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Description

IAS 37: Qualifying Provisions, Measuring Them and Documenting Liabilities

Distinguish provisions, contingent liabilities and accruals to secure your IFRS reporting close

  • 1 day — 7 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • Intermediate
  • Up to 6 participants

Provisions remain the line item where the preparer's judgement carries the greatest weight. A poorly characterised constructive obligation, a restructuring recognised too early or a claim measured without a clear method all end up as audit findings and then as consolidation adjustments. Teams often hesitate between recognising a provision, disclosing it in the notes or doing nothing at all.

This one-day programme works through the logic of IAS 37: identifying the present obligation, assessing the expected outflow of resources, building a defensible estimate and documenting it. The seven hours focus on the situations that genuinely cause difficulty and on the disclosures required for contingent liabilities.

Learning objectives

  • Identify the present obligation that triggers recognition of a provision
  • Distinguish a provision from a contingent liability and from an accrual
  • Build a reasoned measurement based on possible outcome scenarios
  • Address provisions for claims warranties decommissioning and onerous contracts
  • Draft the required disclosures without weakening the company's position
  • Secure the documentation presented to the external auditor

What makes this programme different

Every situation is resolved in the session using the IAS 37 decision tree rebuilt step by step
Participants work on anonymised claim and restructuring files brought from their own entities
A provision documentation memo template is built during the session and taken away by the group

Programme

1Scope and Recognition Criteria

Knowing what is provided for and what is disclosed

  • Legal obligations and constructive obligations
  • Triggering event and the notion of a probable outflow of resources
  • The boundary with accruals and other liabilities
  • Contingent liabilities and contingent assets
  • Interaction with other standards that take precedence over IAS 37

2Measurement and Monitoring of the Provision

Moving from judgement to a defensible amount

  • Best estimate and treatment of large populations of cases
  • Taking risks and uncertainties into account
  • Discounting of deferred cash outflows
  • Expected reimbursements from insurers and third parties
  • Remeasurement reversal and utilisation of the provision

3Specific Situations and Financial Reporting

Handling the files that genuinely cause difficulty

  • Provisions for claims and employment-related disputes
  • Restructurings and the conditions for announcing the plan
  • Onerous contracts and decommissioning obligations
  • Environmental provisions and site restoration obligations
  • Drafting the notes to the financial statements and the level of detail published

Who is it for

Accounting managers · consolidation specialists · financial controllers · internal auditors and audit firm staff.

Prerequisites

Practical experience of accounting under IFRS or involvement in consolidation work.

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.