Most accounting mistakes don't happen because someone doesn't understand accounting theory – they happen because a trial balance was never reconciled, a VAT return was filed incorrectly, or nobody knew which accounting standard a transaction should follow. An accounts assistant's job is to make sure none of that happens.

This Certified Accounts Assistant course from the Arab British Fellowship Training Academy builds that hands-on capability from the ground up: core accounting concepts and standards, GAAP, IFRS and the FASB framework, bookkeeping and financial statements, taxation and day-to-day business accounts, and practical work in accounting software such as SAGE, XERO, QuickBooks and Excel. Participants leave with the working knowledge and CPD-recognized grounding needed to step into an accounts assistant or finance assistant role.

Who Should Attend?

• Aspiring accountants building basic accounting knowledge.
• Finance professionals who want to sharpen their practical accounting skills.
• Individuals considering a move into a finance career.
• Administrative professionals looking to strengthen their financial knowledge.
• Anyone with no prior accounting background who wants to start a career in accounting.
• Accounting professionals seeking a recognized certificate.

What You Will Gain

• A route into entry-level accounting work and a platform for career advancement into finance.
• Hands-on exposure to accounting software and real accounting operations such as bookkeeping and financial reporting.
• A credential that strengthens credibility and employability in accounting.
• Rounded knowledge across taxation, compliance and financial analysis.
• A grounding in ethical practice for working responsibly in the finance domain.

Module 1: The Accounts Assistant Role and Core Accounting Concepts

• Basic accounting concepts and terminology used day to day.
• What an accounts assistant actually does within a finance team.
• Why accounting standards and principles exist, and how they protect the credibility of financial statements.

Module 2: GAAP, IFRS and the FASB in Practice

• The cornerstones of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP): consistency, relevance, reliability and comparability.
• Why GAAP compliance matters to investors, auditors and regulators, and how it reduces the risk of error and fraud.
• Key differences between GAAP and IFRS, and the push toward convergence as markets become more global.
• The Financial Accounting Standards Board's (FASB) role in setting and updating standards.

Module 3: Bookkeeping and Financial Statements

• Recording transactions correctly: debits, credits, ledgers and trial balance.
• Reconciliations and day-to-day cash flow management.
• Preparing income statements and balance sheets, and reading them for business insight.
• Aligning financial reports with FASB and GAAP standards.

Module 4: Taxation and Day-to-Day Business Accounts

• Types of taxes an accounts assistant deals with, such as income tax and VAT.
• The basics of tax filing, reporting and staying compliant with accounting standards.
• Managing payroll, invoicing and payments.
• Handling accounts payable, accounts receivable and bank reconciliations.

Module 5: Accounting Software in Practice

• Hands-on practice with widely used accounting tools such as SAGE, XERO, QuickBooks and Excel.
• Generating financial reports directly from accounting software.
• Using software tools to support GAAP and FASB compliance.