ICB Level 4 Certificate in Advanced Bookkeeping & Accounts Course (ABA8, ABA9)

Explore advanced areas of accounting and learn how to produce end of year accounts for businesses/companies/organisations that operate on a limited or limited liability basis. This lively and engaging course is aimed at candidates who have already successfully completed the ICB Level III Certificate in Bookkeeping and Accounts, or have achieved an equivalent qualification with a registered awarding body. It is an ideal training option for those who wish to build on their existing framework of knowledge and advance their career in accounting and bookkeeping to the next level.

Accounting and accurate bookkeeping are an essential part of running a successful business, no matter what the nature of that business happens to be. Effective and accurate accounting enables a business to keep track of its financial progress, identify current marketing trends and implement changes where necessary to help maximise a company's profit margins. It is also a legal requirement that every business is obligated to fulfil. Therefore, it is vital that those whose jobs require them to perform and/or assist in accounting and bookkeeping receive the appropriate training, so that they are able to carry out their duties to the appropriate industry standard.

Successful completion of both online assessments qualifies students to work as a bookkeeper in either an employed or self-employed capacity. It equips successful candidates with essential theoretical knowledge and an advanced set of practical skills, so that they are able to perform the following specialist tasks in a confident and efficient manner:

• Produce accurate accounts from an incomplete set of records.
• Understand the meaning, and application, of advanced partnership accounts within a business context.
• Prepare and interpret internal management accounts for incorporated bodies.

What’s included:

• Online course – study on your laptop, tablet or phone.
• Full version of Sage Instant Accounts.
• One year’s student membership to the ICB.
• Tutor Support.
• Practice assignments.
• Mock Exam.
• Interest free payments available.
• NUS Extra Card available (for small additional fee).

KEY LEARNING POINTS

This course is only suitable for those who have already successfully completed the ICB Level III Certificate in Bookkeeping and Accounts, or have achieved an equivalent qualification with a registered awarding body.

It teaches students how to:

• Create a set of accounts for a business/company/organisation from incomplete records to the appropriate industry standard.
• Prepare a set of final accounts for a limited company for the purposes of internal management, in accordance with industry best practices.
• Prepare a set of final accounts for a limited liability partnership consisting of an income statement and balance sheet only.
• Calculate and interpret partnership profit ratios.
• Correctly adjust the capital share of partners should any changes affect the profit sharing ratio.
• Understand financial statements and how they apply - this includes being able to calculate and explain profitability and liquidity ratios for the business/company/organisation in question.
• Be able to locate, understand and apply all of the above in a computerised account management system.

How are students assessed and graded?

• Grading is based on how well students perform in 2 online assessments.
• Students can take the first assessment either at home or in their place of work - the second assessment is conducted in a pre-approved external examination centre or ICB.
• The second assessment consists of multiple choice and data entry questions and is designed to cover every area of the course syllabus.

Successful completion of this course also allows students to continue their training by enrolling on the Level IV Unit in Financial Reporting course.

NOTE: This course includes Sage Instant Accounts software which will be delivered 14 days after course activation.

ADVANTAGES OF THIS COURSE

• Helps students to gain a greater awareness and deeper understanding of bookkeeping and accountancy best practices, and equips them with a practical set of advanced skills that they can effectively implement within their place of employment.
• Provides students with an engaging and cost-effective digital learning solution
• This advanced course can be tailored to fit into the most hectic of schedules, and adapted to complement different styles of learning.
• The course is broken down into manageable sections to help ensure that students fully grasp each part of the syllabus.
• Successful delegates have the option to enrol on the Level IV Unit in Financial Reporting course, which qualifies them to prepare sets of accounts for directors’ signatures in accordance with UK and International Financial Reporting Standards.
• Upon completion of the course, successful candidates are awarded the Level IV Certificate in Advanced Bookkeeping and Accounts, which is a qualification endorsed by the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers.
• Students who successfully complete the course and gain the full Level IV qualification have the option to upgrade their level membership to Member of ICB, and to be awarded the post-nominal letters, MICB.

• Units of study

Limited Company accounts

• Prepare a set of final accounts for a Limited Company

Limited Liability Partnerships

• Understand the nature of a limited liability partnership

Incomplete records

• Prepare a set of final accounts for incomplete records

Advanced partnership accounts

• Account for changes in a partnership

Interpretation of financial statements

• Understand the importance of interpreting financial statements for internal management purposes.
• Analyse and Interpret Financial Statements