Course Details

What does the AAT Access Award in Business Skills online course cover?

Work your way through nine modules to gain an understanding of key accounting principles, terminology, and business documentation.

Module 1 - Basic Accounting Terminology

• Gain an understanding of assets, liabilities, income and expenditure.
• Learn how to identify examples of income, expenditure, assets and liabilities.
• Look at the financial terms linked to sale and purchase of goods, including cash and credit sales.
• Become familiar with cash and credit transactions.
• Define and understand profit and loss.
• Look in detail at gross profit and net profit.

Module 2 – Understanding the Use of Business Documents

• Look at the different types of documents used when businesses buy and sell on credit.
• Become familiar with when and how the documents are prepared.
• Examine examples of purchase orders, delivery notes, invoices and credit notes.
• Look into statement of account documentation.

Module 3 – Recording Business Transactions

• A look at how buyers and sellers can record business transactions.
• Examine examples of the sale day book and return day book (for seller).
• Get to grips with the cash book for bank receipts (for seller).
• A look at a buyer’s purchase returns day book and cash book for bank payments.

Module 4 – Processing Receipts and Payments

• Look at cheque payments, cash receipts and payments, and the petty cash book.
• Examine examples of petty cash vouchers and cash receipts listings.

Module 5 – Coding and Batch Control

• Learn more about coding, and how it’s used to identify documents in business records.
• Examine numerical and alphabetic coding examples.
• Look at a mix of alpha and numeric coding.
• Look at how a batch control system is used to post sales and purchase documents to accounting systems.

Module 6 – The Profit and Loss Account

• Look at profit and loss accounts in more detail.
• Learn the terminology and document layout used.
• Examine examples of profit and loss accounts, and identify the different sections.

Module 7 – Mathematics for Accounting

• Look at key maths skills you’ll have to apply in an accounting role.
• Learn how to calculate the ratio and proportion of two numbers.
• Look at percentages, fractions, and whole numbers.

Module 8 – Accounting in a Professional Environment.

• Look further at the role of financial departments in any business.
• Find out more about ethics and professional behaviour in the accounting sector.
• Gain an understanding of the legal framework which businesses operate in.
• How you can achieve as an accountant and develop efficient work practices.
• Look at private and public sector businesses and charities.
• Find out how accounting professionals work in these different business types.
• Tips on applying for accounting jobs in the future.

AAT Access Award in Business Skills Exams

To take exams with AAT, you will need to pay an AAT approved assessment venue directly. You must be an AAT member to take the examinations.