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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY

REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE:

Monitor publishing budgets

SAQA US ID	UNIT STANDARD TITLE
246512	Monitor publishing budgets
ORIGINATOR
SGB Publishing
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-
FIELD			SUBFIELD
Field 04 - Communication Studies and Language			Communication Studies
ABET BAND	UNIT STANDARD TYPE	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	CREDITS
Undefined	Regular	Level 5	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5	10
REGISTRATION STATUS		REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE	SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"		2018-07-01	2023-06-30	SAQA 06120/18
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30		2027-06-30

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.

This unit standard does not replace any other unit standard and is not replaced by any other unit standard.

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD

The Unit Standard is aimed at learners in the publishing sector of South Africa. Credited learners can interpret and monitor budgets for publications. The Unit Standard adds value to individuals who are seeking to develop a career pathway within the sub-field of Publishing to enable them to take an active role in managing the financial aspects of publishing projects.

The purpose of the learning is to learn to interpret, monitor and suggest alterations to budgets within an area of responsibility within publishing projects. It provides a basis for learning to create and manage a budget. Competence impacts positively on the financial viability of publishing organisations and the future sustainability of the industry.

Credited learners are capable of:

Assessing budgets against project requirements.

Tracking expenditure against budget.

Keeping records of project-related expenditure.

Recommending budget modifications/revisions where required.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

The credits and level assigned to this unit standard is based on the assumption that learners have already attained the following competencies:

Communication and Language at NQF Level 4.

Computer Literacy at NQF Level 3.

Mathematic Literacy at NQF Level 4.

UNIT STANDARD RANGE

All outcomes for this unit standard must be achieved within the parameters of a specific project. Range statements are included with the relevant specific outcomes and assessment criteria where appropriate.

Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria:

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1

Assess budgets against project requirements.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1

Different elements within a publishing budget are identified according to organisation guidelines.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2

Elements of the publishing budget are identified that are relevant to a specific area of responsibility for specific projects.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3

Fund allocation is interpreted for specific projects and presented for approval in line with organisation budget standards.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE

Allocation includes budgeting against rates cards for production costs, and against approved publication specifications that are in line with, for example, an approved book plan.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4

Relevant budget items and recommended pricing are compared with project requirements for adequacy, fairness and completeness.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE

Elements of a budget can include development, origination/editorial, production, print and marketing costs, etc.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5

Gross profit margins meet organisational standards.

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2

Track expenditure against budget.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1

Tracking is carried out in accordance with organisational procedures.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2

Actual expenses/costs and revenue are monitored and controlled against projected expenses and revenue.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE

Monitoring costs include checking price fixes for variance of actual and budgeted costs.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3

Budget errors, irregularities and discrepancies are reported according to organisational procedures.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4

Interaction with human resources enhances the achievement of budgetary objectives within the context of specific projects.

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3

Keep records of project-related expenditure.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1

Records of monitoring processes are maintained accurately.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2

Specified systems are used to ensure budget items are recorded correctly.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3

Records are maintained in formats that are accessible for future reference.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4

Records are updated and approved according to specified procedures.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE

Procedures include frequency of updates, and approval requirements.

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 4

Recommend budget modifications/revisions where required.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1

Recommendations include relevant motivations for modifications.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE

Modifications are limited to area of responsibility.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2

Implementation of approved recommendations adhere to agreed parameters.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3

Discrepancies between projected costs and actual expenses are resolved to the satisfaction of all decision-makers.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4

Budget modifications are authorised according to specified processes.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5

Budget revisions are motivated according to project requirements and approval is obtained from all relevant persons according to organisation procedures.

UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS

Assessment of learner achievements takes place at providers accredited by a relevant ETQA (RSA, 1998b) for the provision of programs that result in the outcomes specified for this unit standard.

Anyone assessing a learner against this unit standard must be registered as an assessor with a relevant ETQA.

Any institution offering learning that will enable achievement of this unit standard must be accredited as a provider with a relevant ETQA.

The relevant ETQA according to the moderation guidelines and the agreed ETQA procedures will oversee moderation of assessment and is responsible for moderation of learner achievements of learners who meet the requirements of this unit standard.

UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE

Credited learners understand and can explain:

The publishing process.

All costs related to the publishing value-chain.

The impact of budgets on organisational sustainability.

Different elements within a publishing budget, fund allocation and organisation budget standards.

Recommended pricing and gross profit margins.

Budget items, and adequacy, fairness and completeness.

Expenses/costs and revenue, and expenditure tracking.

Budget errors, irregularities and discrepancies between projected costs and actual expenses.

Recording budget monitoring processes, and systems for recording budget items.

UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME

N/A

UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES

N/A

Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO):

UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING

Identify and solve problems where responses to problems show that such critical and creative thinking has been used to make responsible decisions.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING

Work effectively with others as a member of a team, group, organisation or community when fund allocation is presented in line with organisation budget standards, gross profit margins meet organisational standards, interaction with human resources enhances the achievement of budgetary objectives within the context of specific projects, discrepancies between projected costs and actual expenses are resolved to the satisfaction of all decision-makers, and budget revision approval is obtained from all relevant persons.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING

Organise and manage oneself and one's activities responsibly and effectively when budget errors, irregularities and discrepancies are reported according to organisational procedures, records are updated and approved according to specified procedures, implementation of approved budget modification/revision recommendations adhere to agreed parameters, and budget modifications are authorised according to specified processes.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING

Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information to assess budgets against project requirements, and track expenditure against budget.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING

Communicate effectively using visual, mathematic and/or language skills in the modes of oral and/or written presentation when fund allocation is presented for approval, records of monitoring processes are maintained accurately, and records are maintained in formats that are accessible for future reference.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE

Use science and technology effectively and critically, showing responsibility towards the environment and health of others when specified systems are used to ensure budget items are recorded correctly.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING

Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation when elements of the publishing budget are identified that are relevant to a specific area of responsibility for specific projects, relevant budget items and recommended pricing are compared with project requirements for adequacy, fairness and completeness, budget modification/revision recommendations include relevant motivations for modifications and budget revisions are motivated according to project requirements.

UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA

N/A

REREGISTRATION HISTORY

As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this unit standard was Reregistered in 2012; 2015.

UNIT STANDARD NOTES

Notes to Assessors:

Assessors should keep the following principles in mind when designing and conducting assessments against this unit standard:

Focus the assessment activities on gathering evidence in terms of the main outcome expressed in the title to ensure assessment is integrated rather than fragmented. Remember we want to declare the person competent in terms of the title. Where assessment at title level is unmanageable, focus assessment around each specific outcome, or groups of specific outcomes.

Make sure evidence is gathered across the entire range, wherever it applies. Assessment activities should be as close to the real performance as possible, and where simulations or role-plays are used, there should be supporting evidence to show the learner is able to perform in the real situation.

Do not focus the assessment activities on each assessment criterion. Rather make sure the assessment activities focus on outcomes and are sufficient to enable evidence to be gathered around all the assessment criteria.

The assessment criteria provide the specifications against which assessment judgements should be made. In most cases, knowledge can be inferred from the quality of the performances, but in other cases, knowledge and understanding will have to be tested through questioning techniques. Where this is required, there will be assessment criteria to specify the standard required.

The task of the assessor is to gather sufficient evidence, of the prescribed type and quality, as specified in this unit standard, that the learner can achieve the outcomes again and again and again. This means assessors will have to judge how many repeat performances are required before they believe the performance is reproducible.

All assessments should be conducted in line with the following well documented principles of assessment: appropriateness, fairness, manageability, integration into work or learning, validity, direct, authentic, sufficient, systematic, open and consistent.

QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD:

	ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	STATUS	END DATE	PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
Core	58977	National Certificate: Publishing	Level 5	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5	Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"	2015-06-30	FPMSETA

PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD:

This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.

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