Cash flow management is a cornerstone of financial success, whether you’re running a business or managing personal finances. Without a clear understanding of how cash moves in and out, it’s easy to lose track of critical opportunities or fall into financial pitfalls. That’s why investing in your skills through a cash flow course can make a significant difference.
As a financial controller, I use cash flow management techniques on a daily basis to ensure that our company remains in strong financial health. Therefore, I know the importance of maintaining an up-to-date and accurate understanding of cash flow management practices. With the right knowledge, you can better manage your resources, make informed decisions, and confidently navigate financial challenges as they arise.
In this article, I used my extensive experience in financial management and accounting processes to compile a list of the 15 of the best cash flow courses available. Whether you’re an entrepreneur looking to improve your business’s financial health or a professional aiming to deepen your expertise, I'm confident that these courses will help you develop the practical insights, tools, and strategies needed to excel in cash flow management.
Overview of the Best Cash Flow Courses
1. Cash Flow Cycles and Analysis (Corporate Finance Institute)
This course examines how companies manage their cash flow by exploring both operating and investing cash flow cycles. It uses real-world examples to calculate working capital funding gaps and provides strategies to optimize working capital accounts.
- Who It’s For: Professionals looking to enhance their financial analysis skills
- Topics Covered:
- Cash flow cycles
- Cash flow statements
- Cash flow analysis
- Online, In-Person, or Both?: Online
- Exam Required?: No
- Duration: Self-paced
- Hours Of Instruction: 1 hour
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price:
- Self-study subscription: $298 (billed annually)
- Full-immersion subscription: $508 (billed annually)
- Take The Course: Corporate Finance Institute
2. Cash Flow Analysis (New York Institute of Finance)
This advanced course focuses on the importance of stable cash flow in meeting financial obligations and provides insights into analyzing cash flow statements. It covers topics like deriving free cash flow, assessing cash flow’s ability to service debt, and using EBITDA as a cash flow proxy.
- Who It’s For: Finance professionals and students looking to enhance their skills in credit risk and cash flow analysis
- Topics Covered:
- Cash flow statements
- Cash flow from operations
- Free cash flow
- Online, In-Person, or Both?: Online
- Exam Required? :No
- Duration: 4 weeks
- Hours Of Instruction: 2 to 3 hours per week
- Eligibility Requirements: Basic Accounting
- Price: $300
- Take The Course: edX
3. The Basics of Cash Flow (AAT)
This online course explains the importance of cash flow in sustaining business operations and offers practical insights into effective cash flow management. It emphasizes why cash flow is crucial, beyond just profits, to keep a business running smoothly.
- Who It’s For: Small business owners and beginners in finance
- Topics Covered:
- Introduction to cash flow
- Managing cash flow
- Cash flow forecasting
- Online, In-Person, or Both?: Online
- Exam Required?: No
- Duration: Self-paced
- Hours Of Instruction: 30 minutes
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: $26
- Take The Course: AAT
4. Certificate in Cash Flow Management (Informa Connect)
This course tackles the essentials of cash flow management, teaching you how to link cash flow with business processes for greater efficiency. This certification program covers strategies to optimize cash resources, manage risks, and reduce reliance on external funding.
- Who It’s For: Finance managers and executives
- Topics Covered:
- Cash flow management strategies
- Cash flow optimization
- Financial planning
- Online, In-Person, or Both?: Both
- Exam Required?: No
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Take The Course: Informa Connect
5. Free Cash Flow Analysis (Columbia University)
This course guides learners through the application of free cash flow analysis for firm valuation, using practical examples and Excel modeling. It covers the fundamentals of valuing firms with the free cash flow method and introduces valuation using multiples.
- Who It’s For: Finance professionals and analysts
- Topics Covered:
- Free cash flow calculation
- Free cash flow analysis
- Business valuation
- Online, In-Person, or Both?: Online
- Exam Required?: No
- Duration: 5 weeks
- Hours Of Instruction: 3 to 4 hours per week
- Eligibility Requirements:
- Must be familiar with basic concepts of Accounting
- Basic skills in Microsoft Excel
- Students should have completed Introduction to Corporate Finance
- Price:
- Without Certification: Free
- With Certification: $225
- Take The Course: edX
6. Advanced Cash Flow & Working Capital Management (GLOMACS)
This course offers in-depth training on managing cash flow and working capital, providing practical tools to optimize financial performance. It covers accounting principles, cash flow drivers, forecasting techniques, and strategies for working capital optimization.
- Who It’s For: Senior finance professionals
- Topics Covered:
- Advanced cash flow management
- Working capital optimization
- Liquidity management
- Online, In-Person, or Both?: Both
- Exam Required?: No
- Duration: 5 days
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price:
- Online: $3,950
- In-Person: $5,950
- Take The Course: GLOMACS
7. Cash Flow Management Basics (Alison)
This course provides a thorough introduction to cash management, profitability, and financial ratios. It teaches users how to conduct liquidity and profitability ratio analysis and understand the impact of cost changes on financial statements.
- Who It’s For: Small business owners and beginners in finance
- Topics Covered:
- Basics of cash flow management
- Cash flow forecasting
- Managing cash inflows and outflows
- Online, In-Person, or Both?: Online
- Exam Required?: No
- Duration: Self-paced
- Hours Of Instruction: 1.5-3 hours
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: Free
- Take The Course: Alison
8. Cash Flows (FASB ASC 230) (Checkpoint Learning)
This course provides a detailed overview of cash flow statement preparation, focusing on analyzing transactions and proper classification under GAAP. This interactive course covers cash inflows, outflows, and reporting requirements to help professionals accurately present financial information.
- Who It’s For: Entry-level accountants and auditors
- Topics Covered:
- FASB ASC 230 guidelines
- Cash flow statement preparation
- Compliance with accounting standards
- Online, In-Person, or Both?: Online
- Exam Required? :No
- Duration: Self-paced
- Eligibility Requirements: A familiarization with cash flows
- Price: $69
- Take The Course: Checkpoint Learning
9. Cash Flow (BDC)
This course provides an in-depth understanding of how cash moves in and out of a business, helping you make informed financial decisions. It covers improving cash flow, planning, and strategies to get paid faster.
- Who It’s For: Small and medium business owners
- Topics Covered:
- Cash flow management techniques
- Cash flow forecasting
- Practical tools for cash flow management
- Online, In-Person, or Both?: Online
- Exam Required?: No
- Duration: Self-paced
- Hours Of Instruction: 25 minutes
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: Free
- Take The Course: BDC
10. Statement of Cash Flows Fundamentals (Illumeo)
This course offers a comprehensive understanding of the statement of cash flows, demonstrating how to prepare it using real examples. It covers how changes in assets, liabilities, equity, and the sale of equipment impact cash flow statements.
- Who It’s For: Accountants and financial analysts
- Topics Covered:
- Statement of cash flow preparation
- Analysis of cash flows
- Financial reporting
- Online, In-Person, or Both?: Online
- Exam Required?: No
- Duration: Self-paced
- Hours Of Instruction: 1 hour
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: $24
- Take The Course: Illumeo
11. The Importance of Cash Flow (TalentLMS)
This course explains the critical role cash flow plays in a company's financial health and how to effectively manage and analyze it. It focuses on understanding cash flow statements as a measure of income and expenditure to gauge business performance.
- Who It’s For: Business professionals and managers
- Topics Covered:
- Importance of cash flow
- Impact on business operations
- Strategies for maintaining positive cash flow
- Online, In-Person, or Both?: Online
- Exam Required?: No
- Hours Of Instruction: Self-paced
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: $89/month
- Take The Course: TalentLMS
12. Monthly Cash Flow Modeling (Corporate Finance Institute)
This course teaches you how to build a 12-month cash flow forecast model from scratch using Excel, covering assumptions, financials, schedules, and charts. It focuses on forecasting financial statements, calculating cash flow, and analyzing impacts on the balance sheet.
- Who It’s For: Finance professionals and analysts
- Topics Covered:
- Monthly cash flow modeling
- Practical applications
- Real-life scenarios
- Online, In-Person, or Both?: Online
- Exam Required?: No
- Duration: Self-paced
- Hours Of Instruction: 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price:
- Self-study subscription: $298 (billed annually)
- Full-immersion subscription: $508 (billed annually)
- Take The Course: Corporate Finance Institute
13. Cash Flow Forecasting and Modeling - Level 1 (Carl Seidman)
This course offers essential training in cash flow forecasting and modeling, focusing on building effective financial models. It helps professionals understand and manage cash flow more efficiently.
- Who It’s For: Finance professionals and business owners
- Topics Covered:
- Cash flow forecasting
- Cash flow modeling
- Techniques for accuracy
- Online, In-Person, or Both?: Online
- Exam Required?: No
- Duration: Self-paced
- Hours Of Instruction: 9 hours
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: $1,200
- Take The Course: Maven
14. Cash Flow Analysis I: UCA Fundamentals (RMA)
This course provides foundational training in constructing and analyzing cash flow statements using the UCA method. It equips participants with skills to evaluate a company's financial condition and make informed credit decisions.
- Who It’s For: Bankers and financial analysts
- Topics Covered:
- UCA cash flow model
- Fundamentals of cash flow analysis
- Application in banking
- Online, In-Person, or Both?: Online
- Exam Required?: No
- Duration: Self-paced
- Hours Of Instruction: 15 hours
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Take The Course: RMA
15. Cash Flow Management (Typsy)
This course provides essential management techniques for effectively managing cash flow, covering areas like payables, receivables, budgeting, and financial reporting. It teaches how to maximize profitability, understand liquidity, and develop forecasting skills.
- Who It’s For: Business owners and managers
- Topics Covered:
- Cash flow management techniques
- Cash flow control
- Practical tools
- Online, In-Person, or Both?: Online
- Exam Required?: No
- Duration: Self-paced
- Hours Of Instruction: 40 minutes
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: Free
- Take The Course: Typsy
What’s Next?
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