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CIMA E1 · Managing Finance in a Digital World

The broadest paper on the Operational Level, and the right one to start with.

E1 covers the finance function, the technology reshaping it, and the data it runs on. 60 questions in 90 minutes, on demand, so you book the exam when your mocks say you are ready rather than when a calendar does. £149 on its own, or all four Operational subjects for £349.

Buy E1 · £149See the Operational Level Pass Pack
Modern tuition Real mock exams Feedback on every mock
  • 60 questions
  • 90 minutes
  • On demand book it when you are ready
  • £149 on its own, lifetime access

A word from your tutor

Hugo Newman, VIVA’s Managing Finance in a Digital World specialist

Hugo Newman, VIVA tutor
Managing Finance in a Digital World

E1 is the paper people underestimate. It is broad rather than deep, and that is exactly what makes it slippery - there is a lot of ground, very little of it hard, and it is easy to mistake having read something for being able to answer on it.

So we do not just cover the syllabus and hope. The lessons come in short pieces, and the full mock exams are marked question by question, with an explanation for each one, so you can see which topics have actually landed and go back to the lessons that cover the rest.

Sit it when your mocks say you are ready, not when the calendar says so. E1 is on-demand, so there is no reason to sit it a day early.

Hugo Newman Managing Finance in a Digital World tutor

The syllabus

What E1 covers.

E1 Managing Finance in a Digital World examines how technology is transforming the finance function. You'll study the role of finance in organisations, how enterprise technologies (ERP, analytics, automation) are reshaping accounting, and how to manage and interpret data in a digital environment. It's the "big picture" subject of the Operational Level.

  • Role of the finance function in organisations
  • Enterprise technology: ERP, cloud, and automation
  • Data analytics and data visualisation
  • Organisational structure and governance
  • Digital transformation and its impact on finance
  • Professional ethics and the finance professional

The course, section by section

8 sections · 101 lessons · 17h 12m of video

  1. 01 Preparing for Objective Test exams 1 module5 lessons44m of video
    1. Objective Test Success 5 lessons 44m
      1. Introduction 2m
      2. Background of Objective Tests 10m
      3. Format of Objective Test exams 9m
      4. Exam preparation 9m
      5. Exam day approach 14m
  2. 02 E1 Subject overview 1 module6 lessons1h 19m of video
    1. E1 Overview Videos 6 lessons 1h 19m
      1. E1 overview - introduction 6m
      2. E1 overview - the role of the finance function 19m
      3. E1 overview - technology in a digital world 16m
      4. E1 overview - data and information in a digital world 13m
      5. E1 overview - shape and structure of the finance function 8m
      6. E1 overview - finance interacting with the organisation 17m
  3. 03 A. Role of the finance function 2 modules15 lessons2h 42m of video
    1. Role of the finance function 11 lessons 1h 56m
      1. Role of the finance function - introduction 6m
      2. The contexts that organisations operate in - part 1 13m
      3. The contexts that organisations operate in - part 2 12m
      4. The contexts that organisations operate in - part 3 14m
      5. The contexts that organisations operate in - part 4 9m
      6. Creation and preservation of value by the finance function - part 1 6m
      7. Creation and preservation of value by the finance function - part 2 9m
      8. Corporate governance - part 1 15m
      9. Corporate governance - part 2 8m
      10. Ethics 18m
      11. CSR 6m
    2. Activities of finance professionals 4 lessons 46m
      1. The information to impact framework 8m
      2. Sources of data and information 8m
      3. Types of information 14m
      4. Technology and stakeholders 16m
  4. 04 B. Technology in a digital world 2 modules15 lessons2h 49m of video
    1. Technologies used in business and finance (*with 2026 updates) 7 lessons 1h 17m
      1. The fourth industrial revolution 11m
      2. Key technologies for organisations - part 1 8m
      3. Key technologies for organisations - part 2 15m
      4. Key technologies for organisations - part 3 10m
      5. Understanding generative AI (2026 syllabus) - part 1 13m
      6. Understanding generative AI (2026 syllabus) - part 2 10m
      7. Understanding generative AI (2026 syllabus) - part 3 10m
    2. Digital technologies and the finance function (*with 2026 updates) 8 lessons 1h 32m
      1. The impact of technologies on finance - part 1 12m
      2. The impact of technologies on finance - part 2 13m
      3. The impact of technologies on finance - part 3 11m
      4. The impact of technologies on finance - part 4 8m
      5. Key digital skills 11m
      6. Data ethics and CDR 12m
      7. How AI is transforming the accounting function (2026 syllabus) - part 1 11m
      8. How AI is transforming the accounting function (2026 syllabus) - part 2 14m
  5. 05 C. Data and information in a digital world 2 modules12 lessons1h 57m of video
    1. Data and the finance function 8 lessons 1h 16m
      1. Information and decision-making - part 1 10m
      2. Information and decision-making - part 2 7m
      3. Technology and data 7m
      4. Enhancing information for decision-makers 7m
      5. Data and technology in sales and marketing - part 1 10m
      6. Data and technology in sales and marketing - part 2 8m
      7. Data and technology in operations 14m
      8. Creating value from digital assets 13m
    2. Data in creating and preserving value for organisations 4 lessons 41m
      1. Feedback and data strategy 9m
      2. ETL, BI and data modelling 12m
      3. Data manipulation and data analysis 8m
      4. Big data and data visualisation 12m
  6. 06 D. Shape and structure of the finance function 2 modules14 lessons2h 2m of video
    1. Structure and shape of the finance function 7 lessons 1h 6m
      1. Mintzberg's organisational structure - part 1 9m
      2. Mintzberg's organisational structure - part 2 7m
      3. Traditional organisational structures 13m
      4. Contemporary organisational structures 7m
      5. Scalar chain and span of control 6m
      6. The impact of automation on shape and structure of finance 13m
      7. Other developments in the finance function 11m
    2. The operating levels of the finance function 7 lessons 56m
      1. Operating levels of the finance function - introduction 5m
      2. Financial operations and insight - part 1 6m
      3. Financial operations and insight - part 2 9m
      4. Financial operations and insight - part 3 11m
      5. Financial operations and insight - part 4 8m
      6. Specialist finance areas and their role 9m
      7. Strategic partnering and leadership 8m
  7. 07 E. Finance interacting with the organisation 4 modules34 lessons5h 39m of video
    1. The finance function and operations 8 lessons 1h 21m
      1. The role of operations 11m
      2. Operations management and efficient delivery - part 1 12m
      3. Operations management and efficient delivery - part 2 8m
      4. Introducing supply chain management 9m
      5. Methods of managing supply chain relationships - part 1 10m
      6. Methods of managing supply chain relationships - part 2 11m
      7. Methods of managing supply chain relationships - part 3 13m
      8. Business partnering and KPIs 7m
    2. The finance function and sales and marketing 7 lessons 1h 24m
      1. The marketing function 16m
      2. The marketing environment 13m
      3. The marketing mix 9m
      4. Sales and marketing techniques - part 1 10m
      5. Sales and marketing techniques - part 2 14m
      6. Sales and marketing techniques - part 3 16m
      7. Sales and marketing techniques - part 4 6m
    3. The finance function and human resources 10 lessons 1h 37m
      1. Introducing the HR function 8m
      2. Recruitment and selection 11m
      3. Development and training - part 1 11m
      4. Development and training - part 2 10m
      5. Development and training - part 3 13m
      6. Performance and appraisal 12m
      7. Motivation - part 1 10m
      8. Motivation - part 2 8m
      9. Rewards and incentives 7m
      10. Business partnering and HR KPIs 7m
    4. The finance function and IT 9 lessons 1h 17m
      1. Introducing the IT function 5m
      2. Management information systems - part 1 9m
      3. Management information systems - part 2 9m
      4. The role of IT in change 6m
      5. IT and virtual organisations 16m
      6. Costs and benefits of information systems 7m
      7. Data security 8m
      8. System architecture and big data 10m
      9. KPIs for the IT function 7m
  8. 08 Mock exams 3 full mocks, then more on demand
    • Mock Mock 1 60 questions in 90 minutes, marked instantly
    • Mock Mock 2 60 questions in 90 minutes, marked instantly
    • Mock Mock 3 60 questions in 90 minutes, marked instantly
    • Mock More mocks on demand A new paper from the question bank whenever you want one, up to 5 a day

Modern tuition

Expert video, with a tutor in every lesson.

Built and taught by people who have lectured this material for years, with an AI Tutor sitting inside each lesson to answer the question you have right now.

  • Experts Former Kaplan and BPP lecturers and academics from major UK universities.
  • AI Tutor Ask a question inside the lesson and get an answer grounded in that lesson.
  • Pick up where you left off Your progress is saved lesson by lesson, so you always come back to the right place.

Real mock exams

Sit E1 before you sit E1.

Full timed mocks in the real format: 60 questions in 90 minutes, drawn from a large question bank, in an exam-style interface.

  • The real format Same question count, same clock, same kind of interface.
  • From a bank, not a booklet Three mocks to start, then a new one whenever you want it, each assembled from a large question bank rather than a fixed paper.
  • Timed The clock runs. Pacing is half the exam.

Feedback on every mock

Know which topics have landed.

A mock does not stop at a percentage. Every question comes back with an explanation, grouped by syllabus section, so you can see what to go back to.

  • Marked instantly No waiting, no tutor queue.
  • An explanation for every question Right or wrong, you see why.
  • Grouped by section So a weak section is obvious, not buried in a score.

The Operational Level

E1 is one of the three Objective Tests on the CIMA Operational Level, with P1 and F1. CIMA lets you sit them in any order, and the OCS once all three are passed.

See the full Operational route →
  1. E1 Managing Finance in a Digital World You are here
  2. P1 Management Accounting
  3. F1 Financial Reporting
  4. OCS Operational Case Study

Personalised CIMA pack

One price per CIMA level, from £349, with lifetime access as standard.

Tell us which CIMA subjects you have already passed, or are exempt from taking. The best option updates as you go.

Step 1 of 2

First, what have you already passed?

Tick what you've passed or been exempted from - we'll only show what's left.

Operational Level
Management Level
Strategic Level

Exempt from a whole level through your degree? Use Tick all on that level.

Questions

The things students ask before buying.

What does the E1 course include?

Expert-led video lessons across the whole syllabus with an AI Tutor in every lesson, and full timed mock exams online (60 questions, 90 minutes, drawn from a large question bank): 3 to start and a new one whenever you want it, each marked instantly with an explanation for every question. £149, lifetime access.

How is E1 examined?

60 objective test questions in 90 minutes. It is on demand, so you book it when you are ready rather than waiting for a window.

When should I sit E1?

When your mocks are passing consistently, not on a date you picked months ago. E1 is on demand, so there is no reason to sit it a day early. We recommend starting the Operational Level here: it is the broadest of the three and banks a pass while you settle into the pace.

Do I need to pass E1 before the other Operational Objective Tests?

No. CIMA lets the three Operational Objective Tests be sat in any order. All three must be passed before the OCS.

What if I buy one subject and want more later?

You only ever pay the difference. Add subjects at any time and the price you already paid comes off the bigger pack, so you never pay twice for the same course.

How long do I have access?

Lifetime access, on every course. There is no subscription and no renewal - if you need to resit, or come back to the material years later, it is still there.

Ready to bank the first Operational pass?

Start with E1.

Buy E1 on its own, or take the whole Operational Level as one pack and only ever pay the difference.

Buy E1 · £149