Accounting vs Financial Management Courses | Top 5 Differences

Accounting and financial management courses can help individuals prepare to make an impact on global economies with new perspectives and unique solutions.

In this blog, we will discuss everything about financial management and accounting courses in the UK. In addition to this, we will also highlight the career roles and key differences between them.

What is Accounting?

Accounting entails examining financial transactions and records, monitoring financial data, conducting audits and devising and executing policies and accounting protocols. Put simply, accounting involves presenting financial information in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

As per financial literature, accounting can be divided into three categories:

• Financial Accounting: Financial accounting revolves around financial statements along with financial information to external users such as government agencies, creditors, investors, analysts and bankers, to name a few. Financial statements include both the income statement and balance sheet for a business. These indicate the financial position of the business during a specific period. Financial statements must adhere to established procedures and accounting principles set forth by regulatory bodies like the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) in the United States and the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) in the United Kingdom.
• Management Accounting: Management accounting deals with reporting financial information to internal users such as employees and management regarding policy making and running day-to-day business operations. It focuses on future activities to achieve the business objectives.
• Cost Accounting: Cost accounting is a part of management accounting that deals with cost analysis. It elaborates on the cost records of numerous operations, products and functions of a company. In other terms, it is a process of determining the cost of a product or activity.

What is Financial Management?

Financial management refers to the effective management of the finances and economic resources of the firm. It revolves around managing the economic activities of the firm effectively to achieve financial objectives. This helps to improve management through using an informed decision-making process.

Moreover, its primary aim is to generate wealth for companies and investors, generate cash flow and achieve substantial returns — while effectively utilising the resources of the organisation within an acceptable level of risk.

In the UK, there are 2.5 million employed people. More than 1.1 million work in financial services (FS) and over 1.3 million work in related professional services.

This industry makes a lot of money, around £278 billion, which is about 12% of the UK’s economic output. It also gives £100 billion in taxes to the government.

The key elements of financial management include:

• Budgeting, planning and forecasting: Financial management involves the management of a firm’s requirements, formulating a budget, creating a detailed plan and forecasting the result the firm expects.
• Financial reporting: It plays a vital role in financial management as it provides essential information for informed decision-making. By presenting accurate and timely financial data, it enables managers to evaluate the financial health of the organisation. They can identify trends and make informed choices regarding resource allocation, investment opportunities and strategic planning.
• Financial decisions: Financial decisions aid in shaping the financial health and success of an organisation. Such decisions involve evaluating potential investment opportunities and determining the allocation of funds for the projects or assets that offer the highest potential returns while considering associated risks.
• Financial Control: Financial control is necessary in ensuring the appropriate acquisition and allocation of a firm’s economic resources. By establishing effective financial control measures, companies can maintain accountability, accuracy and transparency in their financial operations.

Accounting Vs Financial Management: Key Differences

Accounting is the practice of recording and reporting past financial transactions and events. However, financial management involves managing the assets and liabilities of the firm to plan for future growth.

The primary users of accounting include management, shareholders, regulators, analysts and creditors. Accounting plays a crucial role in providing relevant and reliable financial information to these stakeholders. Financial management primarily caters to the management of the company and the shareholders, as it involves making informed decisions regarding the firm's financial resources.

Furthermore, accounting provides a snapshot of the firm’s assets, liabilities and equity at a given time. Whereas, financial management helps determine the feasibility of future projects, manage existing assets effectively and make strategic financial decisions.

While the key objective of accounting is to report financial information, financial management has broader objectives. In terms of the measurement of funds, accounting typically follows the accrual basis. This basis recognises revenues and expenses when they are earned or incurred, regardless of the cash flow. On the other hand, financial management focuses on the cash flow basis. This basis emphasises the actual inflow and outflow of cash.

Accounting Manager Vs Financial Manager: Roles & Responsibilities

Accounting and finance managers play crucial roles in the financial management of an organisation. Both positions are essential for maintaining accurate financial records, making informed decisions and driving the financial success of the company. Let us look at their roles and responsibilities in some more detail.

Financial Management Vs Accounting Courses | 5 Differences

Now that we have discussed the differences between accounting and financial management, it is time to understand the key differences between financial management and accounting courses. It is important to note that both disciplines offer unique insights into the financial aspects of business performance but they differ in terms of their aims and career opportunities.