CMA USA Part 1 Syllabus – Financial Planning, Performance & Analytics

CMA USA Part 1 Syllabus – Financial Planning, Performance & Analytics

Your first step into international management accounting is CMA USA Part 1.Since multiple-choice questions make up the majority of the marks, you should focus mostly on these.  If 70 or more multiple-choice questions are answered correctly, passing is almost guaranteed, even with a subpar essay grade CMA USA Part 1 Syllabus – Financial Planning, Performance & Analytics.

CMA USA Part 1 Overview

Official Title: Financial Planning, Performance and Analytics 

Duration: 4 hours (3 hours MCQs + 1 hour Essays) 

Total Marks: 500 points (scaled) 

Pass Mark: 360/500 (72%) 

Question Format: 100 MCQs + 2 Essays

Complete Topic Breakdown with Weightage

Section A: External Financial Reporting Decisions (15%)

Understanding how businesses disclose financial information to external stakeholders is important.

Topics Covered:

• Financial statements preparation and presentation

• IFRS vs US GAAP differences (basic)

• Revenue recognition principles

• Inventory valuation methods

• Long-lived asset accounting

• Financial statement analysis basics

Focus Areas:

• Revenue recognition (ASC 606)

• Inventory methods (FIFO, LIFO, Weighted Average)

• Depreciation methods

• Basic IFRS differences

Study Time: 20-25 hours

Section B: Planning, Budgeting and Forecasting (20%)

The significance of basic management accounting lies in the fact that it helps organizations predict and plan for future performance.

Topics Covered:

• Strategic planning process

• Budgeting techniques and approaches

• Annual operating budget preparation

• Top-down vs bottom-up budgeting

• Zero-based budgeting

• Forecasting techniques

• Variance analysis

Focus Areas:

• Master budget preparation

• Flexible budgeting

• Variance analysis (favorable/unfavorable)

• Rolling forecasts

Study Time: 30-35 hours

Section C: Performance Management (20%)

Why It Matters: Measuring and improving organizational performance—crucial for FP&A roles.

Topics Covered:

• Cost-volume-profit (CVP) analysis

• Marginal analysis

• Pricing decisions

• Transfer pricing methods

• Balanced scorecard approach

• Responsibility accounting

• Key performance indicators (KPIs)

Focus Areas:

• CVP calculations (break-even, target profit)

• Transfer pricing (cost-based, market-based, negotiated)

• Balanced scorecard framework

• Segment reporting

Study Time: 30-35 hours

Section D: Cost Management (15%)

Why It Matters: Understanding how costs behave and how to manage them effectively.

Topics Covered:

• Cost terminology and concepts

• Cost behavior patterns

• Cost allocation methods

• Activity-based costing (ABC)

• Target costing

• Life-cycle costing

• Job order vs process costing

Focus Areas:

• ABC system design and implementation

• Overhead allocation

• Joint cost allocation

• Process costing with FIFO/weighted average

Study Time: 25-30 hours

Section E: Internal Controls (15%)

Why It Matters: Understanding how organizations prevent fraud and ensure accuracy.

Topics Covered:

• Internal control frameworks (COSO)

• Risk assessment and management

• Control activities and procedures

• IT general and application controls

• Fraud detection and prevention

• Ethics in accounting

Focus Areas:

• COSO framework components

• Segregation of duties

• Authorization and approval controls

• IT control principles

Study Time: 20-25 hours

Section F: Technology and Analytics (15%)

Why It Matters: Data analytics, systems, and developing technologies are all necessary for modern banking.

Topics Covered:

• Information systems basics

• Data analytics fundamentals

• Data governance and security

• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems

• Business intelligence and reporting

• Emerging technologies (AI, RPA, blockchain basics)

Focus Areas:

• Data analytics tools and techniques

• ERP system benefits

• Data visualization principles

• Cybersecurity basics

Study Time: 20-25 hours

Strategic Study Plan for Part 1

Month 1: Foundation Building

• External Financial Reporting (Week 1)

• Cost Management (Week 2-3)

• Internal Controls (Week 4)

Month 2: Core Topics

• Planning & Budgeting (Week 1-2)

• Performance Management (Week 3-4)

Month 3: Modern Topics + Practice

• Technology & Analytics (Week 1)

• MCQ Practice - 1,000 questions (Week 2-3)

• Essay Practice + Mocks (Week 4)

High-Weightage Focus Areas

Must-Master Topics (Appear in Every Exam):

• CVP analysis and break-even calculations

• Variance analysis (all types)

• Transfer pricing methods

• Activity-based costing

• Master budget preparation

• Balanced scorecard

• COSO framework

Common Preparation Mistakes

• Spending equal time on all sections 

• Focus 60% time on Planning, Performance, Cost (carry 55% marks)

• Ignoring Technology & Analytics as "easy" 

• This section is scoring but needs conceptual clarity

• Memorizing formulas without understanding 

• Understand application—exams test scenarios, not definitions

How Coaching Helps with Part 1

Part 1 has significant calculation-heavy topics. CMA USA classes provide structured learning with:

• Step-by-step formula explanations

• 500+ worked examples

• Topic-wise doubt clearing

• Pattern recognition for MCQs

At Successedge, our CMA USA online classes and offline coaching cover Part 1 in 50+ hours of live sessions, plus 30+ hours of self-practice guidance.

Ready to master CMA USA Part 1? 

• Call: +91-9019810080 

• Visit: www.Successedge.co

• Kengeri | Malleshwaram | Basavanagudi, Bengaluru

Join Successedge, the best in Bengaluru for CMA USA, and conquer Part 1 with confidence!