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Even if they staggered the results but gave us all a designated time for receipt.
Has anyone received their results yet?! Unsure of what time they’ll be released – I know it’s over a two day period but from when?!
Good luck!
I used the Volkswagen Group Financial Statements – OBU day nothing against it.
My interpretation is that you should not choose a company who solely produces, say, RVs.
I have submitted mine now and I did so much work on it, and my mentor did not object to my choices.
I used one of the top 10 motoring brands according to an online article. I found financial statements quite easily. If not, you could always contact them and ask?
Just to warn you – a lot of their balances do not makes sense… an example that pops in to my head is that their 2018 balance sheet, page one, do not sum, and are 1m out.
second thing to consider is they report under German GAAP, and you will find it difficult to find another in the industry that report under it. I read about it online.
You will find most motoring companies also produce commercial vehicles.
What do you mean you can’t find other individual financial statements? provided you choose a large company, Honda for example, which are listed, the FS will be on their website for investors information.
I’d recommend not submitting this period, particularly with Volkswagen, who I had to contact to get some clarity on their FS – I’m unsure you’ll get a response and be able to analyze sufficiently prior to submission. Do not rush it.
Update: was able to submit, now not able to pay. I just go to a new page when I click ‘pay your submission’ and it says ‘invalid’.
I’ve emailed OBU again.
Hi Hasan,
1) yes. Include your workings in your appendices.
2) your revenue analysis is still 2017, and in my opinion to analyse it properly, you will need view of 2016. So yes, include it.
The oxford Brookes information pack gives examples for all types of referencing. I suggest you read it.
Harvard referencing is a well-known referencing system and I’m sure if you look on YouTube you will find adequate examples too.
Hello,
Physically enter the amounts in to excel and utilise summing etc – it won’t matter as you’ll be formatting it yourself and the annual reports are only for further information.
Hi Tia,
The information pack says not to include your name anywhere, and only include your ACCA number. This should be on all of your documents.
I’ve found the pack contradictory in terms of the topic 8 FS. One page says include the PDF document, and the other says only include relevant pages as the marker doesn’t want to read all the large documents.
What I have done is extracted the SOFP and SOPL on to and excel in my appendix, and then on 6 further appendices, included a PDF document link as an item. On all of these I’ve provided direct links to the organisation and is comparators website, so that if anything goes wrong, they are still able to find the document. These also link in to my ratio calculations in my appendix to show my workings and ability to use Excel.
You can insert an object on excel by going to home >> insert >> object, click ‘insert adobe PDF’ and click ‘display as icon’ and name it. It’ll take you to a file explorer, select your document. This means that all the information is there for the examiner if they need it, but if they only want the minimal then I’ve extracted it.
Unfortunately my mentor has had limited involvement with my project due to being cautious about assisting me and risking collusion.
I’m ultra paranoid about anything I use or any assistance I source. I have 5 pages of references and bibliography… The public financial statements I used, I even reached out to the organisations for their consent (which they gave me).
I have had my 3 meetings, discussed my plans (I originally had two topic ideas and put together project plans), but everything has been my idea and my mentor has just asked me questions to ensure I’ve met my objectives – I’ve not spoken to her since my presentation.
I’m my SLS I discussed the impacts of COVID-19, and how this may have influenced our interaction, and how the need to be flexible and utilise technology has developed me as a person (I live on an island and there was only one mentor that I could find, and paid extra to be able to have her for face-to-face meetings, but obviously couldn’t).
I am a little annoyed about my mentors caution, but I understand why she has been so prudent.
I am a perfectionist, and wanted to submit last otherwise I’ll continue to keep re-reading it and changing everything.
Just one question for you Gillian:
I used my friends Grammarly account and several other softwares to ensure I had references sufficiently and not taken direct quotes subconsciously. Is there a chance that my work might match 100% to his Grammarly account? I assume I’ll just be able to explain what’s happened regardless.
I hand wrote my report first, and then typed it up using my hand written notes as guidance. I find I write more fluently and carefully whilst hand writing, as when typing my brain is a sentence ahead and I go on a tangent!
Hopefully I’ll be able to submit soon, good luck everyone!
Waited up to submit to get it out of the way and the portal gives me an error. Has anyone managed to submit?
Hello,
1- For my ratio analysis I only used extracts for the figures I needed. OBU state that you need to attach the income statement and balance sheet where necessary.
2 – the appendix is one large excel? Hmm… I get the impression from the pack that it can be PDF or excel.
3 – I wanted to gather primary data on the external market for my PESTEL and SWOT. There are no guidelines to suggest it is ‘not appropriate’. My survey allowed me to see variations between information I found online and then from my own sources. I am unable to tell if the information I gathered online is biased. I know my own source.
My question was, how do I give this information to the examiner? Is my understanding from the pack corrected.
– a blank survey and my results.
I’ve integrated the data in to my report already.
4 – the pack says your presentation needs to last for at least 15 minutes, not limited to. When I say ‘over’ I meant at least 15, maybe 17.
Never mind.
Just a few quick questions!
1) My PDF editor has stopped working. This means that I’m unable to cut the essential pages out of the 65 page financial statement documents.
Will I be marked down if I include the entire document?
2) The appendix – I’m assuming you upload each document individually? Should I make a separate appendix document (eg. app1 fs2016 app2 fs2017) etc etc.
3) I have done a survey. Am I right in thinking I need to upload a blank survey, and the results?
4) I wrote a script for my presentation to ensure it was over 15 minutes – should I upload this along with the slides?
Because I’ve not seen the screen for uploads, I’m a bit anxious about it!
FYI for other candidates;
– my reporting periods are three months apart and I have mentioned that this is a limitation for ratio analysis.
– my companies have different reporting currencies, and report under different frameworks. The only figure I translated was EPS, and I listed the rates I used providing a link to the website I found the rates on. They are ratios… they, in theory, should be comparable and this is one of their strengths. It doesn’t matter about the currency difference. I’ve noted the difference frameworks as a limitation, particularly as one was US GAAP and one was the German GAAP. I mentioned my studies, and how I have not looked at them in any depth.
– I used PESTEL and SWOT. I integrated words about the ratios throughout these analyses and guided the examiner to them. I did the same in ratio analysis, and integrated information in the analyses that may indicate why the company’s ratios have fluctuated.
– In my conclusion, I copied and pasted my questions and directly answered them, and finished off with an overall conclusion. This ensures I am clear about my answers and brings it all together.
– I only used graphs in my presentation as it demonstrated variances better. In my presentation I made little or no reference to the actions or limitations of my project, only my findings.
– I did not analyse the comparator any more than ratio analysis and used this as a limitation for my ratio analysis (the other company may have had significant events I’m unaware of etc etc).
– My SLS, I read all of the samples OBU have one their website and structured mine in very much the same way.
I did every single past paper I could get my hands on. I started by doing them all open book, tried to do 10 questions a day. I did them all open book, then I did them all closed book. I also read the Kaplan textbook page for page.
I’m not going to lie, this is the hardest paper I think I’ve ever sat. It’s very hard to get marks and it is a massive commitment. This is not open to interpretation and you need to learn the entire syllabus and be able to apply your knowledge 100%. Although it is pro-forma based, you need to understand why you are applying to proforma because there are so many things that mean adjusting it.
All I can recommend is ALOT of hard work for this exam. I came out thinking I’d failed entirely. I was absolutely mortified!
Kieron, as there are no extreme changes in the ISA’s nor IFRS’s since the March 201 update, I personally don’t think there would be any hard in using June 2020 books for the September sitting. The only paper this wouldn’t work for is ATX.
Do not use books for AAA that are any older the one year due to the changes in 2018.
I got 68%, passed first time. So chuffed.
I agree, all down to time management and not panicking! I did all the past papers to time, and attempted every single practice exam I could get my hands on.
It is not essential, but advisable to sit SBR first so you are able to discuss the accounting standards casually but in enough technical detail.
I sat the UK Variant and was well prepared for the solvency question.
Just FYI, on F6 my original result was 62%, however 2 months later I got an email saying that it had been marked incorrectly and I’d actually scored 70%. Whilst I didn’t instigate the review of my paper, if you feel there is a chance, never say never!
Scored 83% in ATX this same sitting so I’m feeling very happy. Finally an ACCA affiliate 🙂
