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Strategic Business Reporting (SBR) Examination Tips

Preparing for the Strategic Business Reporting (SBR) exam can be challenging, but you can excel with the right strategy and SBR examination tips. This guide offers essential tips, time management advice, and an understanding of the question paper pattern to help you prepare effectively.

SBR Question Paper Pattern

The SBR exam is divided into two sections:

Section A (50 Marks): Scenario-Based Questions

  • Question 1 (30 Marks): Group Accounting
    • Tests Group Accounting (e.g., consolidation adjustments).
    • It may cover other financial reporting issues.
    • Requires discussing correct accounting treatments.
    • Includes a spreadsheet-based task for correcting a draft consolidated financial statement (10–14 marks).
    • Candidates will NOT prepare consolidated financial statements from scratch.
  • Question 2 (20 Marks): Ethics & Reporting Implications
    • Tests ethical and reporting implications in a given scenario.
    • Understanding ethics & integrity in accounting is crucial.
    • Ethics will be tested in every exam (2 professional marks awarded for discussing ethical issues effectively).

Section B (50 Marks): Two 25-Mark Questions (Q3 & Q4)

  • Questions may include case studies, essays, or scenario-based questions.
  • It can involve both discursive & computational elements.
  • It can cover any syllabus topic, focusing on financial & non-financial information analysis.
  • Question 4 typically awards 2 professional marks for evaluating information from a stakeholder’s perspective.

Time Management Tips

Effective time management is crucial for success in the SBR exam. Follow these tips:

  • Start with Section B: Spend 45 minutes on each question (Q3 & Q4).
  • Section A: Spend 30 minutes answering the ethics question and 60 minutes on the group accounting question.

Important Technical Articles to Study

  1. Accounting Ethics in the Digital Age
  2. Additional Performance Measures
  3. Giving Investors What They Need
  4. Using the Business Model of a Company to Analyse Performance
  5. IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards
  6. Climate Change and IFRS Accounting Standards

SBR Answer Structuring Tips

  • Present calculations in spreadsheets with proper formatting.
  • Use headings to organise your answers for better clarity.
  • Follow this approach for structured answers:
    • State: Briefly explain the facts and relevant standards.
    • Apply: Relate the requirements to the given scenario.
    • Conclude: Provide recommendations or assessments as required.
  • When discussing impacts:
    • Is the transaction or treatment beneficial for the stakeholder
    • What actions might stakeholders take?
    • What would be the impact on the reporting entity?