New ICB membership requirements - advice on computerised Level 2 exam - The Book-keepers Forum (UK)

smerf99 · Member

New ICB membership requirements - advice on computerised Level 2 exam

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Hi Martha,

The ICB exam is geared towards Sage. There are reports that it needs that are not available in Sage instant but the exam tells you the work around in order to get similar reports that are acceptable if that is what you have.

If you need it, on Amazon at the moment they've got Sage level 3 certification including 180 day trial version of sage line 50 for £24.95!

It's advisable to get the ICB mock computerised exam before the real one and work through that as you will see the reports and formatting that they are looking for.

Are you starting ACCA at F1, F2, F3 or have you got some exemptions? How are you approaching the ACCA exams, book or course?

You do realise that by signing up with the ACCA you've fallen into the same trap as a few of us on here that things that you are allowed to do through your ICB membership are restricted due to your ACCA membership!

See the thread between myself and Catherine about what bookkeepers are allowed to do which goes into great depth about the ACCA restrictions.

Hope to talk soon, good luck with everything,

Shaun.

Neil · Senior Member

Hi Smerf

You're in the same position as me. I'm also sitting Level II manual on Wednesday and I was alarmed when I saw the stipulation that a new applicant should have Level II in both manual and computerised before they could obtain a Practice Certificate.

So I contacted the ICB to clarify this point and was reassured that it did not apply to those of us sitting the February exam. Here is the reply I received from ICB exams:

"The new rule applies to all new applicants only. You will be able to qualify as an Associate upon successful completion of your manual Level II examination. You will be granted membership on the understanding that you will look to achieving the Level II in Computerised Bookkeeping later on."

It is stated elsewhere on the ICB website that there is a grace period until next year for existing members and I assume this is what applies.

In summary. You're fine for now. Relax.

Cheers
Neil

On a related note, I'm expecting to see some very ticked off individuals on the Home Learning College forums if this was the last opportunity to gain Associate Membership with a single exam.

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Hi Neil,

I thought that it was already the case though that you would not be issued with a practicing certificate unless you had passed both manual and computerised?

The reasoning behind the ICB's decision is actually quite sound in that in order to be recognised as a professional supervisory body for money laundering regulations they need to show that members entering practice are capable bookkeepers which involves evidenced understanding at both manual and computerised levels.

They have not stated that students will not be admitted to the various levels of membership but rather that you won't be given a practice certificate until you have passed the relevant exams.

Current members in practice have one year to pass the additional exam or gain exemption from it by CPD.

I think that there will be a lot of ticked off people on the HLC site about AAT as well. The NVQ and Diploma routes to membership are replaced in June but courses are still being sold where the exams will have disappeared by the time that the students get to the stage of sitting them.

The head of the AAT was spitting feathers about it in an interview with PQ magazine although she did not mention HLC specifically.

Shaun.

smerf99 · Member

Thanks guys for your replies.

I started this ICB stuff about 2 years ago and was just lazy about it in the beginning. I only really wanted to do it to give me an understanding of the manual bookkeeping behind what the computer was doing for me at work. Now I am in the position where I want to do ACCA (I don't have any exemptions unfortunately) through my current employer but wanted to complete the ICB I'd started so my £900 wasn't entirely wasted! After reading Shaun and Catherine's conversation it seems it is pointless after all!? It would just be quite nice to get the letters after my name so I can say I have achieved something!

My career aim at the moment is to become an accountant. In the long run (I'm talking 10 years!) it would be nice to set up on my own as a bookkeeper or accountant to enable me to fit work around any children I may have by then...! I guess from your earlier threads that if I chose to do this as a bookkeeper I could just drop the ACCA and keep the MICB status should I get it.

Anyway, enough waffling from me! I may just buy that Sage level 3 certification just in case though - too much of a bargain to miss out on!

Good luck on Wedneday Neil!

Martha

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Hi Martha,

if you just want small company accountancy would you're employer consider backing you for AAT or CAT rather than ACCA?

I ask this because an MAAT can call themselves an accountant and prepare accounts for sole traders and limited companies whereas you're not allowed to do that as ACCA until you've got two years post qualification supervised experience.

As you're already in the lucky position of being supervised though ACCA might still be the way to go as once fully qualified the money will be considerably more than that of any other route plus after two years as an ACCA you could swap allegiances to the ICAEW which is pretty much the top of the tree.

It will be a long haul but ultimately you will end up with the career that you want... And then you can employ me so that I can get my two years post qualification experience!

There are many people taking this route due to family commitments. I started ACCA when my boy was two. He's now ten and I've just taken my finals (results pending. keep your fingers crossed for me on the 22nd!). Although it didn't seem it at the time it really is much easier when the children are younger so make the most of the time now as at least you can get them into bed at night! Now I just don't know where I find the time at all... And when it comes to exams no housework is done for a month beforehand.

Talk later,

Shaun.

nicx27 · Member

Hi everybody, I'm new here. I'm just after some advice and clarification actually, in respect of the new ICB guidelines.

I have passed Basic Book-keeping and have just (last week) taken my Manual Level II exam. I intended to carry on with the Manual exams and get the centre based exams out of the way, and so I was going to obtain the Level III coursework next and then proceed to take the exam in due course.

However, I'm really confused about the new guidelines that suggest that I will need to do Computerised Level II first.

To clarify, I'm not interested in practising as a book-keeper, or upgrading my membership, until I have done all the exams (manual, computerised, payroll etc) as it's something that I am doing in my spare time to give me another string to my bow. I didn't upgrade my membership after I passed Basic Book-keeping for that reason, and so I am still a student member.

I've been in contact with ICB for clarification, but I'm still not clear on the situation. Can anybody give me an easy answer about whether I need to do Level II Computerised by a certain time/before I can do Level III Manual?

Many thanks

Neil · Senior Member

Welcome, Nick.

You're in a similar position to me with respect to progress through the Levels. I also sat Level II manual last week. I'm already half way through Level III manual but decided to catch up with Level II computerised which I'm self-tutoring.

At the moment, there is no requirement for you to complete both Level II exams before you do either of the Level IIIs but each does require you to have done its corresponding Level II exam.So you only need to do Level II manual before Level III manual or Level II computerised before Level III computerised.

That said, you WILL need to have passed both exams at each level to achieve that level of membership of the ICB but that's not your worry, I gather.

I hope that's clear!

Cheers

Neil

-- Edited by Neil on Monday 15th of February 2010 02:13:52 PM

-- Edited by Neil on Monday 15th of February 2010 02:14:09 PM

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Hi Nicx,

Seems a very sensible and well considered approach that your taking.

once you've taken the Level II manual the Level III manual should be available for you to take.

I don't believe that the new rules are fully implemented yet but when they are my understanding is that although you can take the exams you will not be able to acquire the status of AICB or MICB until you have passed both of the exams at that level.

I think that the ICB's own staff are still confused about the rules as the moment so we have little to no hope! However, if you want to take the manual exams first and the ICB are happy to sell you the sitting of the exam paper then I would continue as you are at the moment and take the computerised papers to gain AICB and then MICB status later.

I'm sure others may also be in a similar boat and may have more information on this.

Good luck with the exams,

Shaun.

nicx27 · Member

Thanks Neil. With that one post you have made everything much clearer. I wasn't finding the ICB website very clear at all.

nicx27 · Member

Thanks also, Shaun. That's fair enough and, as I don't particularly want to upgrade my membership whilst I'm still studying it appears that I can just carry on as planned. I do wish they wouldn't make it so complicated!

Neil · Senior Member

It's not you, Nick. The ICB website is very poorly designed.

Did you know, for example, that you'd need to have a Practice Licence with the ICB before you could access the section of their website which advises you on choosing a name for your practice?

That's the same name you'll need to put on the form to apply for a Practice Licence, if you were wondering...

Cheers
Neil

nicx27 · Member

I didn't know that no, but how ridiculous. It's a petty thing, but one thing that annoys me about their website is that there is no Home button or the facility to go back to other sections without using the back button.

Nicola

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Hi Neil,

I find the site totally geared towards new students... Or cash cows as I believe the ICB refer to them!

Am I a cynic or what!

Shaun.

Neil · Senior Member

If you're a cynic then so am I.

In a previous career I used to belong to another Institute that existed due to a charter and the fish in a barrel situation of compulsory membership due to statute. They were incompetent, obstructive and self-important.

Here there is at least a choice of registering bodies but I'm beginning suspect that I've signed up to the dark side of the force who are using Google optimisation and exaggerated advertising to lure in people like me who didn't know there was a choice. The jury's out on the incompetent, obstructive and self-important but it's not looking good.

Cheers

Neil

-- Edited by Neil on Monday 15th of February 2010 04:00:09 PM

-- Edited by Neil on Monday 15th of February 2010 04:00:31 PM

Wella · Expert

Me thinks Shauns on a recruiting drive for his "Grumpy Old Non Gender Specific Bookkeepers and Accountants Club"

But I am coming round to your/ his way of thinking myself, regarding certain institutions

Bill

-- Edited by Wella on Monday 15th of February 2010 03:22:03 PM

BackOfficeGroup · Guru

I think all institutions are there to make the money and restrict their members to much - one rule for this, one rule for that and all the beaurocracy that follows, thats why I've resisted for 20 years to join any. It hasnt stoppedme working nor building a practice etc but now due to MLR and the like, I feel it is a need to be a memeber of one or the other. It will restrict me in some areas, but there are always ways around it!!

P

Blacker9999 · Veteran Member

Hi Folks,
I have just passed Level on Manual and Level 2 Comp. I am going to proceed with the Manual levels, but i was wondering could i do the Level 3 compand if soif there and books available to study.

Final and info on the Level 2 Manul would be appreciateed guys/

Many thanks

Ronnie

Wella · Expert

Hi Ronnie

Firstly, congrats on passing level I and level II comp. Well done

If you have passed level II comp then you can proceed to Level III comp and continue with the manual at level II.

The level III like, level II revolves around knowing your way round Sage (or other software - but the disc sent with the exam are for Sage Instant) but to do it, I think you need to have a good underpinning knowledge of double entry bookkeeping to level III standard as the exam has some manual elements in it.

If you use Sage, then any good Sage guide/ manual would be OK

Bill

-- Edited by Wella on Friday 19th of February 2010 11:29:24 AM

Blacker9999 · Veteran Member

Cheers Wella for the info
Ronnie

Blacker9999 · Veteran Member

JUST CHANGED MY PROFILE

WWW.RBBOOKKEEPERS.CO.UK

-- Edited by Blacker9999 on Saturday 20th of February 2010 06:09:09 PM