Financial Analysis for Business Decisions: Cash Flow Management
Explore fundamental aspects of cash flow management, from cash conversion cycles to short-term financing.
542 enrolled on this course
Duration
4 weeksWeekly study
4 hours100% online
How it works
Financial Analysis for Business Decisions: Cash Flow Management
Improve your cash flow management in your organisation
Financial analysis plays a central role in data-driven decision making in our current analytics-orientated age.
On this four-week financial management course, you’ll learn how financial analysis can be applied to various aspects of cash flow management.
You will learn:
- how to calculate working capital, cash conversion cycles, and bond and stock valuations
- best practice accounting policy related to accounts payable (AP), accounts receivable (AR) and inventory
- how to raise short-term financing
- how to raise capital with stocks and bonds vs. investment
The finance and accounting skills you learn in this course will enable you to take a data-led approach to cash flow management. This will empower you to lead data-driven decision making related to incomings and outgoings in your or your clients’ organisations.
Make better business decisions with financial analysis
You will explore key elements of cash flow management on this course. These include how to calculate working capital, cash conversion cycles, and stock and bond valuations.
You will consider accounting policy, looking at best practice related to AP, AR, and inventory management.
Using financial analysis, you will learn how to take a sound, data-driven approach to business decisions related to these areas. You will be able to approach these aspects of cash flow management with confidence.
Explore how to raise capital through different channels
This financial management course will also consider the question of how to raise capital. You’ll learn approaches to raising short-term financing to meet an organisation’s immediate needs. Such needs can emerge unexpectedly or in relation to external events, being able to raise short-term financing can therefore be pivotal.
Syllabus
Week 1
Introduction to the course and working capital analysis
Welcome to the course
You will be introduced to the characteristics of working capital and how to effectively manage working capital, as well as the assessment structure for this course.
Working capital analysis
Is your company financially healthy? A working capital analysis can unveil details. You are about to explore more about this.
Cash conversion cycle (CCC)
Cash conversion cycle is the time a firm takes to convert investment in inventory to cash generated from sales. The shorter the better; you are about to explore an excellent tool to measure liquidity of a company.
Accounts receivable (AR)
Have you ever encountered overdue payments or non-payments from your clients? You will learn how accounts receivable, also called AR, plays a fundamental role to solve the problem.
Wrap-up
To complete the week, test your knowledge of this week's content and recap the learning outcomes for the week.
Week 2
Accounts payable and short-term financing
Introduction
You will be introduced to the characteristics of working capital and how to effectively manage working capital.
Inventories
What is the role of an inventory in a business? Learn about its importance and more. You also will get a chance to perform basic inventory calculations.
Accounts payable (AP)
Where AR was all about receiving delayed payments, you will explore how AP is all about letting out delayed payments; you will be learning more about what AP is and why it's important.
Sources of short-term financing
A firm won’t always match cash inflows and outflows. Shortfalls can be bridged through various sources of financing. You will now learn some popular short-term financing options available through banks and other institutions.
Wrap-up
Good job! You’ve now completed Week 2. Test your knowledge and reflect on what you've learned.
Week 3
Long-term financing
Introduction
You will be introduced to a the basic financial investment option: bonds – including the issue of bonds, identifying the types of bonds, and the calculation of bond valuation.
Bonds
Learn more about bonds, a long-term financing option.
Wrap-up
Good job! You’ve now completed Week 3. Here is a wrap-up of what you learned.
Week 4
Capital markets
Introduction
In this final week, you will be introduced to how to approach financial modelling, including the considerations that are required for your business case.
Stocks
Discover how stocks can be used as a long-term financing instrument.
Investments and special topics
Learn about how stocks and bonds can be used as investments, as well as other emerging options for long-term financing.
Course wrap-up
Wow! You’ve now completed Week 4. Complete your graded course test and reflect on what you've learned.
When would you like to start?
Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.
Available now
Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Calculate working capital, cash conversion cycle, bond and stock valuations
- Describe best practice AP, AR and inventory policies
- Describe ways an organisation can bridge their short term financing needs
- Differentiate between how stocks and bonds are used to raise money vs investment
Who is the course for?
This course is for those who want to support data-driven decision making based on financial analysis. You could be a finance professional seeking career advancement or better communication skills, or a manager looking to strengthen key finance skills.
These courses, from the same provider, will help further your knowledge:
What software or tools do you need?
During the course we’ll be using Tableau Public and Excel. If you don’t have Excel, you might find this online version useful.
We recommend you use a computer to access this course.
Who will you learn with?
Commercially focused Finance Director / CFO with experience working with fast growth online SMEs in different sectors, including two successful exits (Amazon acquisition & Funding Circle’s IPO)
Who developed the course?
FutureLearn
FutureLearn is a leading social learning platform and has been providing high quality online courses for learners around the world over the last ten years.
In collaboration with
Endorsers and supporters
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Ways to learn | Buy this course | Subscribe & save | Limited access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choose the best way to learn for you! | $134/one-off payment | $349.99 for one year Automatically renews | Free |
| Fulfill your current learning need | Develop skills to further your career | Sample the course materials | |
| Access to this course | tick | tick | Access expires 24 May 2024 |
| Access to 1,000+ courses | cross | tick | cross |
| Learn at your own pace | tick | tick | cross |
| Discuss your learning in comments | tick | tick | tick |
| Tests to check your learning | tick | tick | cross |
| Certificate when you're eligible | Printed and digital | Digital only | cross |
Cancel for free anytime |
Ways to learn
Choose the best way to learn for you!
Subscribe & save
$349.99 for one year
Automatically renews
Develop skills to further your career
- Access to this course
- Access to 1,000+ courses
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Tests to boost your learning
- Digital certificate when you're eligible
Cancel for free anytime
Buy this course
$134/one-off payment
Fulfill your current learning need
- Access to this course
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Tests to boost your learning
- Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible
Limited access
Free
Sample the course materials
- Access expires 24 May 2024
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades) | |||
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)
Learning on FutureLearn
Your learning, your rules
- Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
- Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others
Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
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