Government Accounting & Financial Control
Overview
Accurate government accounts and strong financial controls protect public money and support good decisions. This course covers government accounting systems, internal control, financial reporting and the relationship with internal and external audit, with practical attention to moving from cash to accrual-based reporting.
Who should attend
Government accountants, finance directors, financial controllers, and internal auditors in public entities.
Training methodology
Interactive presentations, regional and international public sector experiences, case studies, group work on participants' own institutions, practical exercises, and an action plan for each participant's entity.
Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Explain government accounting bases and classifications
- Record and reconcile government transactions correctly
- Design effective internal financial controls
- Prepare government financial statements
- Work effectively with internal and external auditors
Course outline
Day 1Government Accounting
- Cash and accrual bases
- Budget and economic classifications
- Chart of accounts
- International public sector standards
- Overview exercise
Day 2Recording and Reconciliation
- Revenue and expenditure recording
- Advances and deposits
- Bank and treasury reconciliations
- Fixed assets
- Practical exercise
Day 3Internal Control
- Control frameworks
- Segregation of duties
- Pre-audit and payment controls
- Fraud risks
- Control design workshop
Day 4Financial Reporting
- Year-end closing
- Government financial statements
- Notes and disclosures
- Consolidation
- Reporting exercise
Day 5Audit and Improvement
- Internal audit in government
- Supreme audit institutions
- Responding to audit findings
- Moving towards accrual
- Action plan
