Introduction
Many finance teams run on an accounting policies and procedures manual that is years out of date, or on no manual at all. Accounting treatments differ between entities, account codes multiply without logic, staff learn procedures by word of mouth and nobody is sure who may approve what. This Core Concept course trains accountants and finance managers to write the manual themselves: selecting and documenting IFRS accounting policies, designing the chart of accounts, writing step-by-step finance procedures and setting approval limits. Participants leave with an Accounting Policies and Procedures Manual draft and a Delegation of Financial Authority Matrix.
Course Objectives
- Structure an accounting manual into policies, procedures, forms and appendices with clear section ownership and numbering
- Select and document accounting policies under IFRS, applying IAS 8 to separate policy changes, estimate changes and prior period errors
- Design a chart of accounts coding structure with account classes, segments and rules for opening and closing accounts
- Write step-by-step finance procedures for revenue, purchasing, payroll, cash, fixed assets, inventory and month-end close
- Build a delegation of financial authority matrix and the supporting forms and templates library
- Run manual approval, version control, roll-out, user training and annual review so the manual stays current
Target Audience
- Finance managers accountable for the accounting manual and its approval
- Senior accountants who draft accounting policy statements and finance procedures
- Controllers who maintain the chart of accounts and approval limits across entities
- Finance transformation and ERP implementation leads who need documented procedures before system go-live
- Group reporting managers aligning accounting treatments across subsidiaries
Course Outline
Day 1: The Accounting Manual and Current-State Assessment
- Accounting Manual Architecture: Policies, Procedures, Forms and Appendices
- Finance Documentation Inventory and Gap Assessment Worksheet
- Manual Ownership Map: Manual Owner, Section Authors and Approvers
- Manual Table of Contents and Section Numbering Convention
- Current-Practice Walkthrough Notes from Finance Staff Interviews
Day 2: IFRS Accounting Policy Selection and Chart of Accounts Design
- IAS 8 Judgement Hierarchy Where No IFRS Standard Specifically Applies
- IAS 8 Distinctions: Change in Accounting Policy, Change in Estimate and Prior Period Error
- Accounting Policy Statement Template: Recognition, Measurement, Presentation and Disclosure
- Chart of Accounts Coding Structure: Account Classes, Digit Logic and Cost Centre Segments
- Chart of Accounts Maintenance: New Account Request Form and Dormant Account Retirement
Day 3: Writing Step-by-Step Finance Procedures
- Procedure Writing Template: Purpose, Scope, Responsibilities, Numbered Steps and Records
- Revenue and Receivables Procedure: Invoicing, Credit Notes and Customer Receipts
- Purchasing and Payables Procedure: Requisition, Purchase Order, Invoice Matching and Supplier Payment
- Payroll, Petty Cash and Bank Procedures: Payroll Posting, Cash Float Top-Up and Bank Statement Processing
- Fixed Asset, Inventory and Month-End Close Procedures: Asset Register Updates, Stock Counts and Close Calendar
Day 4: Authority Matrix, Forms, Approval and Version Control
- Delegation of Financial Authority Matrix: Transaction Types, Value Bands and Approver Levels
- Forms and Templates Library: Journal Voucher, Payment Request and Expense Claim Forms
- Manual Approval Workflow: Draft Review, Finance Committee Endorsement and Board Sign-Off
- Version Control Register: Revision Numbering, Change Log and Superseded Copy Withdrawal
- Deviation Requests and Policy Change Memos Documented Against IAS 8
Day 5: Manual Roll-Out, User Training and Case Work
- Services and Trading Group Case: Rebuilding an Outdated Accounting Manual
- Manual Roll-Out Plan Build: Communication Pack, Intranet Publication and Read Acknowledgement
- User Training Session Build: Procedure Walkthroughs and Knowledge Check Quiz
- Manual Maintenance Plan: Annual Review Calendar and IFRS Amendment Tracking Log
- Accounting Policies and Procedures Manual Draft Presentation and Peer Review
Skills You Will Gain
- Accounting Manual Architecture
- IFRS Policy Selection
- Chart of Accounts Design
- Finance Procedure Writing
- Authority Matrix Design
- Finance Forms Design
- Document Version Control
- Finance User Training
Why Attend This Course
- Return with an Accounting Policies and Procedures Manual draft and a Delegation of Financial Authority Matrix built on your own organisation
- Give new finance staff written procedures they can follow on their first day instead of relying on colleagues' memory
- Answer auditor and management questions on which accounting policy applies and who approved it, from one controlled document
- Compare manual structures, account coding and approval limits with finance peers from trading, services, manufacturing and public entities
Conclusion
An accounting manual only works when its policies follow IFRS, its account codes are consistent, its procedures can be followed step by step and every approval limit is clear. This course moves from assessing current documentation, through IAS 8 policy selection and chart of accounts design, to writing procedures for each finance process, building the authority matrix and forms, and controlling versions and approval. The final day applies these methods to case material and produces an Accounting Policies and Procedures Manual draft ready for internal approval.
