What is financial reporting?

Financial reporting is the process in which companies disclose financial results and related financial information to external audiences like investors, customers, and regulators, as well as to their internal managers and employees. Financial reports provide these audiences a snapshot of the financial status of the company and how it has performed during a specific set of time. Financial reporting in publicly-traded companies is an ongoing process, with the official public announcement of the financial results usually done in quarterly intervals during the year. However, industry analysts and other insiders are usually briefed more often during the year.

Why is it important that I learn about financial reporting?

It's important to learn about financial reporting to better comprehend how revenues in a business are balanced out against the costs of running the company. When you learn about financial reporting, you will get a strong understanding of a company’s assets and liabilities, what an income statement is, how to understand a profit and loss report, and how important a cash flow statement is on a company’s financial activities. Learning about financial reporting is an integral asset for anyone with an aptitude for numbers, mathematics, and financial accountability.

What are careers that use financial reporting?

Some of the careers associated with financial reporting include accountant, financial manager, financial analyst, senior tax accountant, and controller. Many of these positions exist in large organizations, especially publicly-traded companies, as there are financial positions in order to handle the work of strict financial reporting measures. To move into a career in financial reporting, it helps to have a background of knowledge in such areas as accounting, financial analysis, and financial management and reporting, along with more general knowledge of sales, project management, and data analytics.

How can taking online courses help me learn financial reporting?

When you take online courses to learn financial reporting, you will gain specific knowledge on topics like accounting analysis, financial statements, cash flow reporting, and profit and loss statements. You can become proficient in using the top financial statements common in organizations: balance sheet, income statement, and the statement of cash flows. As you learn more about financial reporting in online courses, your interests may widen to include other areas of financial accounting and financial reporting. Understanding these subjects is integral to your accounting experience in working on an accounting team at a professional organization.

What are the benefits of taking an online Financial Reporting course?

Online Financial Reporting courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Financial Reporting skills. Choose from a wide range of Financial Reporting courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.

What Financial Reporting courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Financial Reporting, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Top Financial Reporting Courses - Learn Financial Reporting Online

Explore the Financial Reporting Course Catalog

Erasmus University Rotterdam
Advanced Valuation and Strategy - M&A, Private Equity, and Venture Capital
Skills you'll gain: Strategic Decision-Making, Business Valuation, Private Equity, Mergers & Acquisitions, Game Theory, Strategic Thinking, Financial Analysis, Business Strategy, Return On Investment, Investment Banking, Cash Flows, Corporate Finance, Competitive Analysis
Build toward a degree
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
1.3K reviews
Advanced · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Introduction to Financial Analysis - The "Why?"
Skills you'll gain: Financial Analysis, Finance, Accounting, Business Valuation, Financial Statements, Financial Management, Balance Sheet, Corporate Finance, Return On Investment, Income Statement, Entrepreneurial Finance, Risk Analysis, Cash Flows, Equities, Investment Management, Loans
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
287 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
Duke University
Excel to MySQL: Analytic Techniques for Business
Skills you'll gain: Data Storytelling, Database Design, Dashboard, MySQL, Relational Databases, SQL, Tableau Software, Business Analytics, Business Metrics, Data Visualization Software, Analytics, Data Visualization, Business Process Improvement, Business Intelligence, Financial Modeling, Microsoft Excel, Business Process, Probability Distribution, Business Risk Management, Predictive Modeling
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
15K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Applying Data Analytics in Finance
Skills you'll gain: Time Series Analysis and Forecasting, Portfolio Management, Financial Forecasting, Financial Analysis, Analytics, Financial Trading, Financial Market, Performance Analysis, Statistical Analysis, Investment Management, Risk Management, Regression Analysis, Algorithms
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
219 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Stanford University
Game Theory
Skills you'll gain: Game Theory, Strategic Decision-Making, Mathematical Modeling, Graph Theory, Bayesian Statistics, Behavioral Economics, Probability, Economics, Markov Model, Algorithms
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
4.8K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
Columbia University
Introduction to Financial Engineering and Risk Management
Skills you'll gain: Financial Market, Securities (Finance), Derivatives, Financial Systems, Actuarial Science, Mathematical Modeling, Mathematics and Mathematical Modeling, Applied Mathematics, Financial Trading, Capital Markets, Financial Services, Securities Trading, Futures Exchange, Equities, Finance, Financial Modeling, Market Liquidity, Risk Modeling, Probability, Risk Management
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
284 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: New
Coursera Project Network
Financial Reporting with Tableau: Parameters & Filters
Skills you'll gain: Dashboard, Tableau Software, Interactive Data Visualization, Financial Reporting, Financial Data, Business Reporting, Financial Statements, Data Analysis Expressions (DAX), Financial Statement Analysis, Financial Analysis, Data Visualization Software, Performance Analysis
Intermediate · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours
Status: Free Trial
IBM
IBM Business Intelligence (BI) Analyst
Skills you'll gain: Dashboard, Data Storytelling, Data Warehousing, SQL, Database Design, MySQL, Presentations, Descriptive Statistics, Extract, Transform, Load, Business Intelligence, IBM DB2, Tableau Software, Relational Databases, Star Schema, Data Visualization Software, Interactive Data Visualization, Regression Analysis, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Excel Formulas, Microsoft Excel
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
14K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of Geneva
Understanding Financial Markets
Skills you'll gain: Financial Market, Capital Markets, Portfolio Management, Investments, Market Dynamics, Equities, Financial Policy, Economics, Banking, Asset Management, Risk Management, Financial Analysis
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
5.8K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Contabilidad para no contadores
Skills you'll gain: Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Financial Statements, Accounting Records, Cash Flows, Financial Accounting, Accounting, Financial Reporting, Standard Accounting Practices, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Financial Analysis
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
9.5K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of Virginia
Entrepreneurship: Growing Your Business
Skills you'll gain: Financial Statements, Financial Accounting, Balance Sheet, Financial Reporting, Financial Statement Analysis, Design Thinking, Annual Reports, Innovation, Process Design, Business Modeling, Customer experience strategy (CX), Entrepreneurship, Philanthropy, Courage, Leadership Development, Strategic Leadership, Corporate Sustainability, Stakeholder Engagement, Professional Development, Business Ethics
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
7.6K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Rice University
Global Financial Markets and Instruments
Skills you'll gain: Financial Market, Investments, Securities (Finance), Financial Systems, Investment Management, Securities Trading, Capital Markets, Equities, Finance, Financial Services, Market Liquidity, Asset Management, Portfolio Management, Derivatives, Fixed Asset, Cash Flows
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
2.2K reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks