Course schedules

Upcoming dates Classroom

Start date	End date	Location	Fee	Registration
19 Oct 2026	23 Oct 2026	Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia	€1,400 + VAT	→
2 Nov 2026	6 Nov 2026	Barcelona - Spain	€1,925 + VAT	→
21 Dec 2026	25 Dec 2026	London - United Kingdom	€2,100 + VAT	→
18 Jan 2027	22 Jan 2027	London - United Kingdom	€2,100 + VAT	→
15 Feb 2027	19 Feb 2027	Frankfurt - Germany	€1,625 + VAT	→
15 Mar 2027	19 Mar 2027	Barcelona - Spain	€1,925 + VAT	→
19 Apr 2027	23 Apr 2027	Frankfurt - Germany	€1,625 + VAT	→
17 May 2027	21 May 2027	Rome - Italy	€2,125 + VAT	→

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19 - 23 October 2026 €1,050 + VAT → 2 - 6 November 2026 €1,050 + VAT → 21 - 25 December 2026 €1,050 + VAT → 18 - 22 January 2027 €1,050 + VAT → 15 - 19 February 2027 €1,050 + VAT → 15 - 19 March 2027 €1,050 + VAT → 19 - 23 April 2027 €1,050 + VAT → 17 - 21 May 2027 €1,050 + VAT →

Why Attend

Planning and budgeting are must-have skills for all professionals, regardless of their function or managerial level. This course covers the concept of budgeting as a planning tool, a financial device, and a control mechanism. In addition, it provides the necessary application tools required to make long-term and short-term planning decisions.

Course Objectives

Defend the importance of linking an organization's budget with its strategic plan
Demonstrate how the budget relates to the balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement
Prepare the key elements of an operating and capital budget and evaluate the different budgeting approaches used
Apply cost control tools, analyze management variance reports, and take proper corrective action
Calculate different capital budgeting evaluation techniques as included in a capital expenditure proposal
Utilize cost-volume-profit analysis in making budgeting decisions

Designed for

This program is intended for professionals involved in Accounting and Finance.

All managers, supervisors and analysts who prepare or use management budgets.

Course Methodology

This course focuses on exercises, case studies, and individual and group presentations.

Course content

Day1

Planning and the Functions of Management

The critical functions of management
Budget as a planning tool
Control: The missing link
Roadmap to strategy
Aligning the budget with the organization’s strategy
Planning pitfalls

Day2

The Key Financial Statements

The accounting system
The income statement
The balance sheet
Retained earnings
The cash flow statement

Day3

Budgeting: Process and Approaches

The advantages of budgeting
The budget process
Rolling budgets
Direct and indirect costs
The master budget
Operating and capital budgets

Day4

Approaches to budgeting:

Incremental budgeting
Zero-based budgeting
Flexible budgeting
Kaizen budgeting and continuous improvement
Activity-based budgeting
Tools of forecasting
Characteristics of an adequate budget
Problems in budgeting

Day5

Cost Control

Budget as a control tool
The control process
Characteristics of an effective control system
Responsibility reporting
Day 6: Variance analysis:
Identifying the components of variance
Taking the corrective action
Day 7: Capital Expenditure Budgeting and Analysis
Time value of money
The discount rate: Using cost of capital
Simple versus compound interest
Identifying and analyzing cash flows
Net Present Value (NPV)
Internal Rate of Return (IRR)
Profitability Index (PI)
Pay-Back Period (PBP)
Accounting Rate of Return (ARR)
Approval for Expenditure (AFE)
Sensitivity and risk analysis
Day 8: Cost Volume Profit Analysis (CVP)
Defining fixed costs
Defining variable costs
Breakeven point in units
Breakeven point in dollars
Computing breakeven point in sales
Sensitivity analysis: Changing assumptions

The certificate

SPARK Training Certificate of Completion is awarded to participants who attend and complete the full training course.