Organizations are powered by sound financial decisions: informed choices about resources, investments, and strategic spending that fuel long-term success. No matter your role, you can create immense value by understanding how to interpret financial data and make decisions that maximize your team's resources. In this course, you'll learn how to read financial statements, create effective budgets, and invest wisely to produce desired returns. Discover evidence-based strategies to analyze financial performance and guide your organization toward sustained profitability.
Master Financial Fundamentals
Master Financial Fundamentals
This course is part of Strengthen Your Business Savvy Specialization
Instructor: Harvard Business Review
Included with 
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Intermediate level
Some related experience required
1 week to complete
at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace
What you'll learn
Understand and analyze financial statements to gauge financial health and monitor operational success
Weigh costs and benefits, track financial performance, and make the most of resources
Create operating budgets and capital outlay budgets that support organizational strategic objectives
Analyze budget variances and perform sensitivity analysis to optimize financial planning and control
Skills you'll gain
Details to know
Shareable certificate
Add to your LinkedIn profile
Recently updated!
October 2025
Taught in English
See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills
Build your subject-matter expertise
This course is part of the Strengthen Your Business Savvy Specialization
When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
- Learn new concepts from industry experts
- Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
- Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
- Earn a shareable career certificate
There are 3 modules in this course
Let’s face it—money is the fuel that keeps your organization running. No matter your role, by understanding the fundamentals of finance, you ensure your team will make the most of its resources. Learn how to interpret financial statements, create a budget, and invest wisely to produce the desired returns.
What's included
13 videos34 readings1 assignment
Budgeting isn’t just for finance teams. Each decision a manager makes needs to take into account the resources that are available to them. Learning to budget ensures you can allocate resources wisely, communicate financial expectations, and keep teams on track with their budgets.
What's included
12 videos34 readings1 assignment
What's included
2 assignments
Earn a career certificate
Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.
Instructor
Offered by
Explore more from Leadership and Management
Status: Free TrialUniversity of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Status: Free TrialUniversity of California, Irvine
Status: Free TrialUniversity of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Status: Free TrialUniversity of Pennsylvania
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To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
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