Accounts/Numbers • Non-Gaming • General Non-gaming • Eurogamer.net

solidsneek 13 Apr 2018 22:42:35 763 posts
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Mentioned a while a go that I was doing a business degree and wanting to go down the accounting and numbers route. Do you guys know of any free material, studying etc that I can do in the mean time until the real grit of the course.

Thanks in advance.

EDIT- I am a member of the library so can pick some materials up there too.

Edited by solidsneek at 22:43:32 13-04-2018

snowbored 13 Apr 2018 23:02:56 534 posts
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@solidsneek I did ACCA a few years back and opentuition.com was really helpful as I couldn't afford face to face courses.

It's tailored to ACCA/CIMA but at the end of the day it's still accounting and all based on IFRS.

Might not be helpful but can't hurt to check it out!

LockeTribal 13 Apr 2018 23:11:31 4,740 posts
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I found opentuition helpful as well back when I was doing exams. The ACCA does have some free learning resources through their website as well. You can download a copy of FRS 102 from the FRC's website as well and get reading ;-)

Everything else I bought at the time and is all out of date, sorry.

Good luck with your studies!

mothercruncher 13 Apr 2018 23:19:45 19,474 posts
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Hope this helps with the numbers:

mrharvest 14 Apr 2018 09:47:50 5,718 posts
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mothercruncher wrote:
Hope this helps with the numbers:

Jesus that groove is tight.

I was earlier listening to this:

Deleted user 14 April 2018 12:27:40

mothercruncher wrote:
Hope this helps with the numbers:

I didn't need the music to start to know what that was. As soon as the hand went forward, I knew.

Deleted user 14 April 2018 14:41:02

@solidsneek I would look at what sort of accounting you want to do. I just finished CIMA which is management accounting (business rather than individual) and you can find some good resources in their website. Though again that is very much leaning into the business aspect of accounting.

Not-a-reviewer 14 Apr 2018 16:22:02 7,686 posts
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I thought you said before that numbers were your weak area.

solidsneek 14 Apr 2018 17:53:59 763 posts
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@reviewer they are but I love the business side of numbers so profit loss, finance etc and yes I know it’s important to have numerical skills that’s why I am looking at source materials.

Deleted user 14 April 2018 18:09:42

Honestly, maths and accounting are not the same ting. Yes you use some basic maths/algebra but analytical skills are much more important. Also excel exists

Deleted user 14 April 2018 18:10:00

Thing*

Deleted user 14 April 2018 18:10:49

@snowbored how did you find ACCA? It was a toss up between that and CIMA.

solidsneek 14 Apr 2018 18:14:36 763 posts
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@Graxlar_v3 Agree completely I know someone who’s an accountant and uses excel for everything

ilmaestro 14 Apr 2018 18:39:13 32,932 posts
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mothercruncher wrote:
Hope this helps with the numbers:

And if it doesn't, this surely will:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elbxY2NQefE

WHAT DO THE NUMBERS MEAN

snowbored 14 Apr 2018 18:50:58 534 posts
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@Graxlar_v3 ACCA is tough, but then if it wasn't, it wouldn't be worth while. On reflection I think I would have preferred CIMA, the modules that were more management accounting orientated were my favorite.

My own personal experience was doing it all distance study from text books and free online materials because I couldn't afford courses, also I live quite rural and the nearest courses were several hours drive away.

The route I took is doable if you are prepared to sacrifice a lot of evenings and weekends, but it gets a bit lonely. I certainly never want to see the inside of an exam hall again!

Personally I find the PER (practical experience requirements) more onerous, I've had to leave a job of many years in order to try to get it all signed off, but if you work in a practice already, it's probably much easier.

Also I second your point about maths and accountancy being different things. It's more about analysis and being able to understand and apply the many, many, principles and standards that make up the various frameworks out there!

My mental arithmetic is quite weak, but I can bust out a decent Excel spreadsheet with control totals.

Deleted user 16 April 2018 11:41:23

Yeah, I did CIMA distance learning, lots of studying from text books. I do agree about the PER, even after doing enough to get signed off it was still about 2/3 months of writing and rewriting, editing and tweaking the report.

Gurgy 16 Apr 2018 14:22:04 2,924 posts
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Things have no doubt changed quite a bit since “my day”.

Was a part time “book-keeper” (whilst also still in sixth form) at the age of 16.
This led me to take Accountancy O and A level’s at night school. Frank Woods Business Accounting Volumes 1 & 2 were my bible.

Started ACCA qualification whilst working but gave up early in level 2 studies due to time pressures of work and a new baby.

Basically became a time served accountant and auditor and ended up working for a big 10 accountancy firm and started to be tasked with National Audit Office external audits on things such as UKPA and CRB.

Got fed up with all that nearly twenty years ago so left practice and moved into industry.

Now I’m a captain of British Industry but I’m just longing for retirement.

Edited by Gurgy at 14:22:59 16-04-2018

challenge_hanukkah 16 Apr 2018 14:25:01 14,394 posts
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Do you own your own poop deck, Captain?

robc84 16 Apr 2018 14:31:05 15,553 posts
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I'm part of the ACCA club

Passed in 2009, so no doubt its changed a lot since then. I'm sure there is still plenty of material around.

You need to have a fair grasp of numbers, but it's not the be all and end all. You can use a calculator and Excel as others have said. It's annoying that people assume I can work out anything numerical because I am an accountant.

Gurgy 16 Apr 2018 14:45:13 2,924 posts
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“Do you own your own poop deck, Captain?”

No afraid not.

Although not convinced I really am “afraid not” as I do like the thought that I can just walk away whenever I want / can.

It’s a slightly odd setup that is easiest to describe as my name is on everything except the share certificate.

There have been a couple of major/traumatic goings on over the last 10 years that at times left me in some interesting positions.

Such as -

having all the personal guarantees on the companies debts solely in my name when the shareholder had none,

having a major “falling out” with the finance providers which led to going into administration, them excercising their right to appoint an administrator, appointing one, then realising there was a problem over the legality of their charge and right to appoint, so the administrators stood down, the finance co. called in is debts and in the chaos we then had to go into voluntary administration. The fallout of this - Redacted

The company is now in the strongest position it’s ever been since about 12 years ago but despite my suffering through it all none of it’s mine.

Edited by Gurgy at 16:02:23 30-07-2018

Deleted user 16 April 2018 14:50:23

Gurgy wrote:

having all the personal guarantees on the companies debts solely in my name when the shareholder had none,

Hope you learnt your lesson there

Gurgy 16 Apr 2018 14:57:19 2,924 posts
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Graxlar_v3 wrote:

Hope you learnt your lesson there

Most certainly did however it was the only way I could keep the company afloat during a traumatic transition of ownership. The finance companies made it quite clear that they would call in debts if no one guaranteed them, even though they knew it would cause another administration.

It was take that risk or everyone would lose their job and we employed a few people who would really struggle to find a new job out there at that time.

robc84 16 Apr 2018 15:53:51 15,553 posts
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Gurgy wrote:

Graxlar_v3 wrote:

Hope you learnt your lesson there
Most certainly did however it was the only way I could keep the company afloat during a traumatic transition of ownership. The finance companies made it quite clear that they would call in debts if no one guaranteed them, even though they knew it would cause another administration.

It was take that risk or everyone would lose their job and we employed a few people who would really struggle to find a new job out there at that time.

Where were the new owners in this? Were there any other directors? Sounds like you should have at least been given some share options for doing something like that!

Fair play to you though

Gurgy 16 Apr 2018 18:11:30 2,924 posts
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Was only one other director - the old owner.
Can't really go into too much of the detail but let's just say the old owner had gone and the new owner was wading through treacle with legal takeover issues. The year long gap in the middle was left to a board of trustees (of which none were allowed to have anything to do with existing Company members) who "ran" the Company in the meantime. During that period I was sole director.

The trustees "running" the Company never came to the premises, never got involved in a single commercial transaction and shrugged their collective shoulders when I pointed out that no one was securing the loans - so I stepped up. Their lack of involvement was summed up when after about 9 months I asked them to send me some paperwork and they had to ring me up to ask what the companies address was. Obviously their charges for acting as trustees and eventually transferring the share ownership was hefty.

It has been a really eventful and stressful period of my life but I honestly think it's taught me a lot and I believe if I were to move to a different company I would bring a heck of a lot of knowledge / experience (good and bad !) to new co.

God knows how I would put all that on a CV though. Might have to write a book about it.

For solidsneek - If it's your sort of job I would still recommend a career in accountancy and/or finance in industry. As an accountant and auditor I saw numerous different business in all sorts of sectors and it is good to see how they all work (or don't). I've done stock takes in a quick freeze production line at about -25C (hint - use pencils), I've worked on the purchase of a sports car manufacturer, tried to quantify level of contingent liabilities to provide in a schools accounts for sexual abuse claims and audited solicitors accounts/systems (reading assorted case files is great fun).

Like me you could see all those types of business and then choose one sector to move into industry in. Good luck.

Edited by Gurgy at 18:13:58 16-04-2018