Basic arithmetic and a spreadsheet are useful for practice. Financial examples are educational. Actual investment, accounting and contractual decisions require current information and the appropriate responsibilities within the organisation.
About this course
Develop a connected approach to project costs with this free OnlinePMCourses training. All 23 source entries are retained, including estimation, budgeting, baselines, forecasting, financial concepts, procurement considerations and longer domain briefings. The same sunk-cost recording appears twice in the original list; both positions remain available, with no source entry removed.
Course at a glance
| Provider / Teaching team | OnlinePMCourses |
|---|---|
| Platform | YouTube · Online PM Courses – Mike Clayton |
| Access | Free Video |
| Level | Intermediate |
| Language | English |
| Videos | 23 |
| Video duration | 6h 0m · allow extra time for practice |
| Format | Self-paced recorded training |
| Certificate | Not included with video viewing |
What you’ll learn
- Connect a project estimate and budget with the scope and assumptions behind them.
- Use a baseline and forecast to discuss changes in expected project costs.
- Recognise the purpose and limitations of common financial measures used in project decisions.
- Consider how procurement and commercial arrangements affect the cost-management process.
Skills you’ll gain
- Cost estimation
- Project budgeting
- Cost baselines
- Forecasting
- Financial concepts
- Cost reporting
Course Overview
The course combines focused tutorials with longer briefings on project costs, budgets and finance. It includes estimation, business cases, baseline concepts, estimate at completion, cash-flow and return measures, as well as procurement and contract considerations. Every one of the 23 source entries remains in the classroom, including the repeated sunk-cost entry. Use the course to make an estimate understandable and to distinguish an approved budget from an evolving forecast. A clear cost discussion identifies assumptions, the evidence behind a change and the decision required; it does not rely on one unexplained number.
How to study the course
- Begin with the budgeting and cost-management overviews, then connect each estimate to the work, quantities and assumptions it represents.
- Use the baseline and forecasting material to distinguish the original plan from the current expectation. Record why the expectation changes.
- Review the financial and procurement concepts before writing a recommendation. Explain uncertainty and avoid using an isolated measure as a complete decision rule.
Use the searchable classroom lesson list to revisit a specific explanation. Pause after a useful demonstration, reproduce a small example and explain the result in your own words. Keep a short note of what worked, what changed and what you still need to understand before moving on.
Who is this for?
This course suits project managers, coordinators and professionals who prepare or review project budgets. It is useful when you need to explain the difference between a cost estimate, a baseline, a forecast and a financial justification.
Before you start
Basic arithmetic and a spreadsheet are useful for practice. Financial examples are educational. Actual investment, accounting and contractual decisions require current information and the appropriate responsibilities within the organisation.
Put the lessons into practice
Build a fictional project budget with a few work packages, estimated quantities and unit costs. Record the assumptions and create a simple baseline. Add a change in one quantity and a new supplier quotation, then update the forecast without overwriting the original estimate. Write a short cost report explaining the difference, the uncertainty and the decision needed. Use one financial concept from the course to ask a further question, and state what information would be needed to answer it responsibly.
This optional activity is provided by WikiFree for independent practice. It is not a graded assignment from the instructor. Keep your working notes, check the result against the task you defined and return to the relevant lesson when an assumption or technique is unclear.
Certificate / Assessment
Watching the public videos and using WikiFree progress tracking does not award a certificate, exam voucher, academic credit or instructor assessment.
Use your practice output to review what you can now explain and repeat independently. Completion tracking records your study progress; it does not replace an assessed qualification or professional experience.
Related courses for your next step
- Review planning fundamentalsGoogle Project Planning
Place budgeting alongside risk and communication in an overall project plan.
Focus: Break a goal into a practical project plan · Prepare a communication plan and a basic budget
Beginner - Strengthen the basis of an estimateProject Scope Management
Explore how a defined scope and work breakdown structure help identify the work that needs costing.
Focus: Scope management · Work breakdown structures
Intermediate - Follow the supplier costsProject Procurement
Develop your understanding of tendering, vendor relationships and purchasing decisions.
Focus: Project procurement · Tender planning
Intermediate
Compare course focus, level and study time
| Course | Level | Focus | Study time |
|---|---|---|---|
| This course — Project Cost Management: Free Course | Intermediate | Cost estimation · Project budgeting · Cost baselines | 6h 0m of video; practice time is additional |
| Free Project Planning Course: Budgets and Risks | Beginner | Break a goal into a practical project plan · Prepare a communication plan and a basic budget · Identify risks and decide how to respond | 3h 6m of video; practice time is additional |
| Project Scope Management: Free Course | Intermediate | Scope management · Work breakdown structures · Change control | 2h 57m of video; practice time is additional |
| Project Procurement: Free Course | Intermediate | Project procurement · Tender planning · Statements of work | 2h 43m of video; practice time is additional |
Frequently asked questions
Is this course free to watch?
Yes. The public video lessons can be viewed in the WikiFree classroom. Free viewing does not include paid software, service subscriptions, provider membership benefits or a credential.
How long does the course take?
The 23 source videos total approximately 6h 0m. Allow additional time for pausing, practice, reviewing an example and checking your own result.
What background do I need?
Basic arithmetic and a spreadsheet are useful for practice. Financial examples are educational. Actual investment, accounting and contractual decisions require current information and the appropriate responsibilities within the organisation.
Does watching the course award a certificate?
No. Video viewing and WikiFree progress tracking do not award a certificate, credit or an exam voucher.
Can I study on a phone?
Yes. The classroom has a responsive player and searchable lesson list. A larger screen and suitable practice environment are helpful for following software demonstrations or technical examples.
Provider: OnlinePMCourses. Videos play from the Online PM Courses - Mike Clayton channel on YouTube.
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