1. Read the scenario provided in Appendix 1 to this assessment task and Task A and Task B

1. Prepare to meet with your manager (assessor) to clarify budget and negotiate changes.

1. identify areas of the budget that are not achievable, inaccurate, or unclear
2. we prepare to negotiate necessary changes to the budget
3. set up a time with your manager to meet.
   1. Meet with your manager (assessor) to clarify budget and negotiate changes:

1. identify at least two issues for clarification

1.

2.

1. negotiate at least two changes required

1.

2.

1. There are 5 fundamental principles of accounting.

Select three (3) that you will discuss with your manager

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

1. Identify and explain the relevant legislation and requirements of the ATO.

1. Describe three (3) principles and techniques of managing budget items

1.

2.

3.

1. Use the template provided in Appendix 3 to this assessment task to prepare a contingency plan document for persistent risks after budget changes

Submit all documents required in the specifications below to your assessor.

Ensure you keep a copy of all work submitted for your records.

Specifications

You must:

• meet with your assessor to clarify budget and negotiate changes
• provide a contingency plan
• submit your notes.

Your assessor will be looking for demonstration of the following foundation skills:

• numeracy skills to read and understand a budget and negotiate budget re-allocations
• knowledge of basic accounting principles to identify and use account balances
• knowledge organisational requirements related to financial management such as contained in organisational policies and procedures
• knowledge of principles and techniques involved in budgeting.

Adjustments for Distance-based Learners

• No variation of the task is required.
• Documentation can be submitted electronically or posted in the mail.

Appendix 1: Scenario

Big Red Bicycle Pty Ltd is a bicycle manufacturer based in Bendigo, Victoria. The company produces bicycles which it sells to retailers in the domestic Australian market.

The senior management structure of the company appears below.

Person	Position
Michelle Yeo	Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Tom Copeland	Managing Director
John Black	Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Stuart LA Roux	Operations General Manager
Pat Roberts	Senior Accountant
Sam Gellar	Sales General Manager
Charles Pierce	Production Manager
Holly Burke	HR Manager

According to company strategic plans, the company aims to achieve a net profit before tax of $1,000,000. The chief risks to this goal are:

• poor sales due to economic downturn
• increases in expenses such as wage expenses.

In addition to Australian operations, the company is considering manufacturing overseas to take advantage of reduced costs. The company is also considering diversifying its product range to reduce exposure to poor sales of one product.

Role

You are the manager of Sales Centre A, based in Adelaide. The centre has achieved great success over the last year and consistently outsells other sales centres. In fact, due to the large number of accounts managed by your sales team and larger staff, your centre is expected to sell as much volume as the other two sales centres put together. Naturally, you expect cost allocations to reflect the both the needs and importance to the business of Cost Centre A.

Task A

The Sales General Manager, Sam Gellar, has asked you to review the master budget and cost centre budgets prepared by the Senior Accountant. She would like you to meet with her to discuss the whether the budget projections are achievable, accurate, understandable and fair.

She would like you to look closely at the budget for your cost centre, note any changes you think are necessary, develop an argument for the changes and negotiate those changes with her.

Information you are aware of includes:

• Sales in the first quarter (Q1), third quarter (Q3), and the fourth quarter (Q4) are generally 30% less than the second quarter (Q2).
• Sales in Q2 depend on completion of 90% of repair and maintenance.
• Sales for Q2 have been estimated to be $1,000,000.
• Commission negotiated with members of the sales team is now at 2.5%.

Task B

It has come to the attention of the Managing Director, Tom Copeland, that due to the current economic climate, sales volume may be 20% below target this financial year. Tom is worried that this may severely impact profit projections. The company can accept as much as a 10% variance in profit projections; however, more than this could severely affect the company's ability to pay obligations and invest. Reliable data to determine whether the risk has eventuated should be available by mid Q2, when sales data for the company's product are in.

As a special project, the Managing Director has asked you to perform a risk assessment and develop a contingency plan to manage the risk of sales falling 20%.

As per organisational policy you should use the contingency plan template provided.

Appendix 2: Budgeting and Finance Policy

Budget preparations

• The business plan will set the key parameters for all financial budgeting.
• Variations to the business plan must be approved by the CEO and senior management strategic committee.
• Prior period results are to be analysed to identify the profit level of cost centres, identify correlations between financial statistics and to set key performance indicators and benchmarks for future budgets.
• The budget planning committee will meet prior to budgets being developed and agree on budget parameters. The committee will consist of all department managers plus the CEO and CFO.
• A CAPEX budget will be developed from the approved business plan.
• A detailed sales budget must be completed before completing the profit budget for the year.
• A cash flow budget covering the first three months will be prepared after the profit budget is completed.
• A master budget including profit projections will be completed from which cost centre allocations will be made.
• Budget notes that contain all the assumptions used in the budgets should accompany the master budget or be made available as a separate document. Where possible, the notes should justify the basis on which the estimates were made.
• Overheads (non-direct expenses) will be apportioned across the cost centres equally. Exceptions need to be negotiated with relevant authorities.
• All expenses and income will be spread equally throughout the year unless otherwise required by business needs or business environment.
• The financial cycle for budgeting purposes will be yearly ending 30 June.

Financial delegations

• Each manager is responsible for achieving the revenue budgets agreed to by the budget committee.
• Each manager is responsible to approve, by signing the necessary paperwork, all expenditures that fall within their area of responsibility.
• Expenditures must be within the budget guidelines for the individual departments.

Format for budgets and reports

All budgets must include the following details:

• name of the person who prepared it
• cost centre (if applicable)
• name of the budget/report, i.e. sales, expenses, CAPEX, cash flow, budget variation report
• period of the budget.

Appendix 3: Budgets and Templates

Master budget with profit projections

Big Red Bicycle Pty Ltd
Master Budget FY 2011/2012
	FY	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4
REVENUE
	Commissions (2% sales)	60,000	15,000	15,000	15,000	15,000
	Direct wages fixed	200,000	50,000	50,000	50,000	50,000
	Sales	3,000,000	750,000	750,000	750,000	750,000
	Cost of Goods Sold	400,000	100,000	100,000	100,000	100,000
Gross Profit	2,340,000	585,000	585,000	585,000	585,000
EXPENSES
General & Administrative Expenses
	Accounting fees	20,000	5,000	5,000	5,000	5,000
	Legal fees	5,000	1,250	1,250	1,250	1,250
	Bank charges	600	150	150	150	150
	Office supplies	5,000	1,250	1,250	1,250	1,250
	Postage & printing	400	100	100	100	100
	Dues & subscriptions	500	125	125	125	125
	Telephone	10,000	2,500	2,500	2,500	2,500
	Repairs & maintenance	50,000	12,500	12,500	12,500	12,500
	Payroll tax	25,000	6,250	6,250	6,250	6,250
Marketing Expenses
	Advertising	200,000	50,000	50,000	50,000	50,000
Employment Expenses
	Superannuation	45,000	11,250	11,250	11,250	11,250
	Wages & salaries	500,000	125,000	125,000	125,000	125,000
	Staff amenities	20,000	5,000	5,000	5,000	5,000
Occupancy Costs
	Electricity	40,000	10,000	10,000	10,000	10,000
	Insurance	100,000	25,000	25,000	25,000	25,000
	Rates	100,000	25,000	25,000	25,000	25,000
	Rent	200,000	50,000	50,000	50,000	50,000
	Water	30,000	7,500	7,500	7,500	7,500
	Waste removal	50,000	12,500	12,500	12,500	12,500
TOTAL EXPENSES	1,401,500	350,375	350,375	350,375	350,375
NET PROFIT (BEFORE INTEREST & TAX)	938,500	234,625	234,625	234,625	234,625
Income Tax Expense (25%Net)	234,625	58,656	58,656	58,656	58,656
NET PROFIT AFTER TAX	703,875	175,969	175,969	175,969	175,969

Sales cost centre expense budget

	Sales Centre A	Sales Centre B	Sales Centre C
Commissions	$20,000	$20,000	$20,000
Wages	$100,000	$100,000	$100,000
Telephone	$3,000	$3,000	$3,000
Office supplies	$1,000	$1,000	$1,000

Contingency plan template

Contingency Plan Company name: Big Red Bicycle Pty Ltd Person developing the plan: Name: Position:
Risk identified:
Strategies/activities to minimise the risk	By when	By whom