0415-23 CM - AT - College - Competency Assessment Guidelines - FA
0415-23 CM - AT - College - Competency Assessment Guidelines - FA
0415-23 CM - AT - College - Competency Assessment Guidelines - FA
These Competency Assessment Guidelines provide additional will support and help to demonstrate the applicant’s competence
reference material for applicants completing the Assessment when performing relevant tasks in the workplace or through
of Competence requirements, towards becoming an training. Please note that Chartered Accountants Australia and
Accounting Technician. New Zealand does not need to sight the physical evidence of
It provides applicants and their Referee (Manager) with further your competence as we understand it is confidential to your
detail to refer to when identifying evidence and assessing an organisation. However, you should keep a copy of your application
applicant’s competence for each of the Intermediate and for 2 years so that it may be audited if required by Chartered
Advanced Competency Assessment Areas. Accountants Australia and New Zealand.
As part of the Assessment of Competence Application the There are 11 AT Intermediate and Advanced Competency
applicant will need to pull together an Evidence portfolio Areas. Please refer to this information when completing Part 2
(an electronic folder or manual workbook) that holds all of the of the Application for Admission as a Provisional Member and
evidence supporting the application. Each piece of evidence Assessment of Competence form.
AT INTERMEDIATE COMPETENCIES
The candidate will need to demonstrate competence in these area by performing relevant tasks in the workplace or through training.
There are five AT Intermediate Competencies at this level:
• Accounts Preparation
• Prepare Final Accounts for Sole Traders and Partnerships
• Costs and Revenues
• Indirect Tax
• Spreadsheet Software.
Accounts Preparation
Accounts Preparation requires the applicant to have the knowledge and skills to prepare ledger accounts to trial balance stage
according to current financial standards, including making any necessary adjustments. They will know how to account for the
purchase and disposal of non-current assets.
Understand generally • Explain the accounting principles of going concern, accruals, prudence and consistency.
accepted accounting • Explain the purpose of maintaining financial records for internal and external use.
principles and concepts • Describe the types of accounting records that a business should maintain and the main uses of each.
• Describe the main requirements of accounting standards (IFRS) in relation to inventory and non-current asset valuations.
• Explain the accounting characteristics of relevance, reliability, comparability, ease of understanding and materiality.
• Explain the differences between capital and revenue expenditure, classifying items as one or the other.
Continued overleaf
Competency Assessment Guidelines – Intermediate and Advanced Competency Areas 2
Understand the accounting • Describe how the acquisition of non-current assets can be funded, including part exchange.
methods used to record • Explain the accounting treatment for recording the acquisition and disposal of non-current assets.
non-current assets • Explain the need for, and methods of, providing for depreciation on non-current assets.
• Describe the contents and use of the non-current assets register.
• Resolve any queries, unusual features or discrepancies relating to the accounting records for non-current assets
or refer to an appropriate person.
Account for the purchase • Calculate total capital expenditure including all associated costs.
of non-current assets • Record prior authority for the capital expenditure.
• Record in the appropriate accounts the acquisition of a non-current asset including funded by/part exchange.
• Record the acquisition in a non-current assets register.
• Close off or transfer the ledger account balances at the end of the financial period.
Account for depreciation • Calculate the depreciation charges for a non-current asset using the straight line method and reducing balance method.
• Record the depreciation in the non-current assets register.
• Record depreciation in the appropriate ledger accounts.
• Close off the ledger accounts at the end of the financial period, correctly identifying any transfers to the statement
of profit or loss.
Account for the disposal • Identify the correct asset, removing it from the non-current assets register.
of non-current assets • Record the disposal of non-current assets in the appropriate accounts.
• Calculate any gain or loss arising from the disposal, closing off or transferring the account balance.
Account for adjustments • Explain the accounting treatment of accruals and prepayments to expenses and revenue.
• Explain the reasons for, and method of, accounting for irrecoverable debts and allowances for doubtful debts.
• Record the journal entries for closing inventory.
• Record the journal entries for accrued and prepaid expenses and income.
• Record the journal entries for provision for depreciation, irrecoverable debts and allowances for doubtful debts.
• Record the journal entries to close off revenue accounts in preparation for the transfer of balances to the final accounts.
Prepare and extend the • Prepare ledger account balances; reconciling them, identifying any discrepancies and taking appropriate action.
trial balance • Prepare a trial balance.
• Account for these adjustments:
– Closing inventory
– Accruals and prepayments to expenses and income
– Provisions for depreciation on non-current assets
– Irrecoverable debts
– Allowance for doubtful debts.
• Prepare the trial balance after adjustments.
• Check for errors and/or inaccuracies in the trial balance, taking appropriate action.
Understand the need for, and • Identify reasons for closing off accounts and producing a trial balance.
the process involved in, the • Explain the process, and limitations, of preparing a set of final accounts from a trial balance.
preparation of final accounts • Describe the methods of constructing accounts from incomplete records.
• Provide reasons for imbalances resulting from incorrect double entries.
• Provide reasons for incomplete records arising from insufficient data and inconsistencies within the data provided.
Prepare accounting records • Calculate opening and/or closing capital using incomplete information.
from incomplete information • Calculate the opening and/or closing cash/bank account balance.
• Prepare sales and purchase ledger control accounts, using these to correctly calculate sales, purchases
and bank figures.
• Calculate account balances using mark ups and margins.
Continued overleaf
Competency Assessment Guidelines – Intermediate and Advanced Competency Areas 3
Produce final accounts for • Describe the components of a set of final accounts for a sole trader.
sole traders • Prepare a statement of profit or loss.
• Prepare a statement of financial position.
Prepare a statement of • Prepare a statement of profit and loss appropriation account for a partnership.
profit and loss appropriation • Accurately determine the allocation of profit to partners after allowing for interest on capital, interest on drawings
account and any salary paid to partner(s).
• Prepare the capital and current accounts for each partner.
Prepare a statement of • Calculate the closing balances on each partner’s capital and current accounts, including drawings.
financial position relating • Prepare a statement of financial position, in compliance with the partnership agreement.
to a partnership
Understand the nature and • Explain the purpose of internal reporting and providing accurate information to management.
role of costing systems • Explain the relationship between the various costing systems within an organisation.
within an organisation • Identify the responsibility centres, cost centres, profit centres and investment centres within an organisation.
• Explain the characteristics of different types of cost classifications and their use in costing.
• Explain the differences between marginal and absorption costing.
Record and analyse • Record cost information for material, labour and expenses in accordance with the organisation’s costing procedures.
cost Information • Analyse cost information for material, labour and expenses in accordance with the organisation’s costing procedures.
• Define the various stages of inventory.
• Value inventory using these methods: First in first out (FIFO), Last in first out (LIFO), Weighted average.
• Describe the behaviour of these costs: Fixed, Variable, Semi-variable, and Stepped.
• Record cost information using these costing systems: Job, Batch, Unit, Process and Service.
Apportion costs according to • Attribute overhead costs to production and service cost centres in accordance with agreed bases of allocation
organisational requirements and apportionment: Direct, Step down.
• Calculate overhead absorption rates in accordance with suitable bases of absorption: Machine hours, Labour hours.
• Make adjustments for under or over recovered overhead costs in accordance with established procedures.
• Review methods of allocation, apportionment and absorption at regular intervals, implementing agreed changes
to methods.
• Communicate with relevant staff to resolve any queries in overhead cost data.
Analyse deviations from • Compare budget costs with actual costs, noting any variances.
budget and report these • Analyse variances for management reports.
to management • Provide information for budget holders of any significant variances, making valid suggestions for remedial action.
• Prepare management reports in an appropriate format, presenting these within the required timescales.
Be able to use information • Prepare estimates of future income and costs for decision making using:
gathered from costing • Relevant costs, Break-even analysis, Margin of safety, Target profit, Profit volume analysis, Limiting factors,
systems to assist Payback, Discounted cash flow.
decision making • Explain the effect of changing activity levels on unit costs.
• Calculate the effect of changing activity levels on unit costs.
• Identify factors affecting short-term and long-term decision making.
Continued overleaf
Competency Assessment Guidelines – Intermediate and Advanced Competency Areas 4
Indirect Tax
The Indirect Tax competency area requires that when in the workplace the applicant ensures their employers will comply with the
laws and practices of indirect taxation as laid down by Inland Revenue. They will be able to do this relatively unsupervised, however
some degree of management is required for the more involved and extensive GST needs.
The applicant will understand GST regulations, accurately complete GST returns, understand GST penalties, correct errors and
communicate GST information to relevant people. GST is subject to specific and detailed regulations, so the applicant will demonstrate
they are able to seek guidance from relevant sources, process what is found and communicate this to others, plus maintain their
knowledge of the related aspects of GST.
Complete GST returns • Extract relevant data for a specific period from the accounting system.
accurately and in a • Calculate relevant inputs and outputs using these GST classifications: standard supplies; exempt supplies;
timely manner zero-rated supplies; debit and credit adjustments.
• Calculate the GST due to, or from, the relevant tax authority.
• Complete and submit a GST return and any associated payment within the statutory time limits.
Understand GST penalties • Explain the implications and penalties for an organisation resulting from failure to abide by GST regulations.
and make adjustments for • Make adjustments and declarations for any errors or omissions identified in previous GST periods.
previous errors
Understand the impact of • Explain and communicate the impact that GST may have on an organisation’s cash flow and financial forecasts.
GST on an organisation This includes the impact of different accounting bases, GST periods and types of business on cash flow.
• Explain and communicate the effect of changes in GST legislation on an organisation’s recording systems,
cash flow, and administration.
Spreadsheet Software
The Spreadsheet Software competency area requires the applicant to demonstrate that they have a range of spreadsheet software
skills to enable them to complete both routine and non-routine tasks in the workplace using spreadsheets. It will enable them to design
and use spreadsheets for a range of accounting purposes using formulas, functions and data analysis tools available on all common
spreadsheet software.
Use a spreadsheet to enter, • Identify what numerical and other information is needed in the spreadsheet and how it should be structured.
edit and organise numerical • Enter and edit numerical and other data.
and other data • Combine and link data from different sources.
• Store and retrieve spreadsheet files effectively, in line with local guidelines and conventions where available.
Select and use appropriate • Explain what methods can be used to summarise, analyse and interpret spreadsheet data and when to use them.
formulas, data analysis • Select and use a wide range of appropriate functions and formulas to meet calculation requirements.
tools and techniques to • Select and use a range of tools and techniques to analyse and interpret data to meet requirements.
meet requirements
• Select and use forecasting tools and techniques.
Use tools and techniques to • Explain how to present and format spreadsheet information effectively to meet needs.
present, format and publish • Select and use appropriate tools and techniques to format spreadsheet cells, rows, columns and worksheets effectively.
spreadsheet information • Select and use appropriate tools and techniques to generate, develop and format charts and graphs.
• Select and use appropriate page layout to present, print and publish spreadsheet information.
• Explain how to find and sort out any errors in formulas.
• Check spreadsheet information meets needs, using IT tools and making corrections as necessary.
• Use auditing tools to identify and respond appropriately to any problems with spreadsheets.
Continued overleaf
Competency Assessment Guidelines – Intermediate and Advanced Competency Areas 5
AT ADVANCED COMPETENCIES
The candidate will need to demonstrate competence in these areas by performing relevant tasks in the workplace or through training.
There are six AT Advanced Competencies at this level:
• Financial Statements
• Budgeting
• Financial Performance
• Internal Controls and Accounting Systems
• Business Tax
• Personal Tax.
The evidence you provide must demonstrate that you have an understanding (knowledge) of the principles of each competence
area as well as the skills to carry out the various activities.
Financial Statements
The Financial Statements competency area is about the applicant having the skills and knowledge to prepare financial statements
for limited companies, and prepare consolidated financial statements for simple groups. The applicant will also be able to use ratio
analysis to analyse financial statements and gain a good understanding of current accounting standards.
Understand the regulatory • Explain the scope, elements and purpose, for different users, when preparing financial statements for external reporting.
framework that underpins • Describe legislation and regulation which must be complied with in the preparation of the financial statements.
financial reporting • Explain the reasons for governance by legislation and regulation.
• Explain the purpose of accounting standards (GAAP and IFRS).
• Explain the duties and responsibilities of the directors of a corporate organisation.
Understand the key features • Describe the purpose, including key components, of
of a published set of financial – a statement of financial position
statements – a statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income
– a statement of cash flows.
• Explain the purpose, including content, of disclosure notes to the financial statements.
• Identify accounting standards and their effect on the preparation of financial statements.
Draft statutory financial • Apply accounting standards and relevant legislation to correctly identify, and accurately adjust, accounting information.
statements for a limited • Use appropriate information to draft a statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income.
liability company • Use appropriate information to draft a statement of financial position.
• Prepare notes to the financial statements which satisfy current statutory disclosure requirements, in respect
of accounting policies, non-current assets, current and non-current liabilities and equity.
• Draft a statement of cash flows.
Interpret financial • Explain the relationship between elements of the financial statements – assets, liabilities, equity, income, expenses,
statements using contributions from owners and distributions to owners.
ratio analysis • Discuss the purpose of interpreting ratios in a business environment.
• Use accounting ratios to calculate and interpret the relationship between elements of the financial statements
with regard to profitability, liquidity, efficient use of resources and financial position.
• Draw valid conclusions from the information contained within the financial statements.
• Present clearly and concisely issues, analysis and conclusions to the appropriate people.
Continued overleaf
Competency Assessment Guidelines – Intermediate and Advanced Competency Areas 6
Budgeting
This competency area is about forecasting and preparing budgets. The applicant will have the necessary skills and knowledge to
allow them to prepare a range of budgets, analyse variances and make recommendations for improving organisational performance.
They will be able to inform managers of financial forecasts to aid organisational planning and control.
Prepare forecasts of • Explain responsibility centres and the relationships between departments and functions.
income and expenditure • Code, classify and allocate cost and revenue data to responsibility centres.
• Identify internal and external sources of information on costs, prices, demand, availability of resources and
cost of finance which can be used to forecast income and expenditure.
• Demonstrate the use of these techniques to forecast income and expenditure:
• Indexing, Sampling, Moving averages, Linear regression, Seasonal trends.
• Describe the internal charges made to attribute indirect costs to production.
• Explain the principles and application of standard costing within the context of a budgetary control system.
• Describe the purpose of income and expenditure forecasts and their link to budgets.
• Forecast income and expenditure, using internal and external information.
Prepare budgets • Identify the sources of data and planning assumptions used in budget proposals.
• Calculate these different types of costs: direct or indirect, fixed, variable, semi-variable or stepped, capital or revenue.
• Schedule materials, labour and production resources to meet forecasts.
• Prepare relevant draft budgets for consecutive time periods from forecast data.
• Prepare cash flow forecasts to facilitate the achievement of organisational objectives.
Assess the impact of • Describe the impact of the external environment and any specific external costs on budgets.
internal and external • Analyse critical factors affecting costs and revenues, drawing conclusions.
factors on budgets • Calculate the effect that variations in production and sales constraints will have on budgeted costs and revenues.
• Review and revise the validity of budgets in light of any anticipated changes.
Use budgetary control to • Explain the relationship between budgetary control, product lifecycles and forecasts and planning.
improve organisational • Justify the uses of budgetary control for: planning, co-ordinating, authorising, cost control.
performance • Explain the behavioural aspects of budgeting.
• Set clear targets and performance indicators to enable the budgets to be monitored.
• Prepare a flexed budget.
• Check and reconcile budget figures.
• Calculate variances between budget and actual income and expenditure.
Report budgetary • Plan and agree draft budgets with all parties involved.
information to management • Analyse the variances explaining the impact that these will have on the organisation.
in a clear and appropriate • Inform management of any significant issues arising from budgetary control.
format
• Present any recommendations with a clear rationale to appropriate people.
• Identify and evaluate options and solutions to increase profitability or reduce financial losses or exposure to risk.
Financial Performance
Financial Performance is about monitoring and managing financial performance. Applicants will have the knowledge and skills to be able to
analyse income and expenditure. They will then be able to use this to make reasoned judgements to support the decision making process.
Collate and analyse cost • Explain the purpose and structure of reporting systems within the organisation.
information from various • Explain the impact of the external environment and related costs on an organisation.
sources • Obtain income and expenditure information from different departments within an organisation and consolidate
in an appropriate form.
• Identify other valid information from internal and external sources.
• Explain types of cost centre, profit centre and investment centre.
• Identify costs of materials, labour and expenses and the sources of information about these costs.
• Identify fixed, variable, semi-variable and stepped costs and explain their use in cost recording, cost reporting
and cost analysis.
• Reconcile income and expenditure information.
• Account for transactions between the departments of an organisation.
Continued overleaf
Competency Assessment Guidelines – Intermediate and Advanced Competency Areas 7
Be able to use standard • Describe the use of standard units of inputs and outputs.
costing to analyse • Recognise the differences between standard, marginal and absorption costing in terms of cost recording, cost reporting
performance and cost behaviour.
• Calculate materials, labour and overhead variances.
• Analyse routine cost reports and compare with budget and standard costs to identify any differences and their implications.
Be able to use appropriate • Identify relevant performance and quality measures for monitoring financial performance.
techniques to measure • Identify appropriate key business indicators to use for: Efficiency, Productivity, Cost per unit, Balanced scorecard,
performance and manage Benchmarking, Control ratios (efficiency, capacity and activity), Scenario planning (‘what-if’ analysis).
costs • Calculate ratios, performance indicators and measures of value added in accordance with the organisation’s procedures.
Use these cost management techniques: Life cycle costing, Target costing, Activity-based costing.
• Prepare estimates of capital investment projects using discounted cash flow techniques.
Make suggestions for • Explain the use and purpose of these techniques: Indexing, Sampling, Time series.
improving financial • Compare results over time using methods that allow for changing price levels.
performance by monitoring • Analyse trends in prices and market conditions on a regular basis.
and analysing information
• Compare trends with previous data and identify potential implications.
• Consult relevant staff in the organisation about the analysis of trends and variances.
• Interpret the results of performance indicators, identifying potential improvements and estimating the value of
such improvements.
• Identify ways to reduce costs and enhance values.
Prepare performance reports • Prepare reports in an appropriate format and within the required timescales.
for management • Prepare exception reports to identify matters which require further investigation.
• Make specific recommendations to management in a clear and appropriate format.
Understand the role of • Describe the purpose, structure and organisation of the accounting function and its relationships with other
accounting within an functions within the organisation.
organisation • Explain the various business purposes for which the following financial information is required: Statement of profit or loss,
Statement of cash flows, Statement of financial position.
• Give an overview of the organisation’s business and its critical external relationships with stakeholders.
• Explain how the accounting systems are affected by the organisational structure, systems, procedures
and business transactions.
• Explain the effect on users of changes to accounting systems caused by: External regulations, Organisational policies
and procedures.
Understand the importance • Identify the external regulations that affect accounting practice.
and use of internal control • Describe the causes of, and common types of, fraud and their impact of this on an organisation.
systems • Explain methods that can be used to detect fraud within an accounting system.
• Explain the types of controls that can be put in place to ensure compliance with statutory or organisational requirements.
• Explain how an internal control system can support the accounting function.
Evaluate the accounting • Identify an organisation’s accounting system requirements including hardware and software packages.
system and identify areas for • Review record keeping systems to confirm whether they meet an organisation’s requirements.
improvement • Identify weaknesses in and the potential for improvements to, the accounting system and consider
the impact on the operation of an organisation.
• Identify potential areas of fraud arising from lack of control within the accounting system evaluating the risk.
• Review methods of operating for cost effectiveness, reliability and speed.
Continued overleaf
Competency Assessment Guidelines – Intermediate and Advanced Competency Areas 8
Make recommendations • Make recommendations for changes to the accounting system, including ethical and sustainability considerations,
to improve the accounting with a clear rationale and an explanation of any assumptions made.
system • Identify the effects that any recommended changes would have on the users of the system.
• Enable individuals to understand how to use the accounting system by use of:
Training, Manuals, Written information, Help menus.
• Identify the implications of recommended changes in terms of time, financial costs, benefits and operating procedures.
Business Tax
The Business Tax competency area requires the applicant to work to ensure their employers comply with the laws and practices of
business taxation as laid down by Inland Revenue. They should be able to do this relatively unsupervised, however some degree of
management is required for the more involved and extensive business tax needs.
The applicant will understand regulations applicable to business income tax, accurately complete income tax returns, apply deductions
available, understand applicable penalties, correct errors and communicate business tax information to the relevant people. Business
income tax is subject to specific and detailed regulations, so they will demonstrate that they are able to seek guidance from relevant
sources, process what is found and communicate this to others, plus maintain their knowledge of the related aspects of the business
income tax regime. The applicant needs to understand the impact and significance of taxation on both unincorporated and incorporated
businesses. They will also appreciate the tax implications of financial decisions made by such organisations.
Understand the impact of • Identify relevant tax authority legislation and guidance.
legislation and legislative • Explain the system of penalties and interest.
changes
Recognise and calculate • Distinguish between capital receipts, exempt income, excluded income and assessable income.
income and deductions • Determine when income is derived.
• Describe the legislative basis for deductions including the nexus with income.
• Identify and calculate common deductions available for businesses including:
Interest, Depreciation, Entertainment, Gains /losses on non-current asset disposals.
• Calculate depreciation using Diminishing Value and Straight-line methods.
• Calculate the treatment of entertainment for deduction purposes.
• Classify expenditure in accordance with the statutory distinction between capital and revenue expenditure.
Applying losses to • Correctly apply the tax law relating to tax losses for individuals.
business income • Understand the use of Look-through Companies (LTC)s to allocate losses.
• Apply the shareholder continuity requirement to carry losses forward.
• Explain the requirements for offsetting company losses within a group structure.
Understand tax law and • Understand the relevant tax and other legislative authority for companies.
its implications for • Identify the statutory requirements for LTCs.
incorporated businesses • Explain the flow through mechanism of LTCs.
(limited liability companies)
• Understand the provisional tax system.
• Understand how shareholders of QCs are taxed.
Understand the dividend • Identify the information recorded in the Imputation Credit Account (ICA).
imputation regime • Identify the aspects of the dividend imputation regime specific to QCs.
• Calculate the RWT payable when dividend is paid.
• Apply imputation to a dividend payment.
• Prepare an Imputation Credit Account (ICA).
Apply the Fringe Benefit Tax • Determine from a given set of facts whether non-cash benefits granted to employees are subject to fringe benefit tax (FBT).
(FBT) rules and calculate • Calculate the taxable value of fringe benefits.
FBT payable • Calculate FBT payable, including GST on fringe benefits provided.
Continued overleaf
Competency Assessment Guidelines – Intermediate and Advanced Competency Areas 9
Personal Tax
The Personal Tax competency area requires the applicant to understand the impact and significance of taxation on individuals.
All sources of income for individuals, such as employment income, income from rental property and investment income are
covered. The applicant will be able to appreciate the tax implications for their own personal situation, and that of clients.
Understand the current • Understand the application of Resident and Non-Resident Withholding Tax.
taxation principles of • Explain the tax treatment of income from Portfolio Investment Entities (PIEs).
investment income for • Understand the application of imputation credits on dividends.
an individual
Understand the current • Explain the rules associated with and calculate rental property income.
taxation principles of • Understand the treatment of income from holiday homes.
property income for an • Describe the treatment of rental income when flatmates or boarders are present.
individual
• Identify the deductions available for the taxable income from residential property.
Understand the current • Understand the criteria for eligibility for tax credit relating to the Working for Families Tax Credit regime (WFFTC).
Inland Revenue administered • Understand the concept of the student loan scheme.
schemes • Understand the concept of the KiwiSaver scheme.
Calculate tax credits • Explain the eligibility criteria for IETC and calculate the IETC available to an individual.
available to an individual • Identify tax credit available for donations.
Calculate accurately an • Calculate the taxable income, tax liability and terminal tax of an individual.
individual’s income tax
liability, and complete
relevant sections of the
individual income tax return.
Online workshops are available to support Applicants and their Referees to complete their Provisional Membership Application
and Assessment of Competence Application.
For more information please email [email protected]
charteredaccountantsanz.com/at
Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand ABN 50 084 642 571 (CAANZ) 0415-23