This Essential Guide covers the key essential elements and knowledge required to understand bookkeeping and financial accounting. The key topics covered include:

• The context and purpose of financial reporting
• Qualitative characteristics of financial information
• The accounting equation and double-entry bookkeeping
• Recording transactions: sales, purchases and cash
• Inventory
• Non-current assets
• Accruals and prepayments. Receivables and payables
• Provisions and contingencies
• Capital structure and finance costs
• Trial balance, correcting errors and suspense accounts
• Control accounts and bank reconciliations
• Preparing financial statements
• Statements of cash flows
• Incomplete records
• Consolidated financial statements
• Associates
• Interpretation of financial statements