What is financial reporting?

Financial reporting is the process in which companies disclose financial results and related financial information to external audiences like investors, customers, and regulators, as well as to their internal managers and employees. Financial reports provide these audiences a snapshot of the financial status of the company and how it has performed during a specific set of time. Financial reporting in publicly-traded companies is an ongoing process, with the official public announcement of the financial results usually done in quarterly intervals during the year. However, industry analysts and other insiders are usually briefed more often during the year.

Why is it important that I learn about financial reporting?

It's important to learn about financial reporting to better comprehend how revenues in a business are balanced out against the costs of running the company. When you learn about financial reporting, you will get a strong understanding of a company’s assets and liabilities, what an income statement is, how to understand a profit and loss report, and how important a cash flow statement is on a company’s financial activities. Learning about financial reporting is an integral asset for anyone with an aptitude for numbers, mathematics, and financial accountability.

What are careers that use financial reporting?

Some of the careers associated with financial reporting include accountant, financial manager, financial analyst, senior tax accountant, and controller. Many of these positions exist in large organizations, especially publicly-traded companies, as there are financial positions in order to handle the work of strict financial reporting measures. To move into a career in financial reporting, it helps to have a background of knowledge in such areas as accounting, financial analysis, and financial management and reporting, along with more general knowledge of sales, project management, and data analytics.

How can taking online courses help me learn financial reporting?

When you take online courses to learn financial reporting, you will gain specific knowledge on topics like accounting analysis, financial statements, cash flow reporting, and profit and loss statements. You can become proficient in using the top financial statements common in organizations: balance sheet, income statement, and the statement of cash flows. As you learn more about financial reporting in online courses, your interests may widen to include other areas of financial accounting and financial reporting. Understanding these subjects is integral to your accounting experience in working on an accounting team at a professional organization.

What are the benefits of taking an online Financial Reporting course?

Online Financial Reporting courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Financial Reporting skills. Choose from a wide range of Financial Reporting courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.

What Financial Reporting courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Financial Reporting, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Top Financial Reporting Courses - Learn Financial Reporting Online

Explore the Financial Reporting Course Catalog

Tally Education and Distribution Services Private Limited
Fundamentals of Accounting and Reporting
Skills you'll gain: Accounting, General Accounting, Accounting Systems, Financial Reporting, Bookkeeping, Management Reporting, Accounting Records, Accounting Software, Business Reporting, Financial Statements, General Ledger, Data Entry, Security Controls, Balance Sheet, Data Security, Banking, Data Management, Software Installation, Inventory Management System, Payment Processing and Collection
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
120 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Accounting Analysis II: Accounting for Liabilities and Equity
Skills you'll gain: Financial Accounting, Financial Reporting, Cash Flows, Technical Accounting, Balance Sheet, Equities, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Financial Statements, International Financial Reporting Standards, Accounting, Income Statement, Compensation Management, Income Tax
Build toward a degree
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
101 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Accounting Analysis II: Measurement and Disclosure of Liabilities
Skills you'll gain: Financial Statement Analysis, International Financial Reporting Standards, Financial Accounting, Balance Sheet, Financial Reporting, Accounting, Accruals, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Accounts Payable, Technical Accounting, Lease Contracts
Build toward a degree
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
119 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Virginia
Managerial Accounting Fundamentals
Skills you'll gain: Management Accounting, Cost Accounting, Accounting, Operating Cost, Cost Benefit Analysis, Cost Management, Budget Management, Financial Accounting, Financial Analysis, Decision Making, Resource Allocation
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
792 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
The University of Melbourne
The Language and Tools of Financial Analysis
Skills you'll gain: Financial Analysis, Financial Statement Analysis, Financial Statements, Financial Accounting, Accounting, Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Corporate Finance, Cash Flows, Business Valuation
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
1.4K reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Python and Statistics for Financial Analysis
Skills you'll gain: Statistical Inference, Statistical Methods, Pandas (Python Package), Probability & Statistics, Risk Analysis, Statistics, Financial Trading, Financial Data, Data Manipulation, Statistical Analysis, Regression Analysis, Financial Analysis, Jupyter, Financial Modeling, Python Programming, Data Import/Export
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4K reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Understanding Financial Statements: Company Position
Skills you'll gain: Balance Sheet, Financial Statements, Financial Statement Analysis, Financial Accounting, Accounting, Equities, Financial Reporting, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Cash Flows, Asset Management
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
1.3K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Financial Management
Skills you'll gain: Mergers & Acquisitions, Working Capital, Revenue Recognition, Financial Statements, Credit Risk, Accrual Accounting, Financial Analysis, Investments, Corporate Finance, Business Valuation, Financial Statement Analysis, Cash Flows, Accounting Records, Financial Accounting, Financial Management, Income Statement, Accounting, Business Ethics, Finance, Portfolio Management
Build toward a degree
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
6.7K reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Accounting Analysis I: The Role of Accounting as an Information System
Skills you'll gain: Balance Sheet, Contract Accounting, Revenue Recognition, Financial Accounting, Financial Reporting, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Accounting, Financial Statement Analysis, Income Statement, Financial Statements, Cash Flows, Accrual Accounting, International Financial Reporting Standards, Financial Analysis, Construction Accounting
Build toward a degree
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
687 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Fundação Instituto de Administração
Financial Accounting
Skills you'll gain: Financial Statement Analysis, Financial Statements, Financial Analysis, Financial Accounting, Balance Sheet, Cash Flows, Income Statement, Working Capital, Financial Reporting, Business Metrics, Performance Analysis, Gross Profit, Analysis, Operating Expense, Accounts Payable and Receivable
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Corporate Finance Institute
Financial Statements in Power BI
Skills you'll gain: Data Analysis Expressions (DAX), Snowflake Schema, Power BI, Financial Statements, Business Intelligence, Financial Reporting, Cash Flows, Microsoft Excel, Financial Data, Data Modeling, Balance Sheet, Data Integration, Income Statement, SQL
4.9
Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
15 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Financial Accounting: Foundations
Skills you'll gain: Revenue Recognition, Financial Statements, Accrual Accounting, Financial Accounting, Accounting Records, Income Statement, Accounting, Financial Reporting, Balance Sheet, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Accounts Receivable, Inventory Accounting, Cash Flows
Build toward a degree
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
4.5K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months