Free Business Finance Course
Business Finance Foundations
4.56
Beginner level
3.75 learning hrs
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
What you'll learn
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.
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
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.
4.56
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Practice exercises
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Our course instructor
Dr. C P Gupta
Finance
Management Expert
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I receive a certificate upon completing this free course?
Is this course free?
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.
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