AAT Level 2 Certificate – course syllabus

The AAT Level 2 Certificate is delivered over five units and they will provide you with the skills and know-how to undertake basic accounting functions.

Unit 1: Bookkeeping Transactions

The first unit of this course will guide you through the basics of double entry book keeping and the related systems and processes. Students will be able to use various accounting books such as the prime entry and ledger to process and record financial documents. In doing so you will progress through the following sections:

• Section 1 Understand the Principles of Processing Financial Transactions
• Section 2 Understand the Double Entry Book Keeping System
• Section 3 Understand Discounts
• Section 4 Prepare and process financial documentation for customers
• Section 5 Process Supplier Invoices and Credit Notes and Calculate Payments
• Section 6 Maintain the Cash Book
• Section 7 Maintain Petty Cash Records
• Section 8 Process Ledger Transactions and Extract a Trial Balance

Unit 2: Bookkeeping controls

Within Module 2 you will cover the function of journal and control accounts, reconcile balances and apply corrections as well as redrafting where necessary the trial balance. The banking system will also be explored and as you study each of the units you will learn the following:

• Section 1 Understand the purpose and use of control accounts and journals
• Section 2 Maintain and use control accounts
• Section 3 Maintain and use the journal
• Section 4 Reconcile a bank statement with the cash book
• Section 5 Process supplier invoices and credit notes and calculate payments
• Section 6 Understand retention and storage requirements relating to banking documents

Unit 3: Elements of costing

As you study this unit, you will acquire the knowledge to use cost recording systems in order to prepare information that relates to income and expenditure. Once you have mastered this you can then make comparisons and identify any discrepancies or differences between projected and actual figures, communicating this information using a spreadsheet. The three sections in this unit include:

• Section 1 Understand the cost recording system within an organisation
• Section 2 Be able to use the cost recording system to record or extract data
• Section 3 Use spreadsheets to provide information on actual and budgeted income and expenditure

Unit 4: Using Accounting Software

This unit will introduce you to accounting software, guiding you through how to use electronic systems to enter transactions, conduct reconciliations, address errors and generate reports. In Unit 5 you will explore:

• Section 1 Enter accounting data at the beginning of an accounting period
• Section 2 Record customer transactions
• Section 3 Record Supplier Transactions
• Section 4 Record and reconcile bank and cash transactions
• Section 5 Be able to use journals to enter accounting transactions
• Section 6 Produce reports
• Section 7 Maintain the safety and security of data held in the computerised accounting system

Unit 5: Work Effectively in Finance

As a skills-based unit, you will learn how to use your existing literacy and numeracy abilities to work effectively in an accounting role. You will also learn how to manage your time to maximise productivity. The following topics will be discussed in this unit:

• Section 1 Understand the accounting or payroll function within an organisation
• Section 2 Be able to use a range of communication skills
• Section 3 Work independently or as part of a team
• Section 4 Develop skills and knowledge to meet personal and organisational needs
• Section 5 Understand ethical values and principles
• Section 6 Understand sustainable values