Certified Accounts Assistant: Bookkeeping, Tax and Accounting Software in Practice
1Summary
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.
2Objectives and target group
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.
3Course Content
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.