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For Individuals
For Teams
  • Includes 6 total courses to earn Finance for Non-Finance Managers certificate
  • Self-paced & 100% online
  • Get this program, community, & more with a CFI membership
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  • Get this program and CFI's full training catalog for your organization
  • Manage learning, create custom paths & measure progress
  • For teams of 2 or more learners
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Finance for Non-Finance Managers Specialization Overview

Every business decision has financial implications, influencing both daily operations and long-term strategy. Managers who understand key financial concepts can proactively align strategy and resources with financial goals and make financially informed decisions to drive growth.

CFI’s Finance for Non-Finance Managers Specialization is designed for professionals leading non-finance functions who want to strengthen their financial decision making. No prior finance experience is required. Guided by expert instructors, learners build foundational skills in accounting, financial analysis, budgeting and forecasting, and corporate strategy. Through hands-on exercises and case studies, you will learn to interpret financial statements, evaluate performance, manage budgets, and communicate effectively with finance teams and executives to drive business growth.

This program empowers you to communicate more effectively with finance teams and executives, apply financial insights to business decisions, and make greater contributions to your organization’s success. With CFI's Finance for Non-Finance Managers Specialization, you will gain the financial acumen and practical skills that make you a stronger leader — positioned for career growth.

What's in the Finance for Non-Finance Managers Specialization?

6 courses

6 Required Courses

60+ interactive exercises

Learn by doing with guided simulators

Receive a Certificate

To verify your skills

500,000+ 5-star ratings

Best-in-class training, as rated by you

Earning Your Certificate in Finance for Non-Finance Managers

Step 1.

6 Required Courses

This comprehensive bundle consists of 6 courses to deliver practical, real-world business skills.

Accounting Fundamentals
4.9 (7,462 Ratings)
2h 28min
2h 28min
Reading Financial Statements
4.8 (4,294 Ratings)
1h 45min
1h 45min
Budgeting and Forecasting
4.9 (979 Ratings)
2h 44min
2h 44min
Financial Analysis Fundamentals
4.9 (1,895 Ratings)
2h 4min
2h 4min
Corporate & Business Strategy
5 (823 Ratings)
2h 24min
2h 24min
Corporate Finance Fundamentals
4.8 (2,935 Ratings)
1h 36min
1h 36min
Hide All Courses

* Steps are for individual learners. For customized data analysis learning paths for your team, please visit our CFI for Teams page to contact us.

Skills & Learning Objectives in Finance for Non-Finance Managers Specialization

1
45%
Accounting
2
20%
Finance
3
20%
Budgeting and Forecasting
4
15%
Strategy
1
2
3
4
  1. 1.
    45%
    Accounting
  2. 2.
    20%
    Finance
  3. 3.
    20%
    Budgeting and Forecasting
  4. 4.
    15%
    Strategy

Accounting

  • Break down the structure of an annual report, including financial statements, management discussion and analysis (MD&A), and key risk disclosures.
  • Analyze financial statements to evaluate a company’s operations, strategic direction, and overall performance.
  • Understand how companies record financial transactions, flow through financial statements, and prepare a basic financial report.

Finance

  • Learn how capital investments affect company assets and the impacts on business and funding cycles.
  • Evaluate investment metrics and strategies to control capital costs and apply a key metric — weighted average cost of capital (WACC).
  • Explore equity and debt financing options, including the pros and cons of various capital return methods.

Budgeting and Forecasting

  • Learn best practices in financial management and how budgeting supports business strategy.
  • Develop robust budgeting processes, apply different budgeting methods, and forecast future performance with confidence.
  • Use Excel tools to analyze revenue, manage costs, and track performance by comparing budgeted vs. actual results through variance analysis.

Strategy

  • Learn the strategic analysis process and the differences between corporate, business, and functional strategies.
  • Perform a competitive analysis for an organization by evaluating internal capabilities, external market factors, and sources of competitive advantage.
  • Identify and evaluate strategic options that align with a company’s mission, vision, and long-term goals.

Taught by Industry Experts

Duncan McKeen

Duncan McKeen

Duncan is the Executive Vice President, Financial Modeling at CFI. Since 2014, Duncan has been focused on designing courses and teaching financial modeling to employees working in accounting, valuation, investment banking, equity research, and private equity.
Jeff Schmidt

Jeff Schmidt

Jeff is the Vice President, Financial Modeling at CFI. Prior to joining CFI, Jeff Schmidt taught financial modeling and valuation to thousands of learners all over the world for over a decade.
Scott Powell

Scott Powell

Scott is the Co-Founder of CFI. Over the past 30 years, he has focused on designing and delivering learning solutions for clients in the financial services sector, particularly in the areas of commercial banking, investment banking, capital markets, and asset management.
Tim Vipond

Tim Vipond

Tim is the Co-Founder and CEO of CFI Education with an extensive background in entrepreneurship, financial analysis, and investment banking.

Careers in Finance for Non-Finance Managers

  • Mid-level and Senior Managers

    Mid-level and Senior Managers

    Make data-driven decisions, analyze financial reports, and align strategy with financial goals to drive business success.
  • Department Heads and Team Leaders

    Department Heads and Team Leaders

    Confidently manage budgets, optimize resources, and collaborate with finance teams to enhance team performance.
  • Aspiring Executives and Directors

    Aspiring Executives and Directors

    Gain the financial expertise to interpret statements, assess investments, and lead with strategic financial insight.
  • Entrepreneurs and Business Owners

    Entrepreneurs and Business Owners

    Develop financial literacy to manage cash flow, evaluate risks, and communicate effectively with investors and stakeholders.
  • Professionals Transitioning into Management

    Professionals Transitioning into Management

    Build financial acumen to oversee budgets, assess performance, and make informed management decisions.

Finance for Non-Finance Managers Specialization has upskilled teams in leading industries:

Technology & SaaS
Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals
Retail & 
E-commerce
Manufacturing 
& Supply Chain
Hospitality 
& Tourism
Government 
& Nonprofits

What Our Students Say

Excellent Program for No-financial Manager. I do not have a solid background in finance, I am more in mining operations manager. But by following this program, in no time I was able to discuss with financial and reading and building financial statements; forecasting and performing sensitivity analysis and scenarios; implement a corporate or business strategy in my financial model. I will recommend to anyone who wishes to accelerate their career.

Jean-Paul Mwamba

Materials and Instructors were awesome. The material used in delivering the lecture and the instructors were fantastic. Very details and easily understood. A non-accounting background person would grasp easily.

David Olaoye

Very Practical Knowledge. I never thought it would be possible to learn so quickly the theoretical and technical skills to apply financial modeling to any company. The courses are well thought through. The course material is very helpful. The videos are clear and concise. I wish many e-learning courses would have the same structure.

Kevin S.

CFI has a large catalogue of courses that are well organized and thorough. Makes it easy for me to dive into multiple topics, instead of trying to piece together learning materials.

Jennifer Foster

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Frequently Asked Questions

If you haven’t found your answer from our FAQ, please send us a message.

Contact Us
Are CFI courses accredited?
CFI is accredited by the Better Business Bureau® (BBB) to maintain training standards, and by the CPA Institutions in Canada, and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) in the US for CPE credits. You can find more information here.
Will these courses help me advance my career?
Yes! The Finance for Non-Finance Managers specialization equips you with essential financial skills that enhance decision-making, strategic planning, and collaboration with finance teams. By gaining financial acumen, you’ll be better positioned for leadership roles, career growth, and increased contributions to your organization’s success. Whether you’re a manager, aspiring executive, entrepreneur, or transitioning into a leadership role, these courses will help you make informed financial decisions and stand out in your career.
What is the duration of the program?
The Finance for Non-Finance Managers specialization takes approximately 18 hours to complete. You can learn at your own pace, allowing you to fit the coursework into your schedule while gaining essential financial skills.
Admission Requirements
All of our certification programs are open to learners and professionals in various industries and levels of experience. Our curriculum is designed to teach what you need to know from basic fundamentals to the advanced practical case studies. To take the courses and complete the exercises, learners will only need access to a PC and/or Mac, Microsoft Suite (2016 or newer), and a stable internet connection.
How much time do I have to complete the courses?
Take as much time as you need. You will have access to all courses and all future upgrades in your subscription. You can review the video lessons as many times as you like and complete the courses at a pace that is most convenient for you.
How are the exams conducted?
Learners are required to complete an online assessment (MCQ’s, Fill-in-the-Blanks, and Excel Questions) at the end of each course. You can take the exams at your own schedule and will need to earn at least 80% to pass the course and earn your certificate of course completion. Please note that course exams can be repeated as many times as you need. Learners are also required to complete the FMVA® final exam to earn their certification. See here for more details on the FMVA® final exam
Can I email the instructor if I have questions regarding the learning materials?
While the courses are designed mainly for self-study, we are happy to provide email assistance for general or technical support inquiries. The Full Immersion bundles include a premium email support function which allows you to communicate directly with in-house experts in the area of study you are focusing on. This is one of the key features that sets the Full Immersion bundle apart and makes it a worthwhile upgrade over the more affordable self-study bundle.
Can I download and edit the course material and templates?
Yes! You can download and edit the Excel models and templates included in your courses. All of the files needed in a course are available for download. Please note that while our study materials can be downloaded, the lecture videos are only available online due to copyright infringement issues.
How do I earn my certificates?
You need to complete all the video lessons, quizzes, and final assessments in each course to earn your course certificates. The certificate will then be available on your learner dashboard and also emailed to you as soon as you have completed all of the requirements.
How long does it take to receive my digital certificate?
As soon as you complete the program! After completing the Finance for Non-Finance Managers Specialization requirements and passing the final exam, you can immediately request your digital certificate to be emailed to you by submitting your completed program through your learner dashboard.
Can I take more than 3 electives?
Take as many electives as you would like — all our content is available to you in your CFI subscription.
What currency are your courses priced in?
All of our online courses and programs are priced in USD.
What payment methods do you accept?
As this is a recurring payment, we accept all major credit and debit cards including Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. Additionally, We also offer ACH and Wire transfer options exclusively for corporate transactions, though not available for self-service payment. Contact our team for more details.
Are there any additional fees or costs?
None! The program tuition includes everything and there are no additional fees required to earn your digital certification.
More Questions?
You can view more detailed information through our Help Center or simply Email Us and we’ll be happy to answer any of your questions!

If you haven’t found your answer from our FAQ, please send us a message.

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