Budgeting and Financial Planning 2026

About Course

Budgeting and Financial Planning 2026

Turn strategy into a budget the business can actually run on.

Recorded live training that takes you from the strategic plan and annual operating plan to a fully linked budget: assumptions, revenue and cost of sales models, CapEx, finance cost, tax, and the budgeted income statement, statement of financial position and cash flow statement.

8Modules69Video lessons22 hrsRecorded live training8Module quizzes1Final assessment

What you will be able to do

✓Connect strategy to numbers: link the strategic plan, annual operating plan (AOP) and budget.

✓Choose the right budgeting approach for the business, from incremental and zero-based to rolling budgets.

✓Run the practical budgeting cycle and avoid the reasons budgets fail before the year starts.

✓Develop and classify budget assumptions that managers own and reviewers can test.

✓Build the revenue and cost of sales budgets step by step in a driver-based model.

✓Budget CapEx, depreciation, finance cost, borrowings and tax, and link everything into the budgeted income statement, statement of financial position and cash flow statement.

Your learning journey

1Foundations (Module 1)
From strategy to numbers: strategic plan, AOP and budget.

2Approaches and the budgeting cycle (Modules 2–3)
Budgeting approaches, the practical cycle and building solid assumptions.

3Case study (Module 4)
Review quizzes and a worked case study walkthrough.

4Revenue and cost of sales (Modules 5–6)
Build the budget model, revenue model, cost of sales and departmental budgets.

5Financial position and cash flow (Modules 7–8)
CapEx, finance cost, PPE, inventories, borrowings, tax and the budgeted cash flow statement.

6Final assessment and certificate (Module 9)
A 20-question final assessment. Score 80% to earn your certificate.

What you get

69 video lessons, about 22 hours of recorded live training, including the class Q&A sessions

8 module quizzes (10 questions each) and a 20-question final assessment

Accounting Yard certificate of completion

12 months of access

Who this course is for

Accountants and finance officersFP&A and budget analystsFinance managers and CFOsBusiness owners and managersAnyone preparing budgets or forecasts

Try it before you buy

The first four lessons are free to watch: 1.1 Welcome: Course Introduction and Expectations, 1.2 Course Itinerary: What We Will Cover Day by Day, 1.3 Q&A: Course Logistics and Expectations, 1.4 Preamble: Why Budgeting Still Matters in 2026.

Link the strategic plan, annual operating plan (AOP) and budget
Choose the right budgeting approach: incremental, zero-based, activity-based and rolling
Run the practical budgeting cycle and avoid the reasons budgets fail
Develop, classify and document budget assumptions
Build driver-based revenue and cost of sales budgets
Budget CapEx, depreciation, finance cost, borrowings and tax
Produce the budgeted income statement, statement of financial position and cash flow statement

Course Content

Module 1: From Strategy to Numbers: Budgeting Foundations
Connect the organisation's strategy, annual operating plan and budget, and see how the course runs.

1.1 Welcome: Course Introduction and Expectations

24:17
1.2 Course Itinerary: What We Will Cover Day by Day

10:42
1.3 Q&A: Course Logistics and Expectations

06:28
1.4 Preamble: Why Budgeting Still Matters in 2026

12:05
1.5 From Strategy to Numbers

22:36
1.6 Q&A: Turning Strategy into Numbers

40:02
1.7 Strategic Plan, Annual Operating Plan (AOP) and Budget

18:07
1.8 Q&A: Strategic Plan, AOP and Budget

24:19
1.9 Q&A Continued: Strategic Plan, AOP and Budget

03:23
1.10 Quiz Review: Budgeting Foundations

13:05
1.11 Q&A After Class: Day 1 Open Questions

17:24
Module 1 Quiz: Budgeting Foundations

Module 2: Budgeting Approaches and When to Use Each
Compare the main budgeting approaches and choose the right one for a business.

Module 3: The Practical Budgeting Cycle and Budget Assumptions
Run the budgeting cycle end to end and build assumptions that hold up.

3.1 Recap: Strategy, AOP and Budgeting Approaches

15:21
3.2 Quiz Review: Budgeting Approaches

18:38
3.3 Q&A: Quiz Review Questions

07:15
3.4 The Practical Budgeting Cycle

39:14
3.5 Q&A: The Practical Budgeting Cycle

44:11
3.6 Why Budgets Fail Before the Year Starts

13:08
3.7 Developing Budget Assumptions

39:37
3.8 Classes of Budget Assumptions

14:07
3.9 Q&A: Developing and Classifying Assumptions

42:35
Module 3 Quiz: The Budgeting Cycle and Assumptions

Module 4: Review Quizzes and Case Study Walkthrough
Test your understanding of the budgeting cycle and assumptions on a worked case study.

Module 5: Building the Budget Model and Revenue Model
Review the budget model structure and build the revenue model step by step.

5.1 Introduction: Moving into the Budget Model

09:09
5.2 Recap: Case Study and Assumptions

10:16
5.3 Review of the Budget Model Structure

24:41
5.4 Q&A: Budget Model Structure

14:30
5.5 Step 1: Building the Revenue Model

26:53
5.6 Q&A: Revenue Model Step 1

02:57
5.7 Step 2: Building the Revenue Model

35:19
5.8 Q&A: Revenue Model Step 2

06:51
5.9 Q&A: Revenue Drivers and Model Logic

36:40
5.10 Step 3: Completing the Revenue Model

27:02
Module 5 Quiz: The Budget Model and Revenue Model

Module 6: Cost of Sales and Departmental Budgets
Build the cost of sales budget from the revenue model and link departmental budgets.

6.1 Step 1: Cost of Sales Budget

31:24
6.2 Q&A: Cost of Sales Budget

16:50
6.3 Recap: Revenue Model and Cost of Sales

02:46
6.4 Step 2: Cost of Sales Budget

10:06
6.5 Step 3: Cost of Sales Budget

06:35
6.6 Q&A: Cost of Sales Budget Steps 2 and 3

12:27
6.7 Step 4: Completing the Cost of Sales Budget

20:49
6.8 Q&A: Cost of Sales and Departmental Budgets

19:49
6.9 Q&A After Class: Day 6 Open Questions

10:22
Module 6 Quiz: Cost of Sales and Departmental Budgets

Module 7: CapEx, Finance Cost and the Budgeted Financial Position
Budget capital expenditure, depreciation, finance cost, PPE and inventories, and link them to the statements.

7.1 Recap: Revenue and Cost of Sales Budgets

15:33
7.2 CapEx and Depreciation Budget

22:49
7.3 Q&A: CapEx and Depreciation

18:43
7.4 Q&A: Depreciation Follow-Up

02:32
7.5 Finance Cost Budget

28:17
7.6 Q&A: Finance Cost

13:15
7.7 Linking the Budgets to the Income Statement

05:54
7.8 Q&A: Building the Budgeted Income Statement

33:28
7.9 PPE and Inventories in the Budgeted Statement of Financial Position

19:53
7.10 Q&A: PPE and Inventories

01:32
7.11 Q&A: PPE and Inventories Follow-Up

08:35
7.12 Budgeted Statement of Financial Position Continued

40:19
7.13 Q&A: Budgeted Statement of Financial Position

29:53
Module 7 Quiz: CapEx, Finance Cost and the Budgeted Financial Position

Module 8: Borrowings, Tax and the Budgeted Cash Flow Statement
Complete borrowings and tax payable, then update the budgeted statement of cash flows.

Module 9: Final Assessment and Certification
Take the final assessment across all modules. Score 80% or more to earn your AY certificate.

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About Course

What you will be able to do

Your learning journey

What you get

Who this course is for

What Will You Learn?

Course Content

Module 1: From Strategy to Numbers: Budgeting Foundations Connect the organisation's strategy, annual operating plan and budget, and see how the course runs.

1.1 Welcome: Course Introduction and Expectations

1.2 Course Itinerary: What We Will Cover Day by Day

1.3 Q&A: Course Logistics and Expectations

1.4 Preamble: Why Budgeting Still Matters in 2026

1.5 From Strategy to Numbers

1.6 Q&A: Turning Strategy into Numbers

1.7 Strategic Plan, Annual Operating Plan (AOP) and Budget

1.8 Q&A: Strategic Plan, AOP and Budget

1.9 Q&A Continued: Strategic Plan, AOP and Budget

1.10 Quiz Review: Budgeting Foundations

1.11 Q&A After Class: Day 1 Open Questions

Module 1 Quiz: Budgeting Foundations

Module 2: Budgeting Approaches and When to Use Each Compare the main budgeting approaches and choose the right one for a business.

2.1 Introduction: Day 2 Overview

2.2 Introduction Continued: Setting the Scene for Budgeting Approaches

2.3 Budgeting Approaches Explained

2.4 Q&A: Choosing a Budgeting Approach

2.5 Budgeting Approaches Continued

2.6 Q&A: Budgeting Approaches in Practice

Module 2 Quiz: Budgeting Approaches

Module 3: The Practical Budgeting Cycle and Budget Assumptions Run the budgeting cycle end to end and build assumptions that hold up.

3.1 Recap: Strategy, AOP and Budgeting Approaches

3.2 Quiz Review: Budgeting Approaches

3.3 Q&A: Quiz Review Questions

3.4 The Practical Budgeting Cycle

3.5 Q&A: The Practical Budgeting Cycle

3.6 Why Budgets Fail Before the Year Starts

3.7 Developing Budget Assumptions

3.8 Classes of Budget Assumptions

3.9 Q&A: Developing and Classifying Assumptions

Module 3 Quiz: The Budgeting Cycle and Assumptions

Module 4: Review Quizzes and Case Study Walkthrough Test your understanding of the budgeting cycle and assumptions on a worked case study.

4.1 Recap: Budgeting Cycle and Assumptions

4.2 Quiz Review: Budgeting Cycle and Assumptions

4.3 Case Study Review

4.4 Q&A After Class: Case Study and Assumptions

Module 4 Quiz: Case Study and Review

Module 5: Building the Budget Model and Revenue Model Review the budget model structure and build the revenue model step by step.

5.1 Introduction: Moving into the Budget Model

5.2 Recap: Case Study and Assumptions

5.3 Review of the Budget Model Structure

5.4 Q&A: Budget Model Structure

5.5 Step 1: Building the Revenue Model

5.6 Q&A: Revenue Model Step 1

5.7 Step 2: Building the Revenue Model

5.8 Q&A: Revenue Model Step 2

5.9 Q&A: Revenue Drivers and Model Logic

5.10 Step 3: Completing the Revenue Model

Module 5 Quiz: The Budget Model and Revenue Model

Module 6: Cost of Sales and Departmental Budgets Build the cost of sales budget from the revenue model and link departmental budgets.

6.1 Step 1: Cost of Sales Budget

6.2 Q&A: Cost of Sales Budget

6.3 Recap: Revenue Model and Cost of Sales

6.4 Step 2: Cost of Sales Budget

6.5 Step 3: Cost of Sales Budget

6.6 Q&A: Cost of Sales Budget Steps 2 and 3

6.7 Step 4: Completing the Cost of Sales Budget

6.8 Q&A: Cost of Sales and Departmental Budgets

6.9 Q&A After Class: Day 6 Open Questions

Module 6 Quiz: Cost of Sales and Departmental Budgets

Module 7: CapEx, Finance Cost and the Budgeted Financial Position Budget capital expenditure, depreciation, finance cost, PPE and inventories, and link them to the statements.

7.1 Recap: Revenue and Cost of Sales Budgets

7.2 CapEx and Depreciation Budget

7.3 Q&A: CapEx and Depreciation

7.4 Q&A: Depreciation Follow-Up

7.5 Finance Cost Budget

7.6 Q&A: Finance Cost

7.7 Linking the Budgets to the Income Statement

7.8 Q&A: Building the Budgeted Income Statement

7.9 PPE and Inventories in the Budgeted Statement of Financial Position

7.10 Q&A: PPE and Inventories

7.11 Q&A: PPE and Inventories Follow-Up