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Description

Revenue Recognition: Timing, Evidence and Accounting Entries

Assign each sale to the correct reporting period based on the transfer of control rather than the invoice date

  • 0.29 days — 2 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • Intermediate
  • Up to 6 participants

The invoice is issued just before year end but the goods leave the warehouse the following week. The external auditor asks for evidence supporting the period in which the sale was recorded, and the accounting team has nothing but a purchase order on file. The question comes back at every close: partial deliveries, sales with retention of title, goods still in transit. Every case decided loosely shifts profit from one period to the next and weakens the financial statements.

These two hours treat the transfer of control as a technical point to be mastered. Participants learn to identify the indicators of transfer, reconstruct the documentary trail an auditor expects and handle transactions straddling the reporting date.

Learning objectives

  • Identify the trigger event applicable to a sales transaction
  • Distinguish transfer of control from invoicing and from payment
  • Handle transactions straddling the reporting date
  • Build the documentary trail supporting the period allocation
  • Correct an incorrect period allocation and measure its effect on profit

What makes this programme different

Every situation is decided using the documents actually available in the file
Partial delivery cases and sales with retention of title are addressed separately
A question grid allows a transaction to be qualified in a few minutes

Programme

1The transfer of control as trigger event

Knowing what triggers the entry

  • The notion of transfer of control applied to sales of goods
  • Difference between transfer of legal title, transfer of risks and physical handover
  • Where the invoice sits in the chain of events
  • Services and sales carrying a remaining performance obligation

2Qualifying sales situations

Real cases rather than principles

  • Partial deliveries and split orders
  • Sales with retention of title
  • Goods in transit depending on the Incoterm agreed
  • Sales carrying a right of return or customer acceptance

3Closing and supporting evidence

Securing the cut-off between periods

  • Organising the cut-off with logistics and sales administration
  • Documents to gather to support each period allocation
  • Treatment of invoices to be issued and deferred income
  • Correcting an allocation error detected after the close

Who is it for

Sole accountants and practice staff, along with accounting managers and management controllers involved in closing work.

Prerequisites

Regular practice of general accounting and period-end closing work.

Dates & locations

12 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.