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Description

Balance Sheet and Income Statement for Non-Accountants: Read, Interpret and Engage

Read a balance sheet and an income statement without being an accountant and draw useful conclusions

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

An operational manager receives the accounts of their business unit every year without having the keys to read them. The terminology looks alike, the line items feel abstract and discussions with the finance department stall for lack of a shared vocabulary.

Two days to understand how the balance sheet and the income statement are built, to know where to look and to connect the figures to actual business activity. Participants work on simplified sets of accounts drawn from different sectors and leave with a reading framework they can apply to their own entity.

Learning objectives

  • Identify the logic behind the structure of the balance sheet and the income statement
  • Locate the main line items and understand their economic meaning
  • Calculate intermediate performance margins
  • Interpret the key balances between uses of funds and sources of funds
  • Engage with the finance department on the basis of the financial statements

What makes this programme different

Reading is practised on real, simplified sets of accounts from different sectors
An accounting glossary is built up progressively by the participants
A one-page reading framework is finalised at the end of the session

Programme

1The balance sheet line by line

Understanding what the company owns and what it owes

  • Distinguish non-current assets from current assets
  • Identify equity and liabilities
  • Understand depreciation, amortisation and provisions
  • Connect each line item to a management decision

2The income statement

Following how the result for the period is formed

  • Distinguish operating income from operating expenses
  • Identify финансовый result and non-recurring items
  • Calculate intermediate performance margins
  • Separate fixed costs from variable costs

3The links between the two statements

Seeing the company in motion

  • Understand the link between the result and equity
  • Track working capital requirements
  • Distinguish profit from cash
  • Read the notes to the accounts to shed light on the figures

4First-level interpretation

Drawing conclusions that are useful day to day

  • Calculate profitability and structure ratios
  • Compare two reporting periods and explain the variances
  • Ask the accounting team the right questions
  • Prepare a concise commentary on the accounts

Who is it for

Operational managers, team leaders, project managers and non-financial staff who are required to read their company's accounts.

Prerequisites

No prior knowledge required

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.