Bookkeeping for Beginners - Newark Buttermarket - Adult Learning

Are you thinking about working in a job role e.g. Accounts Trainee or Finance Clerk, but you’re not sure yet if that’s what you want to do? Or perhaps you have previous experience of bookkeeping, but it was a long time ago and you’d like to refresh your skills. Possibly you may want to learn something new and develop a skill you’ve not tried before.

Bookkeeping for Beginners is an introductory course suitable for complete beginners and for those with a little understanding of bookkeeping. You don’t need a maths qualification to attend. There is no exam, but throughout the course you will be assessed processing financial documentation in simulated tasks.

This is an introduction to bookkeeping, and you’ll be shown how to process financial documents that underpin accurate record keeping. You’ll learn, develop, and practice basic bookkeeping skills required for employment and/or career progression in the accounting sector. You’ll also gain the knowledge and understanding for further learning if you wish to aim for AAT Foundation Level Bookkeeping, or City & Guilds Level 1 Award in Bookkeeping and Accounts.

The course will focus on a range of financial documents.

• You’ll record cash and credit transactions in books of original entry, incoming and outgoing payments.

• You will prepare a bank reconciliation statement, raise invoices and credit notes, check for errors, report discrepancies.

• You’ll keep day books to record goods bought and sold on credit.

• You will learn how to keep the books with an emphasis on recording credit transactions for both a large company and a sole trader.

The course focus is on the system of double entry bookkeeping and processing sales, purchase and nominal ledger accounts.

By the end of the course, you will have explored and gained confidence in a range of bookkeeping methods, produced clear, correct and legible records and gained skills for employment or a move to further learning.

You'll be able to:

• - Identify key elements in the role of the bookkeeper

• - Process documentation, e.g. invoices, credit notes, payments

• - Identify and report discrepancies

• - Record cash and credit transactions in books of original entry

• - Prepare a bank reconciliation statement

• - Identify purpose of sales, purchase and nominal ledger accounts

• - Balance off, and extract a trial balance from, ledger accounts

What you will need to bring to the course:

You will need access to a basic calculator or use your phone. An email address because links to optional further reading will be shared via email. Although handouts and financial documentation will be provided, a pen and paper or other suitable device to make notes will be useful.

There’s no set textbook for this course, but you may find this library book to be of interest: Frank Wood's business accounting basics / Frank Wood and David Horner. Most bookkeeping books are very similar with useful content, but Frank Wood is one of the most thorough, useful and interesting.