This is the beginning of a series that will cover major aspects of the Controllership function.

Controllers are essential to the day-to-day accounting for organizations. Yet, the role is not often readily understood. In today’s world of acronyms such as CFO, CEO, COO, CAO, etc., the Controller function may get lost in the shuffle. However, they are a critical group of professionals who ensure the adequacy and transparency of accounting and financial reporting information.

A Controller is an individual who has responsibility for all accounting-related activities including high-level accounting, managerial counting, and finance activities within a company. The duties of a Controller include assisting with the preparation of the operating budgets, overseeing financial reporting, and performing essential duties relating to payroll. However, in today’s evolving world, the Controller function can provide much more in-depth value to their organizations.

This series is dedicated to exploring the traditional Controller role and stepping out of the box to identify areas where the Controller can add strategic value to their organizations.

In this first course we focus on the typical Controller function and begin to identify ways to elevate the function.

 

Below courses are currently available on the site:

  • The Controllership Series: The Controller Function - Elevating the Role
  • The Controllership Series: The Controller Function - Strategic and Annual Planning
  • The Controllership Series: The Controller Function - Cash and Investments
  • The Controllership Series: The Controller Function - Inventory Process Part 1
  • The Controllership Series: The Controller Function - Inventory Process Part 2
  • The Controllership Series: Financial Statement Preparation and Presentation
Learning Objectives
  • Discover the Controller’s role and main job functions.
  • Recognize the requirements for job qualifications.
  • Explore where controllers spend their time.
  • Identify the controllers changing role.
Last updated/reviewed: May 14, 2022

Included In Certifications

This course is included in the following Certification Programs:

18 CoursesThe Controllership Series Certification

  1. The Controllership Series: The Controller Function - Elevating the Role
  2. The Controllership Series: The Controller Function - Strategic and Annual Planning
  3. GAAP Principles, Assumptions and Considerations
  4. The Treasury Function Part 1: Cash, Liquidity and Investments
  5. The Controllership Series: The Controller Function - Cash and Investments
  6. ASC 842 Accounting for Leases - Deep Dive
  7. Revenue Recognition (ASC Topic 606) Standard Overview
  8. The Controllership Series: The Controller Function - Inventory Part 1
  9. The Controllership Series: The Controller Function - Inventory Part 2 - Inventory Valuation, Physical Inventory Methods and Inventory fraud
  10. The Controllership Series: Overhead, Direct and Indirect Costs and Allocation Methods
  11. The Controllership Series: Financial Statement Preparation and Presentation
  12. Analyzing Financial Ratios - Leverage
  13. Analyzing Financial Ratios - Performance And Efficiency
  14. The Controllership Series: The Controllers Role in Data Analytics and Big Data
  15. The Controllership Series: The Financial Close Process
  16. The Controllership Series: Managerial Accounting Basics and Cost Principles
  17. The Controllership Series: Sales, Collections and Customer Credit
  18. Tools for The Controllership Series Certificate
37 Reviews (201 ratings)

Reviews

5
Member's Profile
Really enjoyed this course. The Deloitte/IMA study was informative and made me evaluate what my answers would have been if I'd been involved in the study. Really enjoyed the case studies and thought they were beneficial.

5
Anonymous Author
good overview of skills, requirements, duties of controller.

5
Member's Profile
Lynn, Thank you for the Controllership Series. It is an incredibly insightful program that has lead me to doing a deeper dive in my understanding the responsibility and challenges that we controllers have. Thanks again for another super program that will help me to elevate my role :). Larry

5
Anonymous Author
Overall I enjoyed this course on elevating the role of the Controller as it provided real-life examples of Controllers at both mid-size and larger companies. The case studies were key for me, sharing the action plans and outcomes.

5
Anonymous Author
This course was excellent in providing insights into how the role of the Controller can be elevated in a company, and common obstacles which prevent it from happening, with excellent examples of how these obstacles may be overcome.

4
Anonymous Author
The course was informative in the guidance provided to move the Controllership position from a transaction processor to a strategic thinker in aligning with management and utilizing technology to drive efficiency.

5
Anonymous Author
This was a very interesting start to the Controllership Series. A lot of good info as well as things to think about in my own role. I look forward to the future courses in this series.

5
Anonymous Author
As always, Lynn's presentation are very well prepared and presented. Her examples are very relevant and easy to follow and visualize how they apply to current roles. Great class.

5
Anonymous Author
Loved the case study that talked about when an organization isn't ready for an expansion of the Controller role - that was very relevant to my current company

4
Anonymous Author
Good introductory class giving an overview of the future of the role of the controller. I am looking forward to the rest of the series with this professor.

5
Anonymous Author
This really gave a fantastic overview of what the Controller role should look like and brought things to mind that I never considered. Really excellent.

3
Member's Profile
Good idea for basic function of the controller. I liked the message about how to use technology to become a more strategic member of management.

5
Member's Profile
This was a great course that represents a shift in mindset of the Controller position and helps guide Controllers with their career aspirations.

3
Anonymous Author
This is a an overview of Controllership concepts. I found it to be basically accurate--the study information was the most helpful/new items.

5
Anonymous Author
great introduction for the roles, responsibilities, and ambitions of the controller function in small and large organizations. thank you.

4
Anonymous Author
Good overview of what a traditional controller is and how a controller might move into a more strategic role within their company

4
Member's Profile
Good introduction to the various roles of a controller & especially the changing responsibilities & challenges of controllers

5
Anonymous Author
This course provided good framework for the skills needed to perform the controller role and grow within the controller role.

5
Anonymous Author
Great refreshing course to those in controllership or any other mid management roles within accounting & finance departments.

5
Anonymous Author
I've dealt with controllers plenty but I'm not sure I could actually define what that role is. This course helped a lot!

5
Anonymous Author
Great guidance on how to be a more valuable employee, by being strategic and a partner to key decision with management

5
Member's Profile
This instructor does a great job with her classes. The tests are actually based on the course and the material.

5
Anonymous Author
Very informative! Great course for someone who wants to get on the controller path within the corporations.

5
Anonymous Author
Informational and insightful material offered, along with real world case studies for further learning.

4
Anonymous Author
Interesting content highlighting how a controller can elevate and be seen as a strategist. Thanks

4
Anonymous Author
Enjoying the series, which provides a great introduction and overview of the Controller role!

4
Anonymous Author
This course was informative and I appreciate statistics from Deloitte and the IMA.

4
Member's Profile
Good information, but a bit too generic. Some specifics would have been useful.

5
Member's Profile
Good course on how to Elevate the Controller roll within an organization.

5
Anonymous Author
Knocking out course to renew. Always fun to be under the gun with this.

5
Anonymous Author
This was a helpful review of controller job descriptions. Thank you

4
Anonymous Author
Confirms many things I have been thinking about Controllership.

4
Member's Profile
learned some things. have to keep writing. have to write more

4
Member's Profile
Course was overall good. Great introduction to a larger series.

4
Anonymous Author
good course about controllership no surprises. good length

5
Member's Profile
The Controllership Series is a very good learning series.

5
Anonymous Author
I enjoyed the course, and I found it very informative.

Prerequisites
Education Provider Information
Company: Illumeo, Inc., 75 East Santa Clara St., Suite 1215, San Jose, CA 95113
Contact: For more information regarding this course, including complaint and cancellation policies, please contact our offices at (408) 400- 3993 or send an e-mail to .
Instructor for this course
Course Syllabus
INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW
  Introduction to The Controller Function - Elevating the Role3:00
  What is a Controller?8:32
  Controllers Job Requirements4:22
  How do Controllers Spend Their Time5:24
  The Controllers Changing Role11:09
  The Controllers Changing Role Cont'd14:07
  Controllership Vision3:59
  Final Analysis5:12
  Introduction to Case Studies1:43
  Case Studies-Part 112:30
  Case Studies-Part 23:50
CONTINUOUS PLAY
  The Controller Function - Elevating the Role1:13:48
SUPPORTING MATERIAL
  Slides: The Controller Function - “Elevating the Role”PDF
  The Controller Function - “Elevating the Role” Glossary/ IndexPDF
REVIEW AND TEST
  REVIEW QUESTIONSquiz
 FINAL EXAMexam