity – Accounting Process
• Accounting and Recordkeeping Systems
• Self Check – Account Categories

1.3 Read the Story

• A Word about Financial Concepts
• ***Financial Concept: The Accounting Equation***
• ***Financial Concept: The Matching Principle***
• The Common Financial Statements
• Income Statement
• The Balance Sheet
• Statement of Cash Flows

1.4 The Purpose of Financial Statements

Unit 2: Financial Dashboard – Introduction to Financial Gauges

2.1 Understand Basic Financial Concepts

• Introduction
• The Story Statements Tell
• ***Financial Concept: The Accounting Equation***
• ***Financial Concept: The Profit Matching Principle***
• ***Financial Concept: The Fund Matching Principle***
• ***Financial Concept: Cash Basis vs. Accrual Basis Accounting Methods***
• ***Financial Concept: Cash vs. Profits***
• ***Financial Concept: Debt vs. Equity (Optimum Capital Structure)***

2.2 Financial Strategies

• Financial strategies stem from business goals
• Take a Look: Example Financial Strategies

2.3 Financial Gauges

• Introduction to Financial Gauges
• Your Financial Gauges
• Profitability-based gauges
• Performance-based gauges

2.4 Reading Your Financial Gauges

• The Story Financial Gauges Tell
• Research and Analysis

Unit 3: Financial Gauges - Profitability

3.1 Profitability Gauges 

• Ratio Analysis 
• Financial Gauge: Net Profit Margin (or) The Bottom Line 
• Financial Gauge Gross Profit Margin 
• Financial Gauge: Operating Margin 
• Using Profitability Ratios

3.2 The Components of Profitability 

• The Origin of Profits 
• Sales and Expenses

3.3 Sales 

• Sales Strategies 
• Pricing Strategies

3.4 Cost of Goods Sold and Cost of Sales 

• Cost of Goods Sold 
• Gross Profit Margin 
• Gross Profit Analysis and Planning 
• Evaluate Profitability of Product or Service Lines

3.5 Expenses 

• Budget vs. Actual Analysis 
• Cost Management and Efficiency

Unit 4: Financial Gauges - Performance

4.1 Making Money 

• The Goal of Business 
• Value Growth 
• Company Resources

4.2 Taking Advantage of Assets 

• Tangible vs. Intangible Assets 
• Cash

4.3 Making the Most of Liabilities and Equity 

• Liabilities 
• Equity

4.4 Performance Financial Gauges 

• Financial Gauge: Current and Quick Ratio (Liquidity) 
• Financial Gauge: Return on Assets 
• Financial Gauge: Return on Equity 
• Financial Gauge: Debt to Equity Ratio

4.5 Financial Analysis and Planning Summary 

• Downtown Publishing Financial Performance Analysis 
• Summary

For more information, visit our question and answer page - Click Here.