How long is the Fast Closing Monthly and Year-End Accounts course?

The course runs over 5 days of classroom training, usually Monday to Friday.

When is the next Fast Closing Monthly and Year-End Accounts course?

The next public date is 14 - 18 Dec 2026 in Munich. There are 13 upcoming dates in total.

Where is this course held?

Upcoming sessions run in Munich, Barcelona, Paris, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Rome.

Can I take Fast Closing Monthly and Year-End Accounts online?

Yes. Every date can also be joined live online in a virtual classroom with the trainer, for £1,280 per participant. Choose "Live online" in the dates table when you register.

How much does the course cost?

Fees start from £2,850 per delegate, depending on the city. Fees include tuition and course materials.

Do participants receive a certificate?

Yes. Delegates who complete the course receive a London Leadership Management Innovation certificate of completion.

Can this course be delivered in-house for our team?

Yes. LLMI can tailor and deliver this course privately for your organisation at your premises or in one of our training cities.

Fast Closing Monthly and Year-End Accounts (F08) Training Course

Course overview

Why Attend

Month and year-end closings are the ultimate processes of finance where the efforts spent during the period materialize in accurate and timely reports. It is important that such valuable information is developed at a cost that is justified by the benefits gained. Hence, organizations need to always identify inefficiencies in the closing process and apply continuous improvement. This course provides several tools for process analysis and improvements related to closing the books quickly and efficiently.

Course Methodology

This course focuses on exercises, case studies, and individual and group presentations based on the issues and challenges facing the participants.

Course Objectives

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

Describe the different types of closing and list the main activities in the closing cycle
Utilize assessment tools to pinpoint the disconnect between finance and internal users
List the steps needed to carry on process improvements in finance and identify the need for closing process redesign
Practice using process maps to identify closing inefficiencies and present improvement recommendations
Apply best practices and enhance the monthly closing procedures

Target Audience

Accountants, finance managers, financial controllers, management accountants, general ledger accountants, accounts receivable and accounts payable accountants, senior accountants and assistant accountants.

Target Competencies

Process analysis
Closing procedures
Analytical skills
Process mapping
Applying month-end and year-end closing best practices

Course outline

1Day 1: Fast closing defined
- Importance and benefits of fast close
- Hard, soft and virtual close
- Elements of soft close
- Vision of 'finance and accounting' function
- Activities and purposes of finance and accounting
2Day 2: The finance function as an added value & Redesign of the finance function
- The finance function as an added value
- Usefulness of financial information
- Defining the finance function stakeholders
- Disconnect between finance and internal users
- Tools to identify needs assessment and report user satisfaction
- Redesign of the finance function
- The paradigm shift
- Top information deficiencies
- Tools to identify the need for a redesign
- Reasons for process redesign
- Three steps to carry on process improvement and finance function redesign
3Day 3: Planning the fast close process
- Setting up a plan for a fast close
- Pre-close process and activities
- Implementing the plan and staying in control
- Finance process redesign tools and techniques
- Cost and cycle time charts
- Process maps and value analysis
- Identifying process bottlenecks
- Organizing fast close resources needed
- Shifting close activities
- Selecting Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Continuous improvements in closing process
4Day 4: Applying best practices in the close process & Procurement and disbursement processes
- Applying best practices in the close process
- Enhancing the operating cycle
- Procurement and disbursement processes
- Accounts payable
- Travel and entertainment
- Inventory and cost
- Payroll process
- Costing and analysis
- Commissions and fees
5Day 5: Billing and collection process
- Accounts receivable and billing
- Collections and cash management
- Administration and reporting process
- The general ledger
- Operational budgeting
- Fixed assets
- Financial reporting
- Elements of the close reporting package

Schedule

Dates and fees

13 upcoming dates in 6 cities. Fees are per delegate; bring colleagues and every seat is discounted. Every date can also be joined live online for £1,280.

All dates as PDF

December 2026

14DEC 14 - 18 Dec 2026Mon to Fri · 5 daysNext session

MunichGermany · Classroom

£3,450per delegate2+ people: £2,760 each

January 2027

18JAN 18 - 22 Jan 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days

BarcelonaSpain · Classroom

£3,850per delegate2+ people: £3,080 each

February 2027

15FEB 15 - 19 Feb 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days

ParisFrance · Classroom

£3,250per delegate2+ people: £2,600 each

March 2027

15MAR 15 - 19 Mar 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days

FrankfurtGermany · Classroom

£3,250per delegate2+ people: £2,600 each

April 2027

19APR 19 - 23 Apr 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days

BarcelonaSpain · Classroom

£3,850per delegate2+ people: £3,080 each

May 2027

17MAY 17 - 21 May 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days

IstanbulTurkey · Classroom

£2,850per delegate2+ people: £2,280 each

June 2027

21JUN 21 - 25 Jun 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days

RomeItaly · Classroom

£4,250per delegate2+ people: £3,400 each

July 2027

19JUL 19 - 23 Jul 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days

MunichGermany · Classroom

£4,250per delegate2+ people: £3,400 each

August 2027

16AUG 16 - 20 Aug 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days

BarcelonaSpain · Classroom

£3,850per delegate2+ people: £3,080 each

September 2027

20SEP 20 - 24 Sep 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days

ParisFrance · Classroom

£3,250per delegate2+ people: £2,600 each

October 2027

18OCT 18 - 22 Oct 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days

FrankfurtGermany · Classroom

£3,250per delegate2+ people: £2,600 each

November 2027

15NOV 15 - 19 Nov 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days

BarcelonaSpain · Classroom

£3,850per delegate2+ people: £3,080 each

December 2027

20DEC 20 - 24 Dec 2027Mon to Fri · 5 days

IstanbulTurkey · Classroom

£2,850per delegate2+ people: £2,280 each

Live online, on the same dates

Join the class in real time from your office or home: live sessions with the trainer, group discussion, course materials and a certificate of completion. Joining details are emailed before the course starts.

December 2026

14DEC 14 - 18 Dec 2026Mon to Fri · 5 daysNext session

Live onlineVirtual classroom · join from anywhere