Wayne Bartlett

The pandemic had a massive impact on public sector finances. While it has calmed down now, it has left us with key lessons that should be addressed to prevent similar issues in the future. Find out three of these lessons with this bite.

Financial statements play a crucial role in informing stakeholders of a business about its financial health. In this bite, learn more about four key statements under IFRS, their relevant standards and the importance of disclosure notes.

Finance professionals are required to provide information to a range of stakeholder groups. But who are these stakeholders? And what do they want to know? In this bite, we focus on five key stakeholder groups you may need to consider.

The characteristics of good-quality monthly reports will not be the same for every organisation, but there are a few basic principles we can all follow to ensure our reporting is as useful and efficient as possible.

As an accountant or auditor, you've probably faced your fair share of challenges with clients. This bite addresses common issues encountered during audits, offering practical tips to help you overcome tricky situations in the future.

Here we take a look at why so many accountants are considering leaving the profession in the next five years.

Governments have just drawn up the blueprint for a loss and damage fund for climate change, to be administered by the World Bank, bringing the very real financial consequences of climate change into focus once again.

Now is the time to ask some tough questions about our health service. Are we spending enough to cater for our needs, and and are we getting value for money?

Here we examine the impact of some recently proposed changes to FRS 102 and the possible mood of accountants following the publication of those.

A major UK fraud scandal involving the Post Office fires some serious warning shots about control systems for everyone.

The economic narrative, and many indicators are proving modestly positive. But no business manager can be complacent about the outlook - the pressures are still very real and there are many risks out there.

Intangible assets can make up a huge chunk of the market value of an organisation. But how are you supposed to account for something you can't see? Find out with this bite on IAS 38, the accounting standard for intangibles.

The plusvalenza scandal involving Italian football club Juventus raises questions about fair value, as well as accounting and performance measurement issues for the wider business world.

Cop27 outcomes suggest the need for increased momentum in climate reporting.

For accountants and business leaders, the dominant theme of 2022 has been intense uncertainty, and this will continue into 2023.

Did you know that IPSAS 43 will supersede the existing IPSAS standard on leases, IPSAS 13? Find out about the changes and implications, and how public sector organisations can prepare, with this bite.

In January some of the pessimism about global growth and inflation for 2023 abated and economic prospects started to look a little better...

The return to a new normal creates business challenges that must be faced by directors and finance professionals.

Part of a series on 2025-26 Australian Updates. Despite this year's Federal Budget containing no superannuation-specific announcements, there is still plenty going on, from the introduction of payday super and Division 296, to compliance responsibilities.

The UK Chancellor's Autumn Statement is designed to strike a balance between being fiscally responsible, whilst limiting the immediate impact of tax rises.

Here we look at the recently published OPBAS progress report on AML supervision, and the current impacts of the Anti-Money Laundering Regulations.

2008 revisited? Don't bank on learning lessons from the past.

The parlous finances of a UK public sector leviathan have lessons for us all.

SIG audit issues reveal that even cash accounting can be complicated.

A reshaping of global economic power blocs has a wide range of potential repercussions.

The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill is currently making its way through the House of Lords. This bite looks at the impact of the legislation on small companies.

When a new or revised ISA is published, it means more responsibility and more work for auditors. This bite asks whether audit has become too complex.

Making the transition to the accrual basis is not a straightforward task, further complicated by having to consolidate accounts. This bite explores the key challenges of consolidation accounting in the public sector.

Inflation and exchange rate fluctuations make life tricky for accountants. Are we going to see a comeback from the little-used IAS 29 - the Standard on hyperinflation?

Was Liz Truss right about cutting taxes to stimulate economic growth?

Financial managers are facing intense uncertainty and increasing risk in the current environment.

Lots of individuals and companies are facing challenging times, but this is not true for everyone. So, what is the best way for companies to spend surplus cash?

The IMF and World Bank 2023 Spring Meetings took place in Washington DC in April, so this bite will focus on the latest figures and forecasts.

Overall the global growth outlook remains weak and high interest rates are likely to stay with us for longer than anticipated.

A number of stories about China's economy have surfaced in recent weeks. Together they create an uncertain picture for the future and raise questions for international business.

The peak of the interest rate cycle is likely to be close, but we are not there yet. Read the latest update on climate change, economic activity, banking, inflation and energy prices.

Memories of the 2008 global financial crisis are returning to haunt us.

The FRC in the UK just handed down record fines to KPMG and two of its former partners. So, what did go wrong in the high-profile corporate collapse of Carillion?

The FRC have issued a consultation on proposed changes to the Ethical Standard. Here we revisit the standard and some of the common threats audit firms face.

Steve Collings takes a look at the latest FRC review and how preparers of financial statements can take on board its feedback, following on from Wayne's overview last week.

Will the latest crypto currency business collapse force regulators and standard-setters to speed up their act?

Here we examine the accounting treatments for certain items in the financial statements and shed some light as to why specific items are treated as they are.

The past month has been dominated by geopolitics rather than economics. The Hamas attack on Israel has generated a whole new level of uncertainty and risk.

Dealing with financial instruments can be challenging for public sector organisations. But did you know IPSAS 41 has launched to make accounting for such instruments more straightforward? Find out about the key features of the standard in this bite.

Most IPSAS standards are based on an 'equivalent' IFRS. But while they are similar, they are not identical. Find out how one prominent public sector standard - IPSAS 45 Property, Plant and Equipment - differs from its private sector counterpart.

IPSAS 46 is the new accounting standard on measurement and it's likely to have a significant impact on the public sector. Get an overview of the standard and its implications for accountants in this bite.

The new IFRS global sustainability standards are a huge step forward for financial reporting - and the planet. In this bite, get an overview of IFRS S1 and IFRS S2, which are set to pave the way for future sustainability reporting standards.

Here we have a round-up of the latest global economic concerns including interest rates and inflation, increasing political intervention in markets and the deflating Chinese economy.

The global economic picture continues to be dominated by rising interest rates, the persistence of underlying inflation, and threats to global growth.

The Financial Reporting Council has issued their Annual Review of Corporate Reporting, setting out their reporting expectations. The focus this year was on companies in sectors that the FRC view as being at higher risk.

Steve Collings takes a look at new IAASB guidance designed to help auditors understand how ISAs interact with each other where fraud is concerned.

Part of a series on 2025 IFRS Updates. This short course considers the changes proposed to IAS 28 Investments in Associates and Joint Ventures in the recent exposure draft from the International Accounting Standards Board.

Part of a series on 2025 IFRS Updates. IFRS for SMEs is a simplified model of the full IFRS Accounting Standards for use by small and medium-sized entities. This short course explores the recently updated edition of the standard issued in February 2025.

Part of a series on 2025 IFRS Updates. Disclosures form the most voluminous part of the annual financial statements, increasing time, effort and cost for preparers. IFRS 19 attempts to redress this balance by allowing reduced disclosures for qualifying organisations.

Part of a series on 2025 IFRS Updates. This module explores the IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards, current guidance, and potential future developments.

It's deja vu, as some old chestnuts rear their heads all over again when accounting for intangibles.

The global economic and political background is intensely uncertain, causing heightened nerves across the world.

Two years on international tax realignment is still not quite there yet.

Businesses and their auditors must not lose sight of the big picture - risk is all around us.

The overall picture is still mixed, and the outlook remains very uncertain. Central bankers seem intent on raising interest rates further as inflation is proving stubbornly persistent.

We can't control world events or even sometimes understand politicians, but we are more than helpless bystanders in terms of protecting our future prospects.

Audit committees are either crucial or totally irrelevant. Is your audit committee a critical friend or a rubber-stamping exercise?

The issue of long-term employee benefits - and more specifically pensions - may prove to be one of the greater challenges of our times.

IOSCO recognition reinforces the position of the ISSB's newly issued Sustainability Disclosure Standards.

This bite considers how the latest Practice Assurance Monitoring report from ICAEW can help firms to understand in advance, where things may go wrong.

Trends in bricks and mortar should be high up the financial management agenda.

The PwC Australia experience shows that being successful is about more than just the bottom line.

An age-old conundrum continues to create uncertainty for accountants and auditors.

How are the potential changes to UK and Ireland GAAP, proposed by the FRC in FRED 82, being received?

A key role of internal audit is to assess how well organisations manage risk. But how do they know which threats to focus on? The risk-based internal audit method offers a solution.

An FRC review highlights inadequacies in corporate reporting. This bite will help you to learn from other people's mistakes.

As part of the response to the global skills shortage in the accounting and finance sector we are likely to see an increase in investment in technology and digitalisation.

A summary of some of the more interesting changes which businesses and accountants will need to get to grip with in the coming year.

This bite looks at how the issue of new and revised rules impact on firms, and some of the problems faced by practitioners when dealing with the sheer volume of changes.

Part of a series on Sustainability Reporting. This short course explores the framework for organisations looking at how to share information on sustainability issues with their various stakeholders. When it comes to sustainability there are important foundational elements to take on board.

Part of a series on Sustainability Reporting. This short course explores the detail of IFRS S1 General Requirements for Disclosure of Sustainability-related Financial Information. The new standard that requires entities to disclose information on sustainability-related risks.

Part of a series on Sustainability Reporting. This short course explores the detail of IFRS S2 Climate-related Disclosures. This new standard requires entities to disclose information to enable the users of general purpose financial statements to assess the effect of climate-related risks.

The ongoing quite extraordinary story of the Irish economy, and in particular its tax returns, continues to intrigue.

The expected budget surpluses over the next few years are estimated to be 65 billion Euros, but the Government is seeking to downplay their significance.

International professionalisation brings opportunities, but it also bring risks as this bite explains. Quality control is a prerequisite for success.

One person's burning issue is another's red tape, especially for SMEs in the current climate.

Recent issues suggest that Brexit is far from done for the UK. It would be wise for the rest of the world to try to learn from some of these lessons.

As we move into 2023, intense uncertainty probably best encapsulates the environment for economies and businesses. The risks to the global economy are significant.

Here we look at the latest developments in fraud, including the downfall of Patisserie Valerie, and whether the auditing profession is doing enough to combat the issue.