Course Introduction

Introduction

 

Congratulations! You have chosen to study an essential life skill—how to manage your money. Financial Management provides the opportunity for you to learn about the development and use of financial information and to apply this information within the context of business and personal life. FIN1015: Accounting Prep introduces you to the basic accounting procedures necessary to start a business. Accounting is the tracking and writing down of financial information.

 

 

FIN1015 Learn EveryWare © 2009 Alberta Education

Big Picture

 

Everyone at some time needs to start tracking and recording their financial information. On a personal level, this may mean creating a family budget, planning for a major purchase, or balancing a chequebook. On a business level, a lot more planning and organization is required to track and record all the activity involved. The success of a business can rely on this process! FIN1015: Accounting Prep is an introduction into the realities of this organization process based on a small service business. You may already have some experience in financial management or this may be your first introduction to the subject.

 

Listen to what past students of Financial Management had to say about these courses.

 

In FIN1015, you will start an accounting system for a business. This course is also a prerequisite for FIN1020: Accounting Cycle 1, where you will go on to track daily business transactions using the accounting system you complete in this course.

 

The majority of your assignments will require the use of a spreadsheet application such as Microsoft Excel¬Æ. No prior knowledge of Excel® is required because you will receive the necessary training as you proceed in this course. Accounting forms already created in Excel¬Æ 2007 are available as needed in the Toolkit or through links in the course material.

 

The suggested completion time for the course is 25 hours. You may be able to finish it in less time or it may take you a little longer. Completing the course should not take more than 32 hours, however.

 

Course Outline   Course Orientation Project 1: Accounting Careers Project 2: Generally Accepted Accounting Principles Project 3: Financial Statements Project 4: Starting the Business Training Room 1: The Beginning Balance Sheet Training Room 2: Chart of Accounts Training Room 3: Opening the Ledger Training Room 4: Opening Entry Training Room 5: Posting the Opening Entry Final Project   Total

Suggested Time   30 minutes 130 minutes 80 minutes 160 minutes     160 minutes 160 minutes 160 minutes 160 minutes 160 minutes   320 minutes   1520 minutes (or about 25 hours)

 

Assessment

 

The assessment for this course is based on the assignments submitted for each project, the final project, and meeting the course basic competencies. Assignments to be marked by your teacher are indicated by the heading Time to Work.

 

You will need to create a Course Portfolio where you can add documents as you go through this course. Suggestions of what to include in the Course Portfolio are provided as you work through the projects and Training Rooms. The purpose of this portfolio is to

• allow you to showcase what you know about accounting to prospective employers and/or post-secondary institutions
  
  
• provide you with an excellent review when working on the final project
  
  
• provide the foundation for you to build on in FIN1020
  
  
• provide a reference as you continue your accounting studies

Suggested weightings are as follows, but you should confirm them with your teacher:

 

 

Basic competencies are assessed throughout the course, as indicated by your teacher. Click the Basic Competencies Rubric to familiarize yourself with what is expected.

 

FIN1015 Learn EveryWare © 2009 Alberta Education

Expectations

 

Icon Legend

 

Tips and Tricks: These will help you complete assignments

 

GAAP: Generally Accepted Accounting Principles

 

Check Your Answer: Self-check to assess your understanding

 

Accounting Forms: Forms that you will need to do your work

 

Assessment or Rubric: An assignment to be assessed or a rubric for you to use as a checklist for assessment

 

Link to a document: Links to a document that you will need to reference

 

Multimedia: Movies for tutorials and further understanding

 

Exemplars/examples: Examples of financial documents

 

Saving Your Work

 

You will need to create a Course Folder on your desktop called FIN1015. This is where you will save all your assignments.

 

Your Course Portfolio can be saved as a folder inside your Course Folder or on your desktop specifically to collect your portfolio information. This information is presented to your teacher for assessment at the end of this course.

 

Check with your teacher for special instructions on saving work for assessment.

 

Review the Creating a Folder video for instructions on creating a folder. This movie is available under Tips and Tricks in the Toolkit for you to access whenever you need it.

 

Please check with your teacher for instructions if you are having difficulties.

 

Toolkit

 

You will note that there is a Toolkit in the course menu. The Toolkit contains support documents and the Excel® spreadsheet accounting and workbook forms you will need for the course. You will be referred to the Toolkit during your lessons and may access the information there whenever you need it.

 

The Toolkit contains the following:

• Accounting Forms—forms already created in Excel¬Æ 2007 for you to use
• Exemplars—examples of completed accounting forms
• Rubrics—checklists for you to check your assignments
• Tips and Tricks—suggestions to help you work through your assignments

Glossary

 

Note that new terms will be displayed in bold text. If you would like to review the meaning of these words, you may refer to the glossary any time you wish.

 

Student Expectations

 

To achieve success in this course, read all of the instructions thoroughly and work through the material carefully. Remember, it’s the work and practice that will prepare you for the assignments to be assessed by your teacher. Set realistic goals for yourself each day and stick to them. Do your work regularly and don’t forget to check it before attempting your assignments. Good work habits will greatly increase your chances for success in FIN1015.

 

You will need to communicate regularly with your teacher. Constant communication lets your teacher know how you are progressing and lets you discuss any concerns or issues that you may have. Communication can be in the form of e-mails, phone calls, or other methods—whatever suits you best.

 

Continue to Project 1 where you will explore accounting careers.

 

FIN1015 Learn EveryWare © 2009 Alberta Education