Introduction to Accounting and the Accounting System

Explore basic business documents to understand accounting fundamentals

Accounting is vital for any business. It helps you keep an accurate record of all financial transactions to understand how the organisation is performing.

On this four-week course, you’ll gain an introduction to the fundamentals of accounting. You’ll explore all basic business documents, transactions, and learn how to record them in ledger accounts.

You’ll also learn to identify types of business entities and the differences in expenditure to ensure you understand the key components of accounting.

Learn how to do double-entry bookkeeping

You’ll be introduced to double-entry bookkeeping – a globally-recognised method of accounting for financial transactions.

From underlying concepts to applications of the rules, you’ll gain a solid understanding of double-entry bookkeeping and how you can start using it in practice.

Understand how to prepare a trial balance and financial statement

Delving into the accounting process, you’ll learn how to understand business transactions, record them in ledger accounts, and prepare a trial balance and financial statements.

This knowledge will also help you understand the difference between management and financial accounts, and the purpose each serves.

Guided by the specialists at Kaplan, you’ll finish the course with a sound understanding of accounting and the accounting system, and how you can use this knowledge in your context.

This course is designed for anyone wanting to learn the basics of accounting and double-entry bookkeeping.

You could be studying at college or university and would like some help with these topics or you may have gained double-entry bookkeeping knowledge years ago and want to use this course as a way to brush up on your skills.

This course will also be useful if you would like to learn how to maintain accounting records for a small business, starting with the very basics. You may also be interested in pursuing a career in accounting or business, or you already work in an accounts department.

• Introduction to accounting
• Welcome
• The fundamentals of business, accounting and the financial statements
• Accounting systems - business transactions & documents
• Accounting systems - books of prime entry
• Accounting for transactions - basic principles
• Welcome
• Introduction to double entry bookkeeping
• Ledger accounting and double entry bookkeeping
• Welcome
• Ledger accounting
• Ledger accounts to the financial statements
• Welcome
• Ledger accounting - balancing off the ledger accounts
• Preparing a trial balance
• Preparing the financial statements