Life is like accounting, everything must be balanced.Unknown
Welcome to Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping!
This course is a foundational qualification designed to provide you with the essential skills and knowledge in accounting and bookkeeping practices. This nationally recognised certification will equip you with the fundamental competencies required to pursue entry-level roles in the accounting and finance sector or to further your education in related fields.
In this course, you will delve into essential accounting functions like payroll, financial statement preparation, and BAS (Business Activity Statement) completion. Each module offers a rich mix of learning materials: written content, case studies, activities, short videos, and templates. Links to additional resources supplement your learning, but every module contains crucial information necessary for your assessments.
Throughout the course, you will also explore MYOB and Xero, a cloud-based accounting system widely used in the finance industry and a leading accounting software provided in Australia and New Zealand. Through practical exercises, tutorials, and immersive case studies, you will develop proficiency in using MYOB and Xero's functionalities.
We're here to support you every step of the way as you embark on this journey. Our aim is to see you grow and flourish, emerging from this course as a skilled and competent bookkeeping professional.
On this page
- About this course - description of the FNS40222 Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping Qualification, outcomes and assessment types.
- Module Outline - description of each online module and the unit of competency it relates to.
About this course
Qualification
This qualification reflects the role of individuals in the accounting and bookkeeping industry, including business activity statement (BAS) agents and contract bookkeepers; and of those employees performing bookkeeping tasks for organisations in a range of industries. It includes preparing and lodging business and instalment activity statements, data processing, monthly reconciliations, preparing budgets, preparing reports on financial performance and the position of the business, preparing end-of-year adjustments, and finalising financial records after year-end. Dealing with the Commissioner of Taxation on behalf of a taxpayer in relation to activity statements and other lodgement matters is also a key component of the role that this qualification reflects. Individuals in these roles apply theoretical and specialist skills and knowledge to work autonomously, and exercise judgement in completing routine and non-routine activities.
Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification considerations
Work functions in the occupational areas where this qualification may be used are subject to regulatory requirements. Refer to the relevant regulator for specific guidance on requirements.
Persons providing a BAS service for a fee or other reward must be registered by the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB), and this qualification is currently cited as meeting the TPB education requirements for registration as a BAS agent. Other requirements apply, including a designated period of experience. Persons seeking BAS agent registration should check current registration requirements with the TPB, as registration requirements are reviewed regularly.
You can find more details on Training.gov.au, the national register of vocational education and training (VET).
The following table lists and describes the modules and the units that you will be undertaking as a part of this course. Before getting started with each module, it is important to establish regular time each week dedicated to your studies.
Having a set routine is the best way to ensure you are successful in completing your qualification.
To assist you in doing so, a Study Plan template is a planning tool that has been developed for this qualification.
Once you have downloaded this Study Plan, complete it and save it onto your computer. Please refer to the Orientation module, under subtopic 1.6.4, 'Self-Paced Learning' for more information on how to complete the Study Plan.
| Module | Unit Code | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orientation | N/A | An introduction to Swinburne Open Education's online platform. Tips for studying online. | |
| Introduction | N/A | Begin by building your knowledge of industry-specific terminology, principles and practices as well as commonly applied accounting and bookkeeping methods and standards. | |
| 1 | Plan finances for new business ventures | BSBESB403 | Gain the skills and knowledge required to identify the financial requirements of a business, including profit targets, cash flow projections, and strategies to garner financial support. |
| 2 | Make decisions in a legal context | FNSACC413 | Learn how to make decisions, particularly those relating to compliance issues, in a legal context. It is intended to satisfy the requirement for a course of study in commercial law at an introductory or foundation level, covering Australian legal systems and processes. |
| 3 | Process financial transactions and extract interim reports | FNSACC321 | Gain the skills and knowledge required to prepare and process routine financial documents, prepare journal entries, post journal entries to ledgers, prepare banking and reconcile financial receipts, and extract a trial balance and interim reports. |
| 4 | Administer subsidiary accounts and ledgers | FNSACC322 | This module builds on the skills and knowledge you acquired in Process financial transactions and extract interim reports. You will learn how to reconcile and monitor subsidiary accounts and ledgers in financial accounts receivable and accounts payable systems. This includes identifying bad and doubtful debts, communicating with identified clients, and planning a recovery action, recording creditor invoices, and remitting payments to sundry creditors. |
| 5 | Prepare financial reports | FNSACC421 | Gain the skills and knowledge to record general journal adjustment entries and to prepare end of period financial reports. |
| 6 | Work effectively in the accounting and bookkeeping industry | FNSACC418 | Learn the skills and knowledge required to work autonomously and in teams to complete work activities relating to the provision of accounting and bookkeeping services. |
| 7 | Set up and operate computerised accounting systems | FNSACC426 | Learn how to establish, operate, and modify an integrated computerised accounting system. This involves processing transactions in the system, maintaining the system, producing reports, and ensuring system integrity. |
| 8 | Establish and maintain payroll systems | FNSTPB412 | Learn how to record and prepare payroll documentation, respond to enquiries, and process payroll data for computerised systems. This unit is designed to meet the education requirements of the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB). |
| 9 | Complete business activity and instalment activity statements | FNSTPB411 | learn how to Identify and apply compliance requirements to effectively process and complete business activity statements (BAS), instalment activity statements (IAS), and other required reports. This unit is designed to meet the education requirements of the Tax Practitioner Board (TPB). |
| 10 | Prepare financial statements for non-reporting entities | FNSACC414 | Learn how to prepare financial statements for entities that do not have a statutory duty to file financial reports with government agencies and regulators. |
| 11 | Design and produce spreadsheets | BSBTEC302 |
Learn how to design and develop spreadsheets through the use of spreadsheet applications. |
| 12 | Prepare operational budgets | FNSACC412 | Learn how to prepare and document operational budgets for a variety of organisations. |
| 13 | Design and produce complex spreadsheets | BSBTEC402 | This module builds on Design complex spreadsheets. It focuses on using spreadsheet software to complete business tasks and produce complex documents. |