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Courses/Accounting & Tax/Accounting

How to Read a Profit & Loss Account and Balance Sheet

The numbers tell a story

Created byLisa Newton
4.5
(66 reviews)
BeginnerUpdated Oct 22, 2023
How to Read a Profit & Loss Account and Balance Sheet

What You'll Learn

check_circleComprehend Financial Statements
check_circleInterpret Financial Data
check_circleAnalyze Business Financials
check_circleCalculate Key Ratios
check_circleUse Financial Insights for Decision-Making

About This Course

Just like words, the numbers in a business tell a story. And our job today is to learn the language of finance.

A Profit & Loss Account: shows at a glance how much profit has been made, from a calculation of the total from business activities minus the total incurred in running costs.



Topics:
  • Fundamentals of Financial Statements:Grasp the basic components of a Profit & Loss Account and Balance Sheet, and understand how they reflect financial health.
  • Analyzing Business Performance:Explore how to dissect corporate financials, assessing profitability, liquidity, and stability.
  • Personal Finance Insights:Apply financial statement analysis to your personal life, making informed decisions and setting financial goals.
  • Key Ratios and Metrics:Learn how to calculate and interpret crucial financial ratios to gauge performance and potential.
  • Forecasting and Planning:Use financial statement insights for forecasting and strategic planning in both business and personal contexts.
  • Risk Management:Identify financial warning signs and develop strategies to mitigate risks, safeguarding your financial well-being.

Your Instructor

Lisa Newton
Lisa Newton

Infopreneur, Author & Bookkeeping tutor

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star447 reviews

Lisa Newton BA MSc AAT has a Masters degree in Investment Management and a first class honours degree in Accounting with Marketing. She formed her first company in 2004 with £150 in the same month of graduating from City University, London UK. Lisa has never had a full-time 9 to 5 job in her life. She's a serial entrepreneur and author who holds directorships in various industries including telecoms, property management, publishing, hair & beauty as well as finance. She has won various awards in Business including: Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2007, in 2008 Enterprising Business Award, in 2016 BE Mogul Award and has been nominated and shortlisted in numerous others. In 2011 and in 2012 one of her companies won Best Accounting Franchisor Award. In 2015 and 2017 one of her companies won Best Bookkeeping Business London (Accountancy International Awards). Lisa's books include: How to write a book in two weeks, Constant Cashflow, Make the most of your money, How to start your own bookkeeping business, Cosmic Ordering with Vision Boards, How to Franchise Your Business and Quickbooks Online The Handbook. Some of the books are in audio-format on itunes and audible. Lisa hosts her own show The Authors Podcast which can be found on the iTunes channel. Lisa supports the charity The MS Society. A speaker, coach, consultant and an avid networker, Lisa enjoys meeting people and working on projects with like-minded individuals. In her spare time, Lisa likes traveling, dancing salsa, writing books, learning languages, meditation, yoga and cosmic ordering.

Credit Information

Do these courses count toward my professional development requirements?

This portal is provided as a training and development resource for City of Markham employees. Every course is delivered by a qualified subject matter expert or learning organization, is quantifiable in hours, and is verifiable — you receive a documented certificate of completion for every course you finish, stored on LearnFormula indefinitely.

If you hold a professional designation (for example in engineering, accounting, human resources, or law), courses may be counted as professionally relevant, verifiable learning activities toward your continuing professional development. Individual practitioners are responsible for confirming that an activity meets the requirements of their professional body. For questions about the City of Markham's training and development policies, please speak with your people leader or Human Resources.

What Students Are Saying

4.5
Student's Choice
66 reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

We are a registered provider with 327+ associations and regulatory bodies worldwide. We operate across 29 global markets including Canada, the US, Australia, and the UK. Every course page clearly displays its specific accreditations. Upon completion, you receive a professional certificate that can be validated online. Our certificates include all necessary accreditation details, credit hours, and completion dates, and are formatted specifically to meet the submission requirements of most global regulatory bodies.