Online Pathway · Accounts and Payroll

Ready to Get Into Payroll and Accounts?

If you like order and deadlines, accounts and payroll suit you. This pathway covers ledgers, VAT, Xero payroll, pay runs and reporting. It is fully online and moves at whatever pace you set.

From €29per week, interest free
18 Monthscourse access
400 Hoursof study, roughly
Start Anytimeno set dates
At a Glance

Course Snapshot

Study AreaAccounts Administration and Payroll
Course Access18 Months
Study HoursAbout 400 hours
DeliveryOnline, self paced, start anytime
ExamsNone set here; AAT exams apply
PaymentsFrom €29 per week
Comes with
  • No prior accounts experience needed
  • Xero payroll built in
  • Three AAT assessments waived
  • Career coaching included
Who It’s For

Why Do This Course

Two Skills, One Course

Accounts admin and payroll together, which is how small firms hire.

Start From Nothing

No accounts background needed, and no Xero knowledge on day one.

Study Around The Job

No full time study and no fixed class times to work around.

Where The Skills Fit

Where These Skills Could Take You

Payroll and accounts sit in every business, and both have deadlines. Picture pay runs, supplier bills, VAT dates and a tidy ledger.

Accounts Assistant

Keep the ledger moving week to week.

Payroll Officer

Own the pay run and the leave records.

Administration Coordinator

Hold the office admin together.

Finance Administrator

Support the finance team behind the scenes.

Wages Clerk

Check hours, rates and payslips.

Accounts Payable Officer

Match bills and pay suppliers.

Bookkeeping Assistant

Help keep client books clean.

Data Entry Clerk

Get the records in right the first time.

Roles where these skills are useful, not promised outcomes. Every job is different, and some ask for more study or experience.

The Course

What You'll Learn

Three certificates stacked into one pathway.

01
Accounts Administration
The daily running of a finance desk.
Accounting and Bookkeeping Fundamentals
General Ledgers & the Trial Balance
Accruals and Prepayments
Financial Statements
Managing Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable & Cash Management
Budgeting, Forecasting, and Cashflow Management
02
Payroll With Xero
Getting people paid, correctly and on time.
Introduction to Xero Online
Setting up Xero Payroll
Managing Payroll Items with Xero
New Employees & Leave Requests with Xero
Pay Templates in Xero
Pay Runs in Xero
Payslips & Payroll Reporting with Xero
03
Office Software
The tools you use all day.
Accounting with Xero
Using Microsoft Excel
Introduction to Microsoft Word
Fundamentals of VAT
04
Diploma Level Accounting
Where the work gets deeper.
Financial Accounting
Management Accounting: Costing
Management Accounting: Budgeting
Taxation
Audit and Reporting
Included

What You’ll Get

In the Course

  • Accounts, ledgers, payables, receivables
  • Payroll, pay runs and payslips in Xero
  • VAT, the fundamentals
  • Diploma work, costing, tax, audit

As a Student

  • 18 months access, start any day
  • Self paced, fits around work and life
  • Tutor support, phone and email
  • AAT exams, booked via Pitman Training
Why This One

What Makes It Different

Three things that stand out.

01
A Full Payroll Module

Xero payroll gets its own certificate inside the pathway.

02
Exemptions And Funded Exams

Three AAT assessments waived, and one attempt each on the rest.

03
Membership For A Year

Free AAT membership, with the Knowledge Hub and updates.

The Credentials

What You'll Earn

PATHWAY

Certificate of Achievement

Plus AAT membership for a year

Certificate Of Achievement

Issued by the college on successful completion.

AAT Membership

Free for twelve months, with Knowledge Hub access.

Two Funded AAT Attempts

One try each on the exams that remain.

Getting Started

How It Works

Step one

Get In Touch

Tell us whether accounts or payroll pulls you more.

Step two

Check The Fit

An advisor runs through the AAT side with you.

Step three

Choose Your Plan

Pay upfront, or weekly, fortnightly or monthly.

Step four

Start Studying

Enrol and the first certificate opens up.

The Investment

How to Get Started

From €29 / week
Pay upfront, or on an interest free plan.
No deposit to start
No credit check
Weekly, fortnightly or monthly
A course advisor can walk you through it
Enquire Now
Good to Know

Common Questions

Do I need accounts experience?

None. You do not need Xero, VAT or year end knowledge to start.

How long does it take?

Around 400 hours of study, with eighteen months of access.

Are there exams?

The college sets none. AAT sets five assessments on its side.

How many AAT exams do I sit?

Two. Finishing the Diploma in Accounting waives the other three.

Who pays for the AAT exams?

The college funds one attempt each. A missed or cancelled booking still counts as that attempt.

What computer do I need?

AAT assessments run on Windows 11 with an installed version of Microsoft Office.

Is this course accredited?

It is accredited by ICOES and the CPD Standards Office, and the college is an AAT Approved Training Provider. It is not a QQI course and not a national award. For accounts and payroll work, what counts is being able to run the software and meet the dates.

When can I start?

Any day you like. There are no set start dates.

Delivered By

About the College

This course is delivered by The Career Academy.

It trades as The Career Academy Limited, company number 576180. It is an Official Xero Education Partner and an AAT Approved Training Provider. It is also an IAB Accredited Training Provider.

Official Xero Education PartnerAAT Approved Training ProviderICOES accredited centreIAB Accredited
Payday Sorted

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Imagine the pay run going out clean, on time, with your name on it.

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