The budget is a key element in the business planning cycle—giving financial expression to the strategy and the business plans. Furthermore it provides the framework, outline & targets for the ensuing year’s operations-serving as the primary performance measure & standard. As such, the budget is an integral component of the internal controls & governance tools.

The budget is also the exercise where you can identify [and build in] efficiency improvements & cost reductions-resulting in potentially massive cost savings and increased profits. Arguably, it is the most important exercise in the business calendar year, and sets you up [good or bad] for the New Year.

The budget is a comprehensive company-wide process involving massive resources, including people across the organisation i.e. employees/ staff & leadership, as well as systems & other resources. Therefore, it is imperative that the process is efficient, and produces the desired results.

It follows that as an employee, especially as a professional manager, and leader, it is incumbent upon you to have a working knowledge & understanding of budgets & the budgetary process

In this course, I am going to unpack the budget & walk you through the process from a practice or practical viewpoint — drawing exclusively on my experience, knowledge & observations gained from designing & leading budgetary processes in leading multinationals over many years. The course lays out the key budgeting steps & methodologies, and guides you through key principles/practice & processes, & introduces you to various cost saving tactics & budget evaluation techniques