Both for homes and offices.
Report scenario:
You have decided to start a new business based on an idea which you think has very strong potential. You do not have enough funds personally to invest, and your family and friends cannot provide you with sufficient funds to finance the start-up. You have therefore decided to seek external funding for your business idea.
Task:
You must write a report about your business idea with the purpose of securing funding for your business idea from potential investors. The report should follow the structure below.
Structure:
The report should follow the structure below:
Table of contents.
Section – Cash Flow Forecast. 1000 words (+/-10%)
• What is a ‘cash flow forecast’?
• What are the key benefits and disadvantages of a cash flow forecast?
• Identify the key cash inflows (money in) and cash outflows (money out) per year.
• Prepare a cash flow forecast for 4 years. Year 1 can be by month or full year; years 2 to 4 must be on a full year basis.
• Explain any changes in cash inflows and cash outflows over the period of 4 years. What are your estimates based on?
• Analyse the closing cash balances per year. Consider whether additional funding might be required in any of the years. If yes, what funding would you consider and why? Alternatively, you may consider how the surplus of cash should be managed.
Note that the final 5% of each individual student’s mark is for Academic Integrity.
Resources required for the assessment:
All the information used must be as realistic as possible. This means that information such as the start-up funding, interest rate, costing, pricing, forecasted units, inflow and outflow must be informed by research on real similar businesses.
Themes:
• Sources of Finance
• Capital Structure
• Cost-volume-profit analysis
• Variance analysis
• Budgeting
• Capital budgeting
• Investment appraisal
• Social, political and organizational contexts of accounting
Referencing style:
List of References.
List all the references you have used in-text throughout the report in alphabetical order. Remember to use the Harvard referencing style. The quality of academic skills (referencing and paraphrasing) will account for 5% of each group member’s final grade.
Expected word count:
1000 words (+/-10%)
Learning Outcomes Assessed:
• Apply the operational principles underpinning effective budgetary control, including cost concepts and classification schemes.
• Explain the common sources of short- and long-term business finance and the obligations associated with each.
• Analyse standard costs and profit variances in order to reconcile actual and planned performance levels.
• Apply the principles of marginal costs, relevant costs and discounted cash flow to short-term and long-term business decision-making.
You must type your assessment in Arial font 11, with single spacing.
Marking Scheme
Cash Flow Forecast.
• The student defines and explains the key elements and purpose of a cash flow forecast.
• The student identifies and explains at least two benefits and one disadvantage of a cash flow forecast.
• The student identifies a range of cash inflows and outflows for inclusion in the forecast which are credible and related to the figures and assumptions used in other sections of the report.
• The student provides clear rationale and/or support for any estimates and assumptions made.
• The student prepares a 4-year cashflow forecast using inflows and outflows as above. The cashflow forecast can be phased monthly or on a full-year basis for year 1 only, and on a full-year basis for years 2 to 4.
• The student provides analysis of the net cash in/outflows and closing balances and a credible conclusion on this basis i.e. the business’ need for further funding or potential use of surplus cash.
