AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians) - 13 assessments. Awarding body is the AAT.

Summary

  • 4 assessments

    340 hours of qualification time

    6 - 12 months

  • 4 assessments

    620 qualification hours

    6 - 12 months

  • 5 assessments

    1059 qualification hours

    12 - 18 months

AAT Level 2 - Certificate in Accounting.

Get a foundation in finance administration and core accounting skills, including double-entry bookkeeping, basic costing, and sales and purchase ledgers. This qualification takes between 6 and 12 months, and there are 4 assessments. Once you complete this level you are on your way to being an AAT member (hurrah!). Two more levels to go!

Introduction to Bookkeeping.

  • Understand how to set up bookkeeping systems;

  • Process customer transactions;

  • Process supplier transactions;

  • Process receipts and payments;

  • Process transactions into the ledger accounts.

The Business Environment.

  • Understand the principles of contract law;

  • Understand the external business environment;

  • Understand the key principles of corporate social responsibility (CSR), ethics and sustainability;

  • Understand the impact of setting up different types of business entity;

  • Understand the finance function within an organisation;

  • Produce work in appropriate formats and communicate effectively;

  • Understand the importance of information to business operations.

Principles of Bookkeeping Controls.

  • Use control accounts;

  • Reconcile a bank statement with the cash book;

  • Use the journal;

  • Produce trial balances.

Principles of Costing.

  • Understand the cost recording system within an organisation;

  • Use cost recording techniques;

  • Provide information on actual and budgeted cost and income;

  • Use tools and techniques to support cost calculations.

AAT Level 3 - Diploma in Accounting.

Study this qualification to learn higher accounting techniques and disciplines, and qualify for AAT bookkeeping membership (AATQB). This qualification takes between 6 and 12 months, and there are 4 assessments. Just one more level to go before you are an AAT member (woohoo!).

Business Awareness.

  • Understand business types, structure and governance and the legal framework in which they operate;

  • Understand the impact of the external and internal environments on business, their performance and decisions;

  • Understand how businesses and accounts comply with principles of professional ethics;

  • Understand the impact of new technologies in accounting and the risks associated with data security;

  • Communicate information to stakeholders.

Tax Processes for Businesses.

  • Understand legislation requirements relating to VAT;

  • Calculate VAT;

  • Review and verify VAT returns;

  • Understand principles of payroll;

  • Report information within the organisation.

Financial Accounting: Preparing Financial Statements.

  • Understand the accounting principles underlaying final accounts preparation;

  • Understand the principles of advanced double-entry bookkeeping;

  • Implement procedures for the acquisition and disposal of non-current assets;

  • Prepare and record depreciation calculations;

  • Record period end adjustments;

  • Produce and extend the trial balance;

  • Produce financial statements for sole traders and partnerships;

  • Interpret financial statements using profitability ratios;

  • Prepare accounting records from incomplete information.

Management Accounting Techniques.

  • Understand the purpose and use of management accounting within organisations;

  • Use techniques required for dealing with costs

  • Attribute costs according to organisational requirements;

  • Investigate deviations from budgets;

  • Use spreadsheet techniques to provide management accounting information;

  • Use management accounting techniques to support short-term decision making;

  • Understand principles of cash management.

Botswana Tax Processes for Businesses (for students in Botswana only).

  • Understand legislation requirements relating to VAT;

  • Calculate VAT;

  • Review and verify VAT returns;

  • Understand principles of payroll;

  • Report information within the organisation.

AAT Level 4 - Diploma in Professional Accounting.

Study this qualification to master complex accounting tasks and qualify for senior finance roles, as well as AAT full membership. This qualification takes between 12 and 18 months, and there are 5 assessments. 3 of these are mandatory modules and 2 of 5 you can choose from 5 optional modules. Once completed, you are an exam-qualified AAT member (HUGE achievement!!).

Applied Management Accounting (mandatory).

  • Understand and implement the organisational planning process;

  • Use internal processes to enhance operational control;

  • Use techniques to aid short-term and long-term decision making;

  • Analyse and report on business performance.

Business Tax (optional).

  • Prepare tax computations for sole traders and partnerships;

  • Prepare tax computations for limited companies;

  • Prepare tax computations for the sale of capital assets by limited companies;

  • Understand administrative requirements of the UK's tax regime;

  • Understand the tax implications of business disposals;

  • Understand tax relief, tax planning opportunities and agent’s responsibilities in reporting taxation to HM Revenue & Customs.

Cash and Financial Management (optional).

  • Prepare forecasts for cash receipts and payments;

  • Prepare cash budgets and monitor cash flows;

  • Understand the importance of managing finance and liquidity;

  • Understand the ways of raising finance and investing funds;

  • Understand regulations and organisational policies that influence decisions in managing cash and finance.

Drafting and Interpreting Financial Statements (mandatory).

  • Understand the reporting frameworks that underpin financial reporting;

  • Draft statutory financial statements for limited companies;

  • Draft consolidated financial statements;

  • Interpret financial statements using ratio analysis

Internal Accounting Systems and Controls (mandatory).

  • Understand the role and responsibilities of the accounting function within an organisation;

  • Evaluate internal control systems;

  • Evaluate an organisation’s accounting system and underpinning procedures;

  • Understand the impact of technology on accounting systems;

  • Recommend improvements to an organisation’s accounting systems.

Audit and Assurance (optional).

  • Demonstrate an understanding of the audit and assurance framework;

  • Demonstrate the importance of professional ethics;

  • Evaluate the planning process for audit and assurance;

  • Review and report findings.

Credit and Debt Management (optional).

  • Understand relevant legislation and contract law that impacts the credit control environment;

  • Understand how information is used to assess credit risk and grant credit in compliance with organisational policies and procedures;

  • Understand the organisation's credit control processes for managing and collecting debts;

  • Understand different techniques available to collect debts.

Personal Tax (optional).

  • Understand principles and rules that underpin taxation systems;

  • Calculate UK taxpayers' total income;

  • Calculate Income Tax and National Insurance contributions (NICs) payable by UK taxpayers;

  • Calculate Capital Gains Tax payable by UK taxpayers;

  • Understand the principles of Inheritance Tax.

This information and more can be found on the AAT website.