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Description

Property, Plant and Equipment and Intangible Assets: Recognition, Depreciation and Impairment

Build reliable fixed asset records from initial recognition through to disposal from the balance sheet

  • 2 days — 14 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • Foundation
  • Up to 6 participants

The fixed asset register often lives a life of its own alongside the general ledger: assets that have long been scrapped remain on the balance sheet, maintenance costs are capitalised in error, and useful lives no longer reflect how the assets are actually used. At year-end, the gaps between the physical count and the ledger balance are resolved under time pressure.

Two days to take back control of the full cycle: qualifying the expenditure, determining the initial carrying amount, breaking assets down into components, selecting a depreciation pattern, testing for impairment and then accounting for disposal. Journal entries are prepared on real cases covering acquisitions, self-constructed assets and disposals.

Learning objectives

  • Distinguish an expense of the period from expenditure to be capitalised
  • Determine the initial carrying amount of an asset acquired, self-constructed or contributed
  • Break an asset down into components and set useful lives and depreciation methods
  • Perform an impairment test and record the resulting loss
  • Account for disposals through sale, scrapping or contribution
  • Reconcile the fixed asset register with the trial balance

What makes this programme different

The fixed asset register is reconciled with the trial balance using a data set containing genuine anomalies
Each participant builds a component-based depreciation schedule and compares it with the tax treatment
Disposal and impairment entries are prepared and then reviewed by another participant

Programme

1The line between expense and capitalised asset

Qualifying expenditure before recording it

  • Recognition criteria for an asset
  • Treatment of maintenance and replacement expenditure
  • Intangible assets and development costs
  • Low-value items and bulk acquisitions

2Initial carrying amount and the component approach

Building the depreciable base

  • Acquisition cost and directly attributable costs
  • Self-constructed assets and incidental costs
  • Identifying components and their useful lives
  • Straight-line and accelerated depreciation patterns
  • Differences between accounting depreciation and the tax treatment

3Impairment and monitoring over the asset's life

Revising values when usage changes

  • Indicators of impairment
  • Impairment testing and recoverable amount
  • Revising the depreciation schedule
  • Assets under construction and entry into service
  • Monitoring intangibles with indefinite useful lives

4Disposals and control of the asset register

Closing the loop through to year-end

  • Sale, scrapping and destruction
  • Calculating and recording the gain or loss on disposal
  • Reconciling the physical count with the accounting register
  • Substantiating the balance at year-end
  • Information to be included in the notes

Who is it for

General accountants, accounting firm staff and fixed asset register managers.

Prerequisites

Confident with routine journal entries and able to read a trial balance.

Dates & locations

36 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.