Simulated workplaceCAQA Ledger and Lane Financial is a fictional business created by CAQA for training and assessment. It is not a real company and no person, client or record here is real.About this simulation
FNSCAQA Ledger and LaneSimulated workplace
Simulated workplace
Scenario · Tax and Business Advisory

Prepare a budget, cash flow forecast and management report

You are a Senior Accountant in Tax and Business Advisory.

Advanced5 to 6 hours7 tasks
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The situation

What has happened

Marlow and Finch Architects is a partnership of three partners with fourteen staff and revenue of about 3.1 million dollars. Job JB-26-2201 is a 2027 budget and monthly cash flow forecast due 16 October. One partner retires in March 2027 and is owed a capital payout, the partners want to hire a senior architect at about 165,000 dollars plus on-costs, and they are considering a second office in Geelong. The file holds two years of financials and the current year to August, which show fee revenue lumpy around project milestones, work in progress growing and debtor days at 58. The Tax Manager will review before the client meeting.

Your brief. Prepare the 2027 budget and a monthly cash flow forecast for Marlow and Finch Architects with the partner retirement payout modelled, and write a management report on margins, working capital and the affordability of the senior architect hire and the second office, with a clear recommendation the partners can act on.
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Tasks

Deliverables

  • 2027 budget
  • Monthly cash flow forecast with retirement payout and two scenarios
  • Working capital and margin analysis
  • Management report with recommendation

Documents to use

Systems to use

Jobs and Lodgement Tracker

Tracks every bookkeeping, payroll, activity statement, tax return and advisory job with its period, due date, preparer, reviewer and stage.

Client Register

Holds every client's entity details, relationship owner, services engaged, anti-money laundering risk rating and identity verification status.

For trainers and assessors

Units of competency

Current on training.gov.au for the Financial Services Training Package as at 10 September 2026.

FNSACC521Provide financial and business performance information
FNSACC523Manage budgets and forecasts
FNSACC527Provide management accounting information
FNSACC526Implement and maintain internal control procedures

Qualifications

FNS50222Diploma of Accounting
FNS60222Advanced Diploma of Accounting
Assessor notes

What to look for

Evidence guide

The budget must be built from the pipeline and actuals with assumptions stated, and the cash flow must show the retirement payout and both scenarios with a minimum cash position. Look for margin and working capital analysis that leads to the recommendation, control improvements that address the debtor days, and a report written for partners who are architects, not accountants.

The student's evidence summary lists every record they created or changed in the systems named above, their notes and the tasks they ticked. Verify it against the deliverables and your own assessment tool.