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Free Business Finance Course

Name: Business Finance Foundations
Rating: 4.56 (4776 reviews)

Business Finance Foundations

4.56 Beginner level 3.75 learning hrs 134.4K+ Learners

Learn business finance fundamentals, like accounting terms, financial statements, profit and loss statements and cash flow analysis. Join this free business finance course to better interpret business and make financial decisions.

Instructor:

Dr. C P Gupta

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Skills you will gain

Finance Manager Responsibilities Understanding

Financial Decision-Making

Accounting Fundamentals and Transaction Recording

Balance Sheet Preparation and Analysis

Profit and Loss Account Interpretation

Cash Flow Statement Management

What you'll learn

Analyze balance sheet assets and liabilities.

Interpret profit and loss account components.

Manage cash flow across operating and investing activities.

Record accounting transactions using core vocabulary.

Key Highlights

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Test your skills with quizzes

About this course

This free business finance course gives you a practical foundation in how financial decisions support business performance. You’ll learn the role of a finance manager, core accounting vocabulary, and how accounting is used in a business context to record and interpret transactions. The course also teaches accounting transactions through examples, helping you understand how financial activity is captured and reported. As you progress, you’ll build the skills to read and interpret key financial statements with more clarity and confidence.

You’ll also learn how to analyze the balance sheet, including both assets and liabilities, using Tata Steel as a real company example. The course covers the Profit and Loss Statement and the Cash Flow Statement, including operating, investing, and financing cash flows, so you can understand how a business earns money, manages obligations, and tracks cash movement. By the end of the online business finance course, you’ll be able to understand core financial statements, interpret business performance more effectively, and make better-informed decisions in finance, business, or management roles.

Stand out with an industry-recognized certificate

Start learning

10,000+ certificates claimed, get yours today!

Get noticed by top recruiters

Share on professional channels

Globally recognised

Land your dream job

Course Outline

Business Finance Overview – Role of a Finance Manager

Learn the basic responsibilities of a finance manager. This session will walk you through the financial decisions that must be made in order for a firm to run smoothly.

Accounting Vocabulary

In this session, you will become familiar with accounting and its various terms from different perspectives.

Accounting – seen through Business Lens

Understand Accounting and its users in detail. The session will also walk you through the requirements that must be observed when recording transactions in financial statements.

Examples of Accounting Transactions

Understand accounting transactions with a variety of examples in this session. Find out how these transactions will be documented as well.

Balance Sheet of Tata Steel - Asset Side

The session will explain what a balance sheet is and how it works. After you've mastered the fundamentals, you'll be guided through Tata Steel Limited's Balance Sheet to help you grasp the concept. This session will be completely focused on the Asset side of the Balance Sheet.

Balance Sheet of Tata Steel - Liabilities side

This session will lead you to the liabilities section of the balance sheet. With the use of an actual Tata Steel Limited balance sheet, the components will be described. Learn to distinguish between current and noncurrent liabilities.

Profit & Loss Statement

Having understood the Balance sheet, let's move toward the Profit & Loss Account, which is another type of financial statement crucial for the companies. Understand what a Profit & Loss Account is, its components, exceptional items, and how it works.

Cash Flow Statement

You will understand the meaning of “cash flow statement” at the beginning of this module. This module will also take you through its various components, like Cash Flow from Operating Activities, Investing Activities, and Financing Activities, before presenting a sample Cash Flow Statement for your understanding.

Get access to the complete curriculum once you enroll in the course

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This course is ideal for

Beginners wanting to learn business finance basics.
Students and job seekers exploring finance roles.
Working professionals who read financial statements.
Learners adding a certified skill to their CV.

Business Finance Foundations

4.56

3.75 Hours

Beginner

134.4K+ learners enrolled so far

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Trusted by 10 Million+ Learners globally

4.6

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4.94

4.7

Learner reviews of the Free Courses

4.56

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73%

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19%

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Jovaise G. Monterona

5.0

★★★★ ★

Philippines

“Financial Management Training Experience: Practical Skills in Budgeting and Forecasting”

Participants typically engage in hands-on exercises that simulate real-world financial scenarios, allowing them to apply concepts like cash flow management and investment analysis.

Kagiso Makamu

5.0

★★★★ ★

South Africa

“Financial Fundamentals: Accounting Insights”

Today, I reinforced my knowledge of financial concepts, including balance sheets, financial decisions, and transaction entries. I also learned about the importance of the Debit Credit Rule, Cash Flow Statements, and the role of management as internal users of accounting information. These concepts are crucial for business finance and accounting.

Pritam Ganguly

5.0

★★★★ ★

India

“Entertaining and Insightful Course Experience”

I thoroughly enjoyed the course! It was engaging and insightful, with knowledgeable instructors and interactive discussions. The practical applications of the material enhanced my understanding, and the collaborative projects allowed for meaningful connections with classmates. Overall, it was an enriching experience that sparked my passion for the subject even more.

Arpit tiwari

4.0

★★★ ★ ☆

India

“Completing Business Finance Foundations: Enhanced Skills”

Completing my course has been an enriching experience. I developed a strong understanding of key financial concepts, including budgeting, forecasting, and analyzing financial statements. The coursework challenged me to think critically and apply theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios, enhancing my analytical skills. Collaborative projects fostered teamwork and communication abilities, while case studies provided practical insights into financial decision-making. This journey has equipped me with a solid foundation for my future career in finance.

Abdullah Farooq

5.0

★★★★ ★

“Comprehensive Course with Clear Instruction”

There was clarity; the course was concise and accurate, and the instructor explained the concepts very well.

Mayur Kadam

5.0

★★★★ ★

India

“Highlights of Learning Business Finance Fundamentals”

I appreciated how the course provided practical applications of theoretical concepts, making finance more relatable. The focus on real-world case studies helped in understanding the implications of financial decisions. Additionally, learning about financial analysis tools and techniques equipped me with skills that are directly applicable in business settings. Overall, the course balanced theory with practical insights effectively.

Piyush Anand

5.0

★★★★ ★

India

“Best Course to Understand Business Finance”

I don’t have personal preferences, but I can share what many find interesting in business finance! Investment Analysis: Evaluating potential investment opportunities and understanding risk vs. return is crucial for growth. Financial Planning: Creating budgets and forecasts helps businesses strategize for the future and allocate resources effectively. Risk Management: Identifying and mitigating financial risks can protect a company’s assets and profitability.

SONAM DUBEY

5.0

★★★★ ★

India

“Basic Accounting Course: Solid Foundation”

The basic accounting course provided a solid foundation in financial principles and practices. The content was well-structured, covering essential topics like debits, credits, and the accounting cycle. I appreciated the practical examples and exercises, which helped reinforce my understanding. The instructor was knowledgeable and approachable, making complex concepts easier to grasp. However, I felt that additional resources for real-world applications could enhance the learning experience.

Rahel DS

5.0

★★★★ ★

Indonesia

“Learning Finance: From Confusion to Clarity”

Learning finance was initially challenging with terms like 'balance sheet' and 'cash flow.' However, once I understood that the balance sheet reflects a company's health through assets, liabilities, and equity, everything became clearer. I also learned that cash flow is crucial—profits don’t matter if the cash isn’t managed well. This experience expanded my understanding of how financial decisions impact both business and personal success.

Finia Novarisy zultia

5.0

★★★★ ★

Indonesia

“Excellent Video Material and Helpful Quizzes”

The material presented in the form of videos is very good and easy to understand. The quizzes given are also very helpful.

Our course instructor

Dr. C P Gupta

Finance

Management Expert

134.4K+ Learners

1 Courses

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I receive a certificate upon completing this free course?

Yes, upon successful completion of the course and payment of the certificate fee, you will receive a completion certificate that you can add to your resume.

Is this course free?

Yes, you may enroll in the course and access the course content for free. However, if you wish to obtain a certificate upon completion, a non-refundable fee is applicable.

What will I learn in this free business finance course?

In this course, you will learn how business finance supports everyday company decisions, what a finance manager does, how accounting terms are used in context, how transactions are recorded, and how to read core financial statements. The curriculum also covers the balance sheet, profit and loss statement, and cash flow statement.

Is this business finance course online free, good for someone without a finance background?

Yes. The course is beginner-level and starts with finance basics, accounting vocabulary, and foundational transaction concepts before moving into financial statements.

If I want to learn business finance online free, how much time should I set aside?

This course contains 3.75 hours of self-paced learning content.

What topics are covered in this course?

The modules covered in this business finance course online free are:

Business Finance Overview – Role of a Finance Manager
Accounting Vocabulary
Accounting – seen through Business Lens
Examples of Accounting Transactions
Balance Sheet of Tata Steel - Asset Side
Balance Sheet of Tata Steel - Liabilities side
Profit & Loss Statement
Cash Flow Statement.

What financial statements are covered in this business finance course online free?

The course teaches three core statements: the balance sheet, the profit and loss statement, and the cash flow statement. Within cash flow, it covers operating, investing, and financing activities.

If I want to learn business finance online free, will this course help me understand balance sheets better?

Yes. Two modules are dedicated to the balance sheet: one focuses on the asset side and one on the liabilities side, including the distinction between current and noncurrent liabilities.

What skills will I build in this course?

The skills you will gain in this free business finance course are:

Finance Manager Responsibilities Understanding
Financial Decision-Making
Accounting Fundamentals and Transaction Recording
Balance Sheet Preparation and Analysis
Profit and Loss Account Interpretation
Cash Flow Statement Management.

Does this business finance course online free include assessments or practice checks?

Yes. The page states that course progress is evaluated with a quiz at the end of each module, so you get regular checks on your understanding as you move through the lessons.

If I want to learn business finance online free for work, how could this course help me on the job?

This course can help you understand business performance, read financial statements with more confidence, and follow finance-related discussions more clearly in business, operations, or management settings. That is an inference from the listed modules and skills.

Is this free business finance course more about accounting or broader business decision-making?

It covers both. The curriculum includes accounting vocabulary and transaction recording, but it also starts with the role of a finance manager and emphasizes financial decisions, statement analysis, and how finance supports business operations

How long does it take to complete this free Business Finance Foundations course?

This free Business Finance Foundations course contains 2.5 hours of video content and a quiz. It's on you how much time you want to take to complete the course. In one go, the course should not take more than 3-4 hours.

Can I sign up for multiple courses from Great Learning Academy at the same time?

Yes, you can sign up for multiple courses from Great Learning Academy at the same time. There is no limit for the same.