cima case study techniques

Preparing for the CIMA Feb24 Case Studies: Free Resources and Guides

In the lead up to the next CIMA Case Study exam, VIVA's experts share useful free resources and guides that put you in pole position for exam day.

With the CIMA February 2024 Case Study exams just around the corner , it's a good idea for those of you intending to sit the exam to start laying the groundwork for your studies right now. The February exam can catch a lot of students out - the temptation is always to postpone study until after the holidays .

This is a mistake!

With the pre-seen already available, and a tuition provider like VIVA with full on-demand courses already available for the February window, there is no good reason why you shouldn't maximise your chances and jumpstart your studies as soon as possible. With that in mind, we thought we'd share with you what VIVA can do to help put you in pole position ahead of exam day. Below are a variety of tips, free resources and guides for the CIMA Feb24 case studies to help get you started.

1. Get the CIMA Pre-seen Materials Here

Probably the most important "free" resource of all is the pre-seen document that CIMA releases in advance of the Operational, Management and Strategic case study exams! The pre-seen document should be the focal point of your studies. You need to know this document inside-out. Too many students assume that they can casually browse the document a few days before the exam, and that if their theoretical knowledge is good enough, they'll be fine.

This is another mistake. There's a reason CIMA releases the pre-seen well in advance. It's because they want you to know it like the back of your hand. You need to be able to very quickly recall info from the pre-seen on exam day; to know where to look to find information that will help you answer the question. To know all the threats, opportunities, weaknesses, challenges, processes of the company in question.

Below you can find the links to each of the pre-seen documents for the current exam window:

OCS Feb24 Pre-seen: click here

MCS Feb24 Pre-seen: click here

SCS Feb24 Pre-seen: click here

2. VIVA's Pre-course Work

All of VIVA's Case study courses include a "Foundational Materials" component. This includes around 7 hours of video lectures and quizzes that ensure you are in the right mindset as soon as the pre-seen is released. These materials can be accessed immediately if you have purchased access to the Feb24 Case Study courses (whether as part of our CIMA All Access membership, or as an individual course ). The Foundational Materials include video reviews of your Objective Test theories and syllabi, exam technique lectures, study focus sessions, and more. This is particularly useful for any Gateway students sitting the MCS exam. VIVA's foundational materials orient you by introducing you to the key topics and concepts from the Objective Test exams. From there, if you wish you can further unlock the full suite of video lectures from E2, P2 and F2 with the All Access membership - allowing you to do a deeper dive on theories that you might not be familiar with. Unlock VIVA's full courses (with around 40 hours of learning materials, video lectures, live webinars and mock exams per course) via the links below:

3. Free articles and guides

‍ Perhaps VIVA's best kept secret (though we try our best not to keep it a secret!) is our growing library of high-value free content - the Knoweldge Centre . Much of this content is highly practical and relevant to Case Study exam sitters. Below we include a selection of the best free case study materials and videos that you can start working through immediately in order to ensure you are well oriented and motivated come pre-seen release day: ‍ ‍

Free Articles:

CIMA Exam Dates

5 CIMA Study Tips to Keep You Motivated

How to Pass CIMA Case Study Exams: A Detailed Guide to Success

Working through your CIMA Case Study Course

6 Tips to Pass CIMA Fast

Handling CIMA Exam Day Nerves: Lessons from Public Speaking ‍

Free Videos:

How to pass the CIMA OCS exam

How to pass the CIMA MCS exam

How to pass the CIMA SCS exam

Planning your Answer in the CIMA OCS Exam

What goes into a Strong CIMA MCS Exam Answer?

Analysing and Understanding CIMA SCS Exam Questions ‍

4. Add mock exam marking at any time

For so many students, VIVA's professional marking has been the difference maker, the thing that pushed them over the line to a pass (see here for example).

Our student surveys have shown that VIVA students who had their mock exams marked by our team of experts, were 48% more likely to pass than students who had not had their mock exams marked. You don't have to get all your mocks marked, we understand that sometimes it's just not practical due to time or financial constraints. But the great thing with VIVA is that you can add any amount of mock marking to your course/membership at any time. You can purchase marking for anywhere from just 1 mock exam to 5 mock exams. You can purchase at the links below:

• marking for 1 x mock exam: purchase here  
• marking for 2 x mock exams: purchase here    
• marking for 3 x mock exams: purchase here    
• marking for 5 x mock exams: purchase here

We hope you find the above helpful as you gear up for the Feb24 round of CIMA Case Study exams.

Like to explore how VIVA can help you with your CIMA studies?

Be the first to find out when we release new CIMA resources.

Related resources

Other resources that may be of interest to you.

Tips for mastering the CIMA Case Study Exams

The CIMA® Case Study exams are the final capstone exams of each level of the CIMA Professional Qualification, which students must pass to gain the CGMA® designation. We explore four tips to help you prepare for the exams.

1)     Understand the three Case Study levels.

Each Case Study exam lasts three hours, with multiple tasks of equal lengths. There is a natural progression to the levels — Operational, Management and Strategic — that simulate how work as a management accountant progresses. To reach the Case Study level, you will have already passed the Objective Tests, which focus on ensuring that you have acquired the knowledge and skills for each pillar.  Case Study exams are more about interpreting data and require practical answers to practical questions and simulate real-life business scenarios.

Operational Case Study (OCS)

• Focus — The short-term role of the finance officer and the implementation of decisions
• Skills you need to convey — How to work with others in the organisation and use appropriate data and technology to translate medium-term decisions into short-term actionable plans
• Stats — Three-hour exam containing four tasks related to the enterprise, performance, and financial pillars; allotted 45 minutes per task, each task has two to three sub-tasks

Management Case Study (MCS)

• Focus — The role of the finance manager involves translating long-term decisions into medium-term plans
• Skills you need to convey — How to use data and relevant technology to manage organisational and individual performance; allocate resources to implement decisions; monitor and report the implementation of decisions; prepare and interpret financial statements to show performance

Strategic Case Study (SCS)

• Focus — The role of the senior finance manager entails long-term strategic decision-making
• Skills you need to convey — How to support organisational leaders to craft strategy and evaluate and manage risks that might prevent the successful implementation of strategy, including sourcing financial resources; value the organisations
• Stats — Three-hour exam containing three tasks related to the enterprise, performance, and financial pillars; allotted 1-hour per task, each task has two to three sub-tasks

2)     Understand the Case Study exam cycle.

• Preseen — Released seven weeks before Exam 1
• Exam 1 — Exam cycle is May and August . The same three to four exam variants are offered both months.
• Results — Released seven weeks after the exam
• Preseen — Released seven weeks before Exam 2
• Exam 2 — Exam cycle is November and February . The same three to four exam variants are offered both months.

C opyright: BPP

3)     Understand the pre-seen materials.

Pre-seen materials — known as ‘preseens’ — are background information about the fictitious organisation featured in the Case Study exam. This information forms the basis of the tasks you can expect to see in the exam. The preseen tells the story of the company, including the industry and context in which it operates, its financial statements, management accounts, markets and competitors. Preseens are usually 26 – 30 pages long. Key tips include:

• Be ready — Familiarise yourself with the company, industry and current events.
• Analyse — Perform an analysis such as strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) or political, economic, social and technological (PEST); review financial statements and reporting issues. The end of the preseen will contain live issues regarding what is happening in the industry. For instance, a new standard may have come out that will change reporting standards from the current year to the next and that the Case Study exam must address.
• Cross-reference with the blueprint — Being able to know what you can do is critical. Can you discuss finance options, dividend policy or evaluate digital strategies?

Tackling “I can” from each of the core activities in each of the sections is necessary for success. For instance:

• I can identify relevant costs and benefits.
• I can advise on the communication process.
• I can recommend a dividend policy.
• I can use appropriate technologies to gather data for costing purposes, from digital and other sources.

Have a broad syllabus knowledge and know your company intrinsically. You become the person when you role-play the exam. Avoid prefabricated answers, as the exam will have details not included in the preseens. Your answers have to be relevant to the question. 

4)     Plan your exam approach.

• Manage your time — If you can complete a section early, that time does not get applied to the next section. We suggest spending all of your allotted time within the section.
• Keep your answers real and relevant — Remember this is a role-based exam; identify one or more factors that might be relevant, then explain why that approach would be relevant. The more tangible details you provide, the higher you are likely to score. Do not offer irrelevant arguments for the sake of padding your answers. Aim for neat, discreet paragraphs.
• Understand the scoring — People mark the exams, and the pass rate is 60%. Even though a scale is scored 80 out of 150, 60% is the pass rate. The sub-tasks will be weighted differently. Each case will contain tasks from all five of the core activities:

Evaluate opportunities to add value.

-  Implement senior management decisions.

-  Manage performance and costs to aid value creation.

-  Measure performance.

-  Manage internal and external stakeholder.

• Scoring example

 “For a 12-mark answer, it might be possible to identify, say, four issues. A candidate who aims to write about four topics only has to score three marks for each to obtain full marks.” – MCS Examiner

You have all the tools you need to do well on the CIMA Case Study exams. From all of us at the Association, we wish you the very best for your next Case Study exam.

The content of this article is based on a Case Study Masterclass webinar delivered by CIMA and BPP in November 2020.

Management Accounting Mastery

Master the skills needed to pass the cima exams and become a chartered global management accountant, cima management case study – a winning study schedule.

I mage: Courtesy of Flickr user photosteve101

CIMA Management Case Study (MCS) Overview

I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you that there’s a lot to do in preparation for your CIMA Management case study exam.

As you will have seen from an earlier blog post I wrote, your approach needs to involve:

• Careful analysis of the pre seen material
• Familiarity with what is going on in that industry in the real world
• Thorough revision of your technical knowledge from the three objective test papers
• A good understanding of your “role” in the fictitious organisation
• Practicing the many elements of exam technique needed to pass

Now you’re probably pretty scared of awaits you in the CIMA Management case study, right?

And you’re wondering: is it even possible to be fully prepared in such a short space of time?

But don’t worry, I’ve broken down what you need to do in a step-by-step, week-by-week, structure for you to follow.

It’s based on the same blueprint that CIMA case study experts Astranti use on their CIMA MCS Exam Course .

And this schedule has been proven to work over and over again by students who have passed their CIMA Management case study exam, despite working full time and having other commitments taking up their time.

Now it won’t be easy.  Preparing for CIMA exams never is.

But if you follow the plan below over the coming weeks it will set you up for success…AND don’t worry if you feel you are falling behind.   You will soon catch up if you are determined to pass.

Activity #1: CIMA Management Case Study Pre Seen Analysis

In particular you are looking to find out:

• A clear picture of what the organisation does and the industry it operates in
• How the business is performing and where it is currently heading
• The potential threats and opportunities for the business
• Who the stakeholders are and how you would advise they be managed
• A list of the key issues facing the organisation that are likely to come up in your exam
• How you would deal with such issues to provide practical business advice
• The key topics from the E, P and F papers that are relevant to this particular case
• Your own interpretation of the figures provided (what they mean for the business)
• Any potential ethical issues that may arise
• A list of key facts you can summarise onto one page and read over regularly

Activity #2: Start Learning More About the CIMA Management Case Study Exam

In particular you’ll want to discover:

• The key ingredients to passing the CIMA Management Case Study
• A general overview of the exam format
• Your Role and how it will shape your exam answers
• How to analyse the pre seen
• How to Identify ALL the requirements
• Why you must plan your answers
• The 9 stages of exam planning
• How you can practise your answer plans
• The best approach to typing up your answers for a clear pass
• How to practise your writing style
• How the MCS exam is marked
• How to master time management in your exam
• The optimum approach to preparing for the MCS exam

Recommended resources:

• Relevant MCS Pre Seen Material from CIMA Connect
• Matt’s FREE guide to analysing the pre seen quickly and effectively
• Astranti Detailed Video Guides walking you through the MCS pre seen
• Astranti MCS Study Text no.1 covering in depth what is needed to pass the exam
• Astranti MCS Tuition Videos on exam time management, writing style and answer planning
• Recent MCS Examiner reports from CIMA Connect

Activity #1: Start Revising Theory from Papers E2, P2 and F2 (and how to apply it)

Your CIMA Management case study exam is not just testing your technical knowledge but also your application of this knowledge.

“Application” basically means knowing when and how to use a theoretical model appropriately in your exam so that you can provide the best advice possible to your boss in the case.

Here you’ll want to learn:

• Which theories are most applicable to the CIMA Management case study exam
• The underlying concepts of those theories so you can explain them
• The pros and cons of using them in different business scenarios
• What the examiner is really after when it comes to earning marks for technical skills
• How to interpret and analyse key financials to help the decision making process
• How to apply different theoretical models to the pre seen
• How to use theory as a useful tool for providing sound business advice in the exam

Activity #2: Start revising the different aspects of Ethics (an area often examined)

Ethical issues can come up in any CIMA Management case study exam.   Such as ethical issues in dealing with redundancy (Variant 1, May 2017) and the company’s ethical stance on bribery (Variant 2 May 2017).

The CIMA Management case study examiner has also made a point of saying that Ethics needs to be dealt with better by students due to “a general and surprising trend of candidates performing badly at questions relating to ethical issues.”

So if you want to score well in your exam you need to be prepared to deal with the different aspects of ethics should they come up.

In particular you want to learn:

• Why ethics is so important at case study
• Ethics – the theory and how to apply to the exam
• Corporate Social responsibility – the theory and how to apply it
• How to use CIMA’s ethical code – which the examiner for the CIMA MCS exam said could come up at any time
• Controlling ethics – a checklist on how to deal with ethical problems faced in the exam
• Why students ethical sections are typically so poor
• A checklist of ethical headings to consider to analyse ethical issues in depth and maximise marks
• How to write ethical recommendations in depth
• What the examiners say about ethics and the exam
• A standard structure to use in the exam to maximise marks on ethics questions

Activity #3 (Optional): Watch a live/recorded webinar on the keys to passing the CIMA MCS exam.

Here you’ll by taught by an expert tutor where you’ll learn:

• What it takes to prepare fully for this exam, and what YOU will have to do between now and your exam date
• What the examiner says you must do to pass AND what you must avoid
• The skills of effective planning with a live demonstration of answer planning
• A good understanding of the key points from the current pre-seen
• How to use your knowledge of the pre-seen to score marks in the exam
• The 10 theoretical models most likely to be examined, based on the current pre-seen
• The writing style that maximises your marks in the exam
• How to master your time management – often the biggest roadblock to passing this exam
• Astranti MCS study text no.2 which covers all the key areas of the syllabus from E2, P2 and F2
• Astranti’s MCS Ethics pack which goes into detail about how to deal with Ethics confidently
• Astranti Masterclass 1 where you’ll be taught the keys to passing the MCS exam

Activity #1: Attempt Your First CIMA Management Case Study Mock (and submit for marking)

Without doubt the difference between passing and failing the CIMA Management case study exam comes down to one thing: How well you have practiced your exam technique under exam conditions.

Mock exams help you with just that.

But also, mock exams help you determine whether the hours you have already spent revising have worked in terms of committing the vital information to your long term memory.  After all, in the heat of your exam, you need to be able to quickly and easily recall how to approach the answers.

As each exam window is based on a different case, you’ll want to make sure that the mock exams you are attempting are on the latest pre-seen and contain realistic scenarios which could occur in the real exam.

Because taking your first mock is always quite an overwhelming task, this mock exam should be “moderate” in terms of difficultly level.   This means it will test your exam skills to date but at the same time should also be quite manageable.  (This is provided you have already undertaken the steps above).

Once you have attempted your mock, you’ll want to get your mock marked by an experienced tutor.

It’s really hard to tell by yourself whether you would have picked up marks or not throughout your script and also it’s hard not to be biased.

Your marker will give you a good outside perspective as to the level of knowledge and exam technique you have displayed in your script.  And also point out which areas of improvement you need to focus on most and how to go about making those adjustments.

Activity #2: Review First Mock solution

Here you want to review what a high quality answer looks like as well as the best way to structure your exam answer to the different requirements you are faced with.

It’s important that you don’t simply copy out the solution.  Instead as you read through, think about and note down any key insights you learn.  In particular ask yourself:

• Did I spot ALL of the same requirements?
• Did I format my answer in a similar way?
• Did I apply the same or similar theory to each requirement?
• Did I make roughly the same number of points in each section?
• Did each of my points have a similar amount of depth to them?
• Was my overall advice in each section in line with the solution?

It’s also important to remember that mock exam practice is all part of the learning process.  You’re not expected to be writing a strong answer just yet.   And it’s also better to find out where your strengths and weaknesses lye right now rather than on your actual exam day.

Activity #3: Keep Revising Theory from Papers E2, P2 and F2

Keep testing yourself on how well you explain the theories you cover and your ability to apply them to potential scenarios affecting the case.

Activity #4 (Optional):   Keep Revising Ethics

Keep working on how to deal with ethical issues successfully in your exam

 Recommended Resources;

• Astranti MCS Mock Exam 1 and Solution
• Marking and feedback from experienced Astranti tutor
• Astranti MCS Text Books

Activity #1: Review First Mock Feedback When Returned by Marker

Your experienced marker will review your script in detail, paragraph by paragraph.

They will give specific feedback for each paragraph and determine your areas for improvement. This will enable you to identify weaknesses in your answers and how you can improve on them to get those vital marks.

Specifically they will give you feedback on:

• How well you applied the case to the unseen scenario – are you scoring enough application marks?
• Your application to the pre seen – are you using pre seen information enough?
• The balance of your points under technical, people, business and leadership skills
• Your exam technique – focusing on what you need to do to score more marks
• Your writing style – is the way you make your points scoring good marks?
• Whether you are writing enough to pass – do you need to make more points and in which sections?
• Any key areas of technical weakness that you need to revise.
• Whether your point’s long enough and your explanation’s detailed enough.
• Your overall performance with your final mark – and whether you are on track to pass

Activity #2: Attempt Your Second Mock (and submit for marking)

Use what you learned from your first mock to your advantage.   Particularly look to put into place those improvements identified by your marker.

In this mock you should expect to score highly. The topics will be wide ranging to test your theoretical knowledge and application skills, but with good time management, this will be a moderate challenge.

Submit your mock for marking to confirm how well you scored and put those improvements into place

Activity #3: Review Second Mock Solution

Follow the same process as for your first mock solution

 Activity #4: Keep Revising Theory from Papers E2, P2 and F2:

Recommended Resources;

• Astranti MCS Mock Exam 2 and Solution

Activity #1: Review Second Mock feedback when returned by marker:

Follow the same process as when you got the feedback for your first mock.  Take comfort from where your strengths are and don’t get too down about your weaknesses.  You’ll never produce a perfect answer.  Simply commit to work on those specific areas of improvement in isolation before your next mock.

Activity #2: Attempt Your Third Mock

This will typically be your final mock before your actual exam.

As such, it needs to be very challenging and probably more difficult than real exam. That way your actual exam will feel like just another mock.

This final mock will cover some of the major topics (ones likely to be tested in the real thing) from E2, F2 and P2.

Submit this mock for marking to see where you really stand a week before your exam date.

Activity #3: Review Third Mock Solution

Follow the same process as per previous mock solutions.

Activity #4: Keep Revising Theory from Papers E2, P2 and F2

As in previous weeks

• Astranti MCS Mock Exam 3 and Solution

  Activity #1: Review Third Mock feedback when returned by marker

Hopefully be now you’ll marker will be reporting that you’ve ironed out most of your weaknesses and you are well on track for passing your exam.

Activity #2:   Final Tweeks

Work on any remaining areas of exam technique and technical knowledge that need improving

Final practice of your application skills to different theories

Activity #4 (Optional): Final Revision Webinar Ahead of Your CIMA Management Case Study Exam

Here you’ll learn:

• The common mistakes made in the exam according to the examiner
• Which errors you are still making that you’ll want to eradicate
• The top 10 most likely issues in your exam based on the current pre-seen
• Whether you are using the pre-seen information as you should be – the examiner says you must!
• A reminder of the key elements of passing the MCS exam
• Four key areas of improvement for YOU to score more marks on exam day (based on a script you have written)
• Pre-prepared paragraphs based on your pre-seen which you can memorise that are guaranteed to score you extra marks in the exam
• What the markers are saying about MCS scripts they are marking and what they say you should do to improve
• The key time saving tips for the exam to ensure you complete every section on the day
• A number of top industry examples which you can use to score marks in your exam
• What other students are saying which can be of use to you in your exam
• Your revision notes
• Astranti Masterclass 2

This is your CIMA Management case study exam week!!!

Exams are held between Tuesday and Saturday.

Activities to perform on pre exam days:

• Re read the pre seen & the one page summary of your analysis
• Create a list of key points you want to use in your exam
• Review all the key lessons from your mocks
• Re read the key theories just to refresh your mind
• Try to visit your chosen exam centre
• Make sure you have your admission slip and ID ready
• Take it easy the day before your exam – no last minute cramming
• Sleep well and relax the night before the exam
• Practice thinking positively ahead of your exam – visualise success

Activities to perform during Your Exam:

• Go into exam with confidence – even if you don’t feel like it, try and act like it (trust me this works)
• Work quickly through your exam and aim to make lots of points
• Keep going right to the end and try to maximise your marks
• Keep an eye on the time throughout and stick to your timings
• Stick to what has worked in your mock exam practice
• Your admission slip and ID

Final thoughts

This schedule is not meant to intimidate you.  It looks long and involved but it is manageable even with a full time job and other commitments .  Plus you can always use it as a template to create your own schedule.

I can’t guarantee you a pass if you stick to this plan. I wish I could.

But if you follow ALL the steps outlined in the schedule, you are gearing yourself up for the best chance of passing first time.   After all, it means you are following a proven framework that has been used by many successful students on Astranti’s CIMA MCS course

And if your exam is fast approaching, you can still catch up and complete all these activities in time.  It just means you’ll have to put in the extra effort in the time remaining.  But what you can’t do is skip ahead or miss a couple of these steps out …as this virtually guarantees you will fail.

Just be prepared to put in the hard work now so that you can reap the benefits come results time.

P.S. Have any questions? Drop me a note in the comments section below.

P.P.S. If you know someone who is also taking their CIMA Management case study, share this plan to help them, too.

Management Case Study

Exam windows, exam resources.

Resources to help you prepare for your case study exam.

Exam Resource

A Walkthrough of Real Exam Answers

Tables and formulae provided in exam, free exam and question tutorial management case study, case study performance descriptors, calculator guidance, resitters guide - ot and cs exams, learning resources catalogue, what do my exam results mean, further reading.

Exam Technique

Case Study support 1 – preparing for the Case Study exam

Case study support 2 – planning a good answer, case study support 3 – developing a fuller answer.

Study Support

How to use the CGMA Blueprints

Best Tips for CIMA SCS Strategic Case Study Exams

Best tips for your cima scs strategic case study exams.

CIMA SCS Tip 1:- Know your role

Cima scs tip 2:- know your core activity , cima scs tip 3:- know the purpose (requirement ), cima scs tip 4:- know your audience, cima scs tip 5:- know your points, cima scs tip 6:- finish the sentence (clarity), cima scs tip 7:- know your scs verbs  .

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CIMA Operational Case Study

Pass your case study exam with Astranti

Want to   pass your CIMA case study exam   in the quickest and easiest possible way?

Our CIMA operational case study course is designed to give you the highest quality teaching, course materials and support to do just that!

Our courses will help you pass with:

+ Expert insights into the pre-seen , key theory revision and detailed guides on how you need to approach the exam to gain extra marks

+ Access to experienced tutors , mentors and markers

+ Seven challenging mock exams  and further case study practice questions

However, if a full course isn’t for you, you can also purchase individual course materials and support tailored to your specific needs.

Find our more below, or give us a call or use our live chat to discuss what’s right for you.

Countdown to the February 2024 CIMA OCS exam results:

Free case study resources.

Sign up now to get the following:

+ A free mock exam with solutions & debrief video + Free access to our sample OCS course hub + Our operational study tips email newsletter

We know how important your privacy is. That’s why we do not share any details that you give us.

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Top tips for Operational Case Study examination

• Application is so important. Generic textbook answers do not score well. The secret here is assimilation of the technical knowledge with the context and details of the pre-seen scenario.
• Use the company name/ staff members/ key themes of the pre-seen -eg environmental or innovative plans to underpin your suggestions & make them relevant & applied.
• Make sure you know your pre-seen inside out… eg if the company does not offer credit sales at the moment, be careful not to suggest debt factoring as a way to ease cashflow!!
• CIMA examiner has asked that students assume life as normal for their case-study answers (Eg a life before COVID pandemic began)… Although, all relevant comments will be awarded if correct and in context, but you should avoid excessive references to COVID/ lockdown/ impact of health social distancing etc on the company.
• Students should be familiar with the CIMA Blueprint… particularly the I – CAN statements. 

https://www.cimaglobal.com/Documents/Future%20of%20Finance/1901-9263%20Operational%20Exam%20Blueprints%20FINAL%20ONLINE%20v4.pdf

The ‘I CAN pages from this link are pasted below..

These tell student the weightings and mix of the topics they can expect in EVERY OCS exam…

For example -from the ICAN table..– Section F ( working capital) will be between 7 and 13% of every op case study exam paper – so this table shows the importance of those topic areas – eg we know from this that working capital will be examined in EVERY OCS exam paper going forward (at least 7% of the marks) – so this topic is guaranteed…

Use your objective test knowledge ( 2019 syllabus) notes & Open Tuition lectures to revise – bearing in mind P1 is the LEAD paper for OCS, but F1 and E1 both important too,

When working through your P1/ F1/ E1 notes –try to keep a high level overview – rather than drilling down to the detailed calculations – instead be able to explain/ define/ know the pros and cons of techniques and whether they would be ‘useful’ for the pre-seen company in your scenario.

Graphs are common in the OCS – so be sure you can explain and interpret graphs ( linear programming for example).

Always write enough – ensure you expand/ explain & apply. Leave lots of white space – use subheadings to present your answers & help markers award marks that you deserve.

Avoid bullet points – unless you are out of time

Use the percentage weightings of each exam SUBTASK to guide how much time to spend on each part of your answer

Visit CIMA website & find detailed examiner reports & past exam questions to see errors and weaknesses made by students in recent sittings. Also a good way to see the types of questions to expect and level of detail CIMA are requiring in their answers.

Select your country or region

Africa & the middle east, asia pacific, the americas.

Get more insight on how CIMA’s professional qualifications will help you build a successful career in business or finance.

Register now for the digital-first pathway to completing CIMA’s CGMA Professional Qualification. 

Earn CGMA designation with guided learning.

Register with CIMA and start studying apprenticeships today

The Self-Tailored Learning and Assessment Route

The self-tailored study and assessment route to completing the Professional Qualification is made up of nine subjects that are organised into three pillars and three levels.

The three pillars are designed to cover finance and a range of other business areas:

• The Enterprise Pillar - Develop and implement strategies
• The Performance Pillar - Track activities and ensure that strategies are realistic and effective
• The Financial Pillar - Prepare and understand financial statements to keep an eye on performance and inform company decisions

As you progress through the qualification, the content of each of the three levels encourage progressive, constant development of knowledge across the three pillars, ensuring you have the skills business need the most, positioning you to take on leadership roles within your organisation

Self-Tailored Learning and Assessment route structure

Nine subjects organised into three pillars and three levels

Objective Tests

Nine 90 minute computer-based and on-demand exams

Case Studies

You can take three three-hour exams at each level during four windows per year. You will need to pass all three objective tests (or have an exemption) before sitting the case study exam

Completion time

Three to four years

The Structure

The operational level.

At the Operational level, the focus is on short term decision making. Once you’ve completed it, you’ll be able to work with others in your organisation and use appropriate data and technology to translate medium term decisions into short term actionable plans.

Once you’ve finished the Operational level, you’ll be awarded the CIMA Diploma in Management Accounting (CIMA Dip MA).

Managing finance in a digital world

In this first subject of the Professional Qualification, you’ll learn about the central role that finance plays in an organisation, and how and why technologies used impact the finance function. 

You’ll learn how to use and examine data collected and processed by machines to create and preserve value for organisations. 

And you’ll get to know how the finance function is structured and shaped, and how it interacts with other parts of the organisation to achieve the objectives of the whole organisation.

Syllabus at a glance:

A. Role of the finance function

B. Technology in a digital world

C. Data and information in a digital world

D. Shape and structure of the finance function

E. Finance interacting with the organisation

Assessment: Objective Test

• Format: Computer Based
• Availability: Online and on-demand from the comfort of your own home or office or at any of the 5,500 Pearson VUE centres around the world
• Length: 90 minutes
• Questions: 60 objective test questions
• Marking: Computer marked
• Results: Provisional results available immediately followed by confirmation no more than 48 hours later

Management Accounting

Here, you’ll learn why costing is done and what it is used for, including appropriate costing methods and techniques and where digital costing might be used.

Then you’ll cover how budgets are prepared and implemented across the organisation and the impact these have. You’ll also learn how techniques are applied to ensure sound short term decision making against a backdrop of risk and uncertainty by using appropriate risk management tools.

A. Cost Accounting for decision and control

B. Budgeting and budgetary control

C. Short term commercial decision making

D. Risk and uncertainty in the short term

Financial Reporting

In your first Finance subject, you’ll find out who the regulators are, what they do and why and how regulations are applied.

You’ll learn how to prepare basic financial statements using financial reporting standards and how to distinguish between types of taxes, calculate corporation taxes and issues affecting taxation.

Finally, you’ll learn which tools are used to ensure that the organisation has enough cash to ensure its continuing operations.

A. Regulatory environment of financial reporting

B. Financial statements

C. Principles of taxation

D. Managing cash and working capital

• Format: Computer based

Operational Level Case Study

The case study exam tests the knowledge, skills and techniques that you’ve learned throughout the Operational level in a role simulation. You’ll be asked to respond to authentic work-based activities, mimicking a job role linked to the Operational level e.g. an entry-level finance professional.

Assessment: Case Study Exam

• Availability: Four windows each year (Feb, May, Aug, Nov) at any of the 5,000 Pearson VUE centres around the world or online at your home or office
• Length: 3 hours
• Questions: Role-based business simulations
• Marking: Human marked
• Results: Available around 6 weeks after the completion of the exam window

The Management Level

At the Management level, you’ll focus on translating long term decisions into medium term plans. Once you’ve completed it, you’ll be able to use data and relevant technology to manage organisational and individual performance, allocate resources to implement decisions; monitor and report implementation of decisions; as well as prepare and interpret financial statements to highlight business performance.

Once you’ve finished the Management Level, you’ll be awarded the CIMA Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting (CIMA Adv Dip MA).

Managing performance

You’ll learn the fundamentals of business subject and how new business and operating subjects can be developed to improve the performance of organisations.

Discover how different styles of leadership can be used to improve the performance of individuals to achieve organisational goals and how to use performance management concepts and techniques to implement strategies effectively and efficiently.

You’ll be able understand use of project management concepts and techniques useful in implementing strategies.

Syllabus at a glance 

A. Business subjects and value creation

B. Managing people performance

C. Managing projects

Advanced Management Accounting

You’ll learn how to use cost management, quality and process management and value management to provide organisations with cost advantage.

You’ll understand the criteria, process and techniques that are used to decide which projects to undertake, how to manage the performance of organisational units to ensure that they achieve their objectives.

Discover how to analyse risks and uncertainties that organisations face in the medium term, especially capital investment decision making, and how to manage those risks in the implementation of such decisions.

Syllabus at a glance

A. Managing the costs of creating value

B. Capital investment decision making

C. Managing and controlling the performance of organisational units

D. Risk and control

Advanced Financial Reporting

You’ll learn about sources and types of funds and how much they cost, as well as the key financial reporting standards on which financial statements will be based and the application of those standards to prepare group accounts.

You’ll also learn about the International Integrated Reporting Framework and its components and how to conduct analyses of financial statements and their limitations.

A. Financing capital projects

B. Financial reporting standards

C. Group accounts

D. Integrated reporting

E. Analysing financial statements

Management Level Case Study

The case study exam tests the knowledge, skills and techniques that you’ve learned throughout the Management level in a role simulation. You’ll be asked to respond to authentic work-based activities, mimicking a job role linked to the Management level e.g. a finance manager.

The Strategic Level 

The Strategic level focuses on long term strategic decision making. Once you’ve completed it, you’ll be able to support organisational leaders to craft strategy; evaluate and manage risks that might prevent organisations from successfully implementing strategy; value organisations; and source financial resources required to implement of strategy.

Strategic Management

You’ll learn about the foundation of strategic management and get an understanding of the dynamics of the organisational ecosystem and how it affects the strategy of the organisation.

Next, you’ll learn all about strategic choice and how options are generated, linking them to the purpose, values and vision of the organisation and how the options are evaluated, chosen and integrated to form the strategy of the organisation.

You’ll cover how strategy is implemented, how implementation objectives are achieved and how change is managed.

And you’ll learn about the different technologies that underpin digital transformation and various elements of digital strategy.

A. The Strategy process

B. Analysing the organisational ecosystem

C. Generating strategic options

D. Making strategic choices

E. Strategic control

F. Digital strategy

Risk Management

How to identify, evaluate and manage enterprise risks.

Where strategic risks emanate from, how to evaluate them and understand how oversight of these risks is critical to the governance of the organisation.

How internal controls can be used effectively in the risk management process and how to identify, analyse, remedy and report strategic risks including cyber risks.

A. Enterprise risk

B. Strategic risk

C. Internal controls

D. Cyber risk

Financial Strategy

You’ll learn about the different strategic financial objectives and policy options that are open to organisations.

Next, you’ll cover the types of funds available to organisations to finance the implementation of their strategies, including where and how they access these funds at the right time, in the right quantities and at the right cost.

Then you’ll move onto the sources of financial risk, how to evaluate and manage financial risk appropriately, and techniques in business valuation to assess whether a company has created and preserved value within the organisation.

Finally, you’ll learn the valuation techniques to calculate the value of organisations and the conditions applicable for such calculations, especially intangibles in the digital world. You’ll learn how to report intangible value and their drivers in integrated reporting.

A. Financial policy decisions

B. Sources of long term funds

C. Financial risks

D. Business valuation

Strategic Level Case Study

The case study exam tests the knowledge, skills and techniques that you’ve learned throughout the Strategic level in a role simulation. You’ll be asked to respond to authentic work-based activities, mimicking a job role linked to the Strategic level e.g. a senior finance manager.

Assessment of Practical Experience Requirements (PER)

Once you complete the Strategic level, your last step before earning the CGMA designation and becoming a CIMA member is to demonstrate that you have a minimum of three years’ relevant work experience (this can be accumulated before, during and after your studies). Your experience is assessed through the Practical Experience Requirements (PER) application.

Award: 

The Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) designation and membership of The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (ACMA or FCMA).

What study methods can you use?

Your learning is supported with over 60 hours of on-demand video., tuition provider courses.

If you like to learn with others, appreciate the support of having a tutor on -hand and benefit from the structure of the formal study, look at signing up with a tuition provider. You’ll find online-only courses, classroom, and a mixture of both. Costs will vary between providers, so check with them directly for information on fees.

Distance learning

Want to study in your time, on your terms? Choose when and where you study with CIMAstudy.com — the only online learning resource reviewed and approved by CIMA, delivered in partnership with Kaplan. Costs vary depending on the level of the course you’re taking: check the breakdown of fees on CIMAstudy.com.

Online and distance learning with CIMAstudy.com

CIMAStudy.com is the only online learning resource reviewed and approved by CIMA, delivered in partnership with Kaplan. It’s ideal if you live somewhere with little or no tuition provision, or if you prefer to self-study at your own pace.

Can’t decide?

Whatever your learning style, the CGMA Study Hub is your go-to resource. With articles, webcasts, videos, and access to all CIMA- approved study products, you’ll find a study aid that works for you. There’s even a well-being section to help you through your studies, with resources on everything from exam nerves to getting motivated.

Which learning and assessment route should I take?

Shape your studies how you want, using a tuition provider or opting to self-study, or enrol on the CGMA Finance Leadership Programme for a fully guided study experience.

Am I eligible for exemptions? 

If you have a degree or a qualification, you might be exempt from certain Certificate in Business Accounting or CGMA Professional Qualification exams. That means you could qualify sooner than you think.

Start your registration

Before you choose your registration route, make sure you have the following to hand:

• Your contact details, including address, phone and email
• Your current employment details (if you are working)
• Details of your tuition provider (if you are studying)

Register for Self-Tailored Learning and Assessment Route