A collection of free, practical resources to support Business and IT teaching.
My recent focus has been on transforming SQA past paper questions into structured spreadsheets, organised by topic and year to support targeted revision and skill development.
Alongside this, I am continuing to develop and share resources I have been using in the classroom during recent supply work, including materials for Broad General Education (BGE) to support younger learners.
Newer resources are designed for on-screen use, making them suitable for both classroom and independent learning.
I also share additional support through my YouTube channel, including guidance on the National 5 Administration & IT exam and the Higher Administration & IT assignment. There are a few more videos in the CPD & Training section of the website.
**Higher Accounting – Theory Past Papers incl 2025**
All the SQA Higher Accounting theory questions including from the 2025 exam. The questions are in a spreadsheet and have been sorted by Financial / Management Accounting then into topics – Financial Analysis, Manufacturing, Partnerships etc
**Higher Admin & IT – Theory Past Papers incl 2025**
I've used the SQA Higher Admin & IT past papers 2016 to 2025 and separated into Section 1 and Section 2. Questions have been sorted by area and then by topic. You might want to check that I've used the right topic for area . The reason there are underscores in the areas is due to using dropdown lists and dropdowns from dropdowns which required named ranges.
I've also put all the case studies into a PDF file.
**Higher Business Management – Exam Revision**
I've created a structured revision resource for SQA Higher Business Management. Includes key past paper questions and 8 high-impact buzzwords per topic to help students recall, explain, and apply concepts effectively in the exam.
**Higher Business Management – Past Papers incl 2025**
I've used the SQA Higher Bus Man past papers 2016 to 2024 and separated into Section 1 and Section 2. Questions have been sorted by area (Finance, Operations etc) and then by topic. I've also put all the case studies into a Word document (except for 2017 and 2024 as I didn’t have access to it).
**Higher Financial Accounting SQA Past Papers on Excel**
Past paper financial questions for Higher Accounting from 2018 - Ltd, Manufacturing and Partnership. They're on Excel so no printing required. There's 2 different Excel versions - one with questions and data and the other with labels too. Solutions also included.
**N5 Accounting – SQA Cash Budgets Q’s**
All N5 Accounting Cash Budget SQA past paper questions from 2016 to 2024.
Everything in a spreadsheet so need to print anything off. Solutions also included.
**N5 Accounting – SQA Income Statements Q’s**
N5 Accounting - SQA Exam and Assignment Questions
There are Income Statements from the SQA exams and Assignments. I've used the layout based on the "Suggested layouts for financial statements" from the SQA published in October 2018. All the questions are on an Excel spreadsheet with formula and cell shading to help pupils with layouts etc. Everything they need is onscreen.
Addition Resource pack - BYS[FINV1006] - Income Statements (Level 2)
**N5 Accounting – SQA Ledger Question (step-by-step)**
Both the 2016 and 2017 SQA N5 Accounting Reports highlights that "many candidates did not know basic double-entry procedures". With that in mind, I've taken the 2016 question and turned it into a step-by-step task using Excel. Pupils start with the first Excel sheet and work their way along gradually building up so that all Ledgers are completed. Using comment boxes, I've tried to explain each part of the Ledger question one stage at a time.
**There are two Ledger Packs available. Pack FINV1009 gives ledger entries using financial documents and Pack FINV1010 gives practice using dates and entries.
**N5 Accounting – SQA Statement of Financial Position Q’s**
N5 Accounting - SQA Exam and Assignment Questions. There are Statements of Financial Position questions from the 2014-2024 SQA exams and assignments. As with the Income Statements, the SQA's suggested layout has been used (2018 version 2.4). All questions are on an Excel spreadsheet with formula and cell shading. Where the original question was both an Income Statement and Statement of Financial Position, I have tweaked slightly so that all required information is available (eg giving the Profit figure within the notes). All instructions and notes are onscreen.
Addition Resource pack - BYS [FINV1007] - Statement of Financial Position (Level 2)
**N5 Accounting – Theory Past Papers incl 2025**
All the SQA N5 Accounting theory questions including from the 2025 exam. The questions are in a spreadsheet and have been sorted by Financial / Management Accounting then into topics – Business Documents, Correction of Error, Financial Statements etc.
**N5 Business Management – Past Papers incl 2025**
I've used the SQA N5 Bus Man past papers 2016 to 2025 and separated into Section 1 and Section 2. Questions have been sorted by area (Finance, Operations etc) and then by topic. I've also put all the case studies into a PDF file.
**N5 SQA Accounting Theory Past Paper Questions**
All the SQA past paper theory questions from 2016 to 2024 in a spreadsheet sorted by topic.
**SQA H Accounting – Cash Budgets – Past Papers**
I have created a spreadsheet with the 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2024 cash budget questions. I've added formulas for ease and there are check boxes have been inserted. The solutions are also there. The Higher Cash Budget pack will be available after the October holidays.
*BGE Digital Literacy – Fact Checking Task*
Another wee task I used with S1 and S2 students. There are 25 statements on a spreadsheet, some true and some untrue. I've added a hyperlink to a website with the correct information. Students are asked to check each statement and if incorrect, to type in the correct fact.
*BGE Digital Literacy Quiz*
I've created a 20 question quiz on Excel with a drop down for 3 multiple choice answers. I've conditionally formatted it, so if the correct answer is chosen the cell will shade green. I used this with S1's and S2's.
*Fix the Excel Error for H Admin *
All the Spreadsheet tasks from the 2018 - 2025 Higher Admin & IT Assignments with errors that need to be fixed
Build Your Skill – Summary of Resources
These PDF files gives an idea of what the Build Your Skill Resources look like by using a series of screenshots to give examples and an overview of tasks.
Business Management – Market Research
I can't remember where I got the information for this theory note - but I have a feeling it more or less came straight out of an old Leckie and Leckie book. I used it with my Higher class but some of it would be useful for N5. It's very detailed.
Business Management – PESTEC
This theory note was written for my N5's but was also helpful for the Higher class. It has been written using font size 14 and 1.5 line spacing as it forms part of a bigger booklet so you could easily condense it down from 9 pages.
BYS [INT1010] – PDA IT in Business L7 (Excel) – Summary Sheet
An overview of the new BYS [INT1010] - PDA IT in Business L7 (Excel) showing what is covered in each task.
BYS [SSV1016] – Working with Excel (1) – Task Details
A summary sheet showing exactly what Excel function or formula is required to complete the tasks in pack SSV1016 – Working with Excel (1).
BYS[SSV1017] – Working with Excel (2) – Task Details
A summary sheet showing exactly what Excel function or formula is required to complete the tasks in pack SSV1017 – Working with Excel (2).
Examples – New N5 Accounting Resources
*** New Resources for N5 Accounting ***
Examples of each of the 6 new resources. Packs can be worked through on Excel or printed off as a paper copy
Freebie – Basic Excel Formulas Summary
A summary sheet for basic Excel functions; (sum / average / count / max / min / countA / CountBlank) and arithmetical formulas (add / subtract / multiply / divide) with a (short) practice file.
GDPR Fact Sheet
I've created a short two-page Fact Sheet on GDPR, the new legislation that replaces the Data Protection Act. It's been uploaded as a word document so you can tweak and edit any way you like. I've also added links to 3 short videos that explained GDPR in two minutes or less. Hope it's of some use!
H Admin & IT – Admin Practice – Time & Task Management
3 short powerpoints outlining "Methods of monitoring & controlling targets", "Time Management Techniques" and "Time Stealers". Nothing fancy but helpful when giving an overview of each topic.
H Admin & IT – Customer Service homework
Homework questions on "Customer Service" from SQA past papers . A bit heavy on paper but useful if you want your pupils to handwrite their answers without lugging 20 jotters home! SQA solutions also included
H BM – Operations Homework
Higher Business Management Homework - A 25 mark / 6 question homework sheet using SQA past papers There is also a Mark Scheme for both. I asked pupils to do this as a timed paper, either as closed or open book.
H BM – Understanding Business – Homework
Two homework sheets, one on Business Organisations and the other on Internal Organisations, using SQA past papers. There is also a Mark Scheme for both. There are another two questions in case study format which I think I took from an A-Level Business Studies text book – one on Sole Traders and the other on Partnerships.
H BM Finance – Sources of Finance Task
I can’t remember where I got this task – but I used to use it as a group task for my Higher Business Management class. There are 10 short case studies with different scenarios. Pupils need to decide what is/are the most appropriate source(s) of finance and explain their reasons why.
H BM Marketing Homework
Two homework sheets I used with my Higher Business Management class, one on the Product Life Cycle & Branding and the other on Distribution and Direct Selling, using SQA past papers. There is also a Mark Scheme for both.
In Tray Business Task
I downloaded this task from the Internet from “AssessmentDay” and although it was for Graduates looking to go into banking, I gave this to my Higher Business Management class as an introductory task. Assuming the role as a Retail Manager, there are a series of Memos, emails and letters etc that need to be looked at. Then tasks need to be prioritised into high, medium and low and decisions made. Perhaps a bit too challenging for some but as a whole, the class seemed to enjoy this task.
Interactive Dashboard Excel File
An Excel worksheet to use with this YouTube Video on creating simple Interactive Dashboards.
Also useful for practicing Pivot Tables, Pivot Slicers and Pivot Charts.
N3 Admin & IT Project
"Little Steps Nursery" - an old SQA Foundation project updated to reflect current year and copied onto a Word document.
N4 Admin & IT Project
2 old SQA General projects - "Life Style" and "Gorlowski Tours", updated to reflect current year and copied onto a Word document.
N4 Business in Action – Introduction to Business
This is Unit 1 of my N4 Understanding Business Course. It covers the basics - needs and wants, goods and services, factors of production, the cycle of business and sectors of business. There's a wee power point, task booklets as well as a teacher copy and a 6 page theory note. Nothing new, pretty simple and a quick introduction to the N4 course.
N4/N5 Market Research Task
This was a wee class exercise that I did with my N4/N5 business class. 4 short questionnaires that could be photocopied and distributed amongst pupils. I wanted to get them thinking about how you might design a questionnaire, how they could be analysed and the best way to summarise the results. The class used Excel spreadsheets to show their findings as graphs.
N5 / Higher Business Management – Types of business organisations
A handy wee theory note with information of different sectors of business and organisation types. Looks at main features, set-up, ownership, control, finance, advantages & disadvantages, objectives and relevant stakeholders for each type.
N5 Admin & IT Project
"Pampered Pooches Boarding Kennels" - an old SQA Credit project updated to reflect current year and copied onto a Word document.
N5 Business Management – Finance SQA Q’s
This is an Excel spreadsheet with all Finance questions from 2014 - 2018 SQA papers, sorted by topic. Also included in a word document is all the case studies from Section 1 and in another, the templates / break-even charts / cash budgets needed to answer the questions.
N5 Business Management – H.R Revision
This is just a wee powerpoint outlining H.R by topic: Recruitment & Selection, Training, Motivating & Retaining, Legislation. After each summary, there's a couple of SQA questions and screenshots from SQA past paper marking instructions.
N5 Business Management – Homework
A wee homework booklet with 115 questions organised by unit and topic. A combination of SQA, text book and made-up questions. No solutions I'm afraid!
N5 Business Management – SQA Marketing Q’s
This is an Excel spreadsheet with all Marketing questions from 2014 - 2018 SQA papers, sorted by topic. Also included in a word document is all the case studies from Section 1.
Rapid Response S2 Task
I designed this short course as the Business Education’s department contribution to the whole school Rapid Response day for the S2’s. Task 1 is a research task on natural disasters that have occurred, Task 2 follows on from Task 1 and looks at local food in different countries, Task 3 is a costing exercise on providing food in the disaster zone and Task 4 uses formulas in a spreadsheet to complete the challenge.
S3 Business Masterclass – Introduction
This is a small 5 task introductory unit that I used with my new S3 Masterclass in the June. They only came for a 10 week block so I wanted to give them a flavour of the N4/5 course (without actually teaching it of course!)
- Task 1 - "What is Business" - Economic Factors and Recession explained in the simplest way I could
- Task 2 - "My Island" - Pupils to imagine they are turning an uninhabited tropical island into a thriving community. There's even an attempt to assess their work with a grading criteria! (not sure if I ever did)
- Task 3 - "Introduction into Branding" - a bit of theory and a quiz where pupils try to identify logo's and slogans of well known businesses
- Task 4 - "Branding Task" - Details of 8 fictitious young Entrepreneurs with a wee case study for each and pupils asked to come up with a business name / logo & colour schemes etc for one of them. Followed by a second task looking at designing letterheads, leaflets and business cards
- Task 5 - "Team Building" - Taken from the Internet, this is the Survival exercise based on a plane crash in Canada. You'll probably recognise it
UPDATED N5 Business Assignment – Preparation
***Updated for 2026***
I used this prep sheet with my N5 Business class to get them started with their business assignments. There's no denying that this resource is a bit heavy on paper but I was trying to find a way for pupils to research their business properly, think about what area of business they wanted to focus on and the market research they had to do.... and get them to start writing things down!
This version is based on the Marketing Mix as the area of business.
Upskilling in Advanced Excel
This FREE pack will help you if you want to improve on your existing Excel skills. It will also help students studying Higher Admin & IT. There are 8 videos - one for each section that you will find on our YouTube Channel.
Upskilling in Excel
This FREE pack will help you if you want to improve your Excel skills. It will also help you if you are studying N4/N5 Administration and IT, or if you are doing the "crash" Higher. There are also 9 videos - 1 for each section that you will find on our YouTube Channel
Upskilling in Word
This FREE pack will help you if you want to improve your Word skills. It will also help you if you are studying N4/N5 Administration and IT, or if you are doing the “crash” Higher. There are also 13 videos that you will find on our YouTube Channel.
XLOOKUP Example
I posted this video on the Build Your Skill facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/BuildYourSkillScotland/) to demonstrate how the new XLOOKUP works. This is the Excel file that was used. More examples to follow.