Fundamentals of Finance

Overview

AI, Data Science & Cloud Certificates from Google, IBM & Meta — 40% Off

One plan covers every Professional Certificate on Coursera. 40% off Coursera Plus Annual.

Welcome to Fundamentals of Finance. This 4 module course will help you understand and affect the performance of your unit or organization’s profitability. By the end of this course, you will be able to implement finance and accounting concepts to drive your organization's growth, analyze financial statements and understand the factors in productivity and profitability, and create forecasting and budgeting. You will also have the ability to evaluate and manage cash flow, implement strategies around financing, and use of ratios in running a business.

Syllabus

Module 1: Financial Statements

Welcome to Module 1. In this module, you’ll build a foundation for understanding the three core financial statements—the Balance Sheet, Income Statement, and Statement of Cash Flows—and how they work together. You will learn what each statement measures, where key accounts such as assets, liabilities, equity, revenue, and expenses come from, and how business transactions flow through the accounting system to produce financial reports. By the end of the module, you’ll be able to use these statements to ask better questions, spot issues early, and support stronger business decisions.

Profitability, Productivity, and Cash Flow

Welcome to Module 2. In this module, you’ll learn how to use financial information to manage profitability, make smarter labor and productivity decisions, and protect your business from cash shortages. You will practice reading key profit drivers on the Income Statement, evaluating labor costs and output, and understanding how cash flow is generated and used so the business can operate and grow sustainably.

Forecasting and Financing

Welcome to Module 3. In this module, you’ll learn how forecasting and financing work together to support business growth. You will build an understanding of how to create forward-looking forecasts, test scenarios, and document assumptions so your numbers are credible. You will also explore common sources of business capital and what lenders and investors typically expect—along with how strong financial records and communication help you build effective banking relationships.

Growing the Business with Expense Controls

Welcome to Module 4. In this module, you’ll learn how to scale your business without losing control of cash and expenses. We’ll connect day-to-day decisions to financial results by using the Statement of Cash Flows and key financial ratios. You’ll learn practical ways to monitor expense growth, protect liquidity, and spot early warning signs that growth is putting pressure on the business.