BEC Flashcards
<p>What is Capital Budgeting? How is it used?</p>
<p>Managerial Accounting technique used to evaluate different investment options
Helps management make decisions
Uses both accounting and non-accounting information
Internal focus
GAAP is not mandatory</p>
<p>What is the primary focus of working capital management?</p>
<p>Managing inventory & receivables (current assets & liabilities)</p>
<p>What is a Static Budget?</p>
<p>Budget targeted for a specific segment of a company.</p>
<p>Which IT personnel roles should always be segregated?</p>
<p>Operators
Programmers
Librarians</p>
<p class=”large” style=”text-align:center”;>What values are used in Capital Budgeting?</p>
<p class=”large” style=”text-align:center”;>Capital Budgeting ONLY uses Present Value tables.
Capital Budgeting NEVER uses Fair Value.</p>
<p>What four perspectives are included in Balanced Scorecard?</p>
<p>Financial - ROI- Revenue Growth- Profitability
Customer - Increase Customers- Increase Satisfaction
Internal Business Processes - Efficient and Effective Operations- Improve Quality- Reduce Defects
Learning & Growth - Training- Personnel Development</p>
<p>Define Market Risk</p>
<p>The risk that a sluggish economy will affect the value of a debt instrument</p>
<p>What is the primary duty of the board of directors?</p>
<p>To monitor management behavior.</p>
<p>What is Cost Accounting?</p>
<p class="large" style="text-align: center;">Cost Accounting is a component of GAAP that records Ending Inventory on the Balance Sheet for o Direct Materials o Direct Labor o Work in Process o Finished Goods
Cost Accounting also records for the Income Statement</p>
<p>How does a price increase affect supply?</p>
<p>When the prices of an item increases, supply increases, because more sellers are willing to sell.</p>
<p>How is Net Working Capital calculated?</p>
<p>NWC = Current Assets - Current Liabilities</p>
<p>What is a Maser Budget?</p>
<p>Budget targeted for the company as a whole
Includes budgets for Operations and Cash Flows
Includes set of budgeted Financial Statements</p>
<p>What are the duties of a systems analyst?</p>
<p>Designs or purchases IT system
Responsible for flowcharts
Liason between Users and Programmers
Note: Think IT Manager</p>
<p>Why was Balanced Scorecard created?</p>
<p>To measure Performance.</p>
<p>Define Sector Risk</p>
<p>The risk that an event in the investment’s business sector will harm the investment
For example, the banking sector is sluggish, so even stocks of healthy banks suffer</p>
<p>What is the responsibility of the Nominating or Corporate Governance Committee of the board of directors?</p>
<p>Oversees the board
Responsible for hiring new CEO</p>
<p>What is the difference between Cost Accounting and Managerial Accounting?</p>
<p>Cost Acct - External Focus, GAAP
Managerial Acct - Internal Focus, Not GAAP</p>
<p>What is a supply curve shift?</p>
<p>When supply changes due to something other than price.</p>
<p>What are the characteristics of effective Working Capital Management?</p>
<p>Shorten the cash conversion cycle
Don’t negatively impact operations</p>
<p>How do Fixed Costs affect budgeting?</p>
<p>Costs independent of the level activity within the relevant range
Property Tax is the same whether you produce 100,000 units or zero units
However – Fixed Costs per unit vary given the amount of activity
If you produce fewer units, fixed costs per unit will be greater than if you produce more units – i.e. less units to spread the cost over</p>
<p>What is the primary duty of a Systems Administrator?</p>
<p>A Systems Administrator controls database access.</p>
<p>What are Strategy Maps?</p>
<p>Diagrams of Strategic Cause and Effect Relationships.</p>
<p>Define Credit/Default Risk</p>
<p>The risk that a debtor will be unable to make loan payments or pay back the principal</p>
<p>What is the responsibility of the audit committee of the board of directors?</p>
<p>The audit committee appoints and oversees the external auditor.</p>
What are Product Costs (aka Inventory Costs)?
Prime Costs Conversion Costs
What are the characteristics of a positive supply curve shift (shift right)?
Supply increases at each price point Higher Equilibrium GDP Number of sellers increases - market can get flooded Examples: Government subsidies or technology improvements that decrease costs for suppliers
What is the Inventory Conversion Period?
Avgerage time needed to convert materials into finished goods and sell them Average Inventory = (BI + E) / 2 Inventory Conversion Period = Average Inventory / Sales Per Day
How do Variable Costs affect budgeting?
The more Direct Materials or Direct Labor used, the more Variable Costs per unit However – Variable Costs per unit don’t change with the level of activity like Fixed Costs per unit
What are the duties of a Systems Programmer?
Writes- Updates- Maintains- & Tests software- systems- and compilers
What is a Strategic Initiative?
A plan to achieve goals.
Define Interest Rate Risk
The risk that a change in interest rates will adversely affect the value of the note Example: Bond is for 10% but prevailing market rate is now 12%. If bondholder wants to sell it, they will have to sell it at a discount.
What is the duty of the compensation committee of the board of directors?
The compensation committee handles the CEO's compensation package.
What are included in Prime Costs?
Direct Material USED - Have become part of the product or had a direct impact on the product Direct Labor Used - Employees who worked on product and had direct impact
What are the characteristics of a negative supply curve shift (shift left)?
Supply decreases at each price point Lower Equilibrium GDP Cost of producing item increases Examples: Shortage of gold, so less gold watches are made; wars or crises in rice-producing countries means there is less rice on the market
What is the Receivables Collection Period?
Average time needed to collect A/R RCP = Average Receivables / Credit Sales Per Day
How are Material Variances calculated?
SAM: Standard Material Costs - Actual Material Costs = Material Variance
What measures are used under Value-Based Management?
Return on Investment Residual Income Spread Economic Value Added Free Cash Flow
```What does Standard Deviation measure?
It measures the volatility of an investment.
What does the NYSE and NASDAQ require of the board of directors?
They require the board to be independent.
What is Factory Overhead?
All factory costs except for DM and DL used in production, including Spoilage (except for abnormal spoilage, which is a period cost and not included in OH).
How does price affect the demand for an item?
When the prices of an item increases, demand for it decreases.
What is the Payables Deferral Period?
Average time between materials and labor purchase and their A/P payment Average Payables = (BP + EP) / 2 Payables Deferral Period = Average Payables / (COGS/365)
How are Labor Variances calculated?
SAL Standard Labor Costs - Actual Labor Costs = Labor Variance
Which duties should a Systems Programmer NOT have?
In order to maximize internal control- a Systems Programmer should NOT have application programming duties/abilities or be an Operator on the system.
How is Return on Investment (ROI) calculated?
ROI = Return / Investment Example: You Invest $100 to buy a machine that generates $60 in Operating Income $60 / $100 = 60% ROI
What is Systematic Risk?
Risk that impacts the entire market and can’t be avoided or reduced through diversification Example: Wars
When is the Present Value of $1 table used?
For ONE payment ONE time.
What is the main goal in an executive compensation package?
The package should ensure that the goals of management should match those of the shareholders.
What is included in Fixed Factory Overhead?
FFO = Estimated Costs / Normal Capacity Uses Normal Activity Examples of Fixed Factory OH: Depreciation (SL), Utilities, Taxes Under/Overapplied Fixed OH always goes to COGS
What is a Demand Curve Shift?
When demand changes due to something other than price.
What is the Cash Conversion Cycle?
Amount of time it takes to receive a cash inflow (Customers) after making a cash outflow (Vendors) Inventory Conversion Period + Receivables Collection Period – Payables Deferral Period = Cash Conversion Cycle (Inventory Really (-Pays) Cash)
How are Overhead Variances calculated?
OAT Overhead Applied - Actual Overhead Cost = Total Overhead Variance
What are the duties of a Systems Operator?
Schedules and Monitors Jobs Runs IT Help Desk
How is Residual Income calculated?
Operating Income - (Required Rate of Return x Invested Capital) = Residual Income
What is Unsystematic Risk?
Relates to a particular industry or company Example: You own stocks in ethanol plants and an untimely freeze kills all of the corn in the Midwest
How can an executive compensation package ensure that goals of management align with those of shareholders?
Executice compensation should create an incentive for management to govern in a shareholder-friendly way that doesn’t sacrifice the long-term success of the enterprise for short-term gain.
What is included in Variable Overhead?
VO = Estimated Activity / Actual Activity Uses Actual Activity Examples of Variable Factory OH: Deprecation (Units of Prod), Indirect materials (supplies & insignificant items), Indirect labor (factory foreman, janitors, machine maintenance)
What is a Positive Demand Curve Shift (Shift Right)?
When demand increases at each price point Price of substitutes go up - price of beef rises, so people buy more chicken Future price increase is expected - War in Middle East, people go out and buy gas Market expands - i.e. people get new free health care plan, demand at clinic rises Expansion - more spending increases equilibrium GDP
What traits should Cash and Short-Term Investments have?
Liquid Safe
How does Absorption Costing compare to Variable Costing?
Absorption Costing - External Use, Cost of Sales, Gross Profit, SG&A Variable Costing - Internal Use, Variable Costs, Contribution Margin, Fixed Costs
What duties should a System Operator NOT have?
For internal control purposes- they should not be a Programmer on the system."
What is another name for Required Rate of Return (RROR)?
RROR is also called Cost of Capital
What does Beta measure?
Beta measures how volatile the investment is relative to the rest of the market. In other words, how quickly (and in what amount) does the value of the stock change when the market sways?
When is the Present Value of an Annuity Due used?
Multiple payments made over time where the payments are made at the START of the period.
Which influences help mold the direction that management takes?
They range from internal (Board of Directors, Audit Committee, Internal Control) to external (Creditors, SEC, IRS) These influences should not be tainted by undue influence from management or have financial ties to management such as compensation-related duties
Where is Under/Overappllied Variable OH recorded?
If Immaterial – Goes to COGS If Material – Goes to WIP, Finished Goods, or COGS, based on their Ending Balance
What is a Negative Demand Curve Shift (Shift Left)?
Demand decreases at each price point. Price of complement goes up - price of beef goes up, less demand for ketchup Boycott - Company commits social blunder, consumers boycott Consumer income rises - Demand for inferior goods drops as people have more money to spend Consumer tastes change Contraction - less spending decreases equilibrium GDP
For what are Letters of Credit used?
Used for importing goods. Issued by importer's bank.
How is Contribution Margin calculated?
Sales Price (per unit) - Variable Cost (per unit) = Contribution Margin (per unit)
If it is not possible to segregate duties in an IT System- what actions should be taken to compensate for internal control purposes?
Include Computer Logs. Control Group should review the logs.
What is Variance?
It compares volatility of an investment to the market average. Factors include both Systematic and Unsystematic Risk.
What is shirking?
When management doesn't act in the best interest of shareholders. It can be alleviated by tying compensation to stock performance or company profit.
Where is Under/Overapplied Fixed OH recorded?
It always goes to COGS
What is the Marginal Propensity to Consume?
How much you spend when your income increases Calculate: Change in Spending / Change in Income
What is the advantage of using Trade Credit?
No interest cost if paid timely.
How is Breakeven Point (per unit) calculated?
Total Fixed Costs / Contribution Margin (per unit) = Breakeven Point Per Unit Assumption: Total Costs & Total Revenues are LINEAR
What is the purpose of a Management Information System (MIS)?
To assist with decision making.
What is Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC)? How is it calculated?
Cost of Capital is the weighted average of the interest rates you pay for your Capital. Includes Debt and the Rate of Return your Equity Shareholders expect Example: 45% of your Capital is supported by debt and has an interest rate of 9%. 55% of your Capital is supported by equity and shareholders expect a ROR of 12% Your Cost of Capital is: (.45 x .09) + (.55 x .12) = 10.65%
What is a Derivative?
An asset whose value is DERIVED from the value of another asset. Derivatives are measured at Fair Value.
When is the Present Value of an Ordinary Annuity of $1 (PVOA) used?
Multiple payments over time where payments are made at the END of the period. Think A for Arrears.
What requirements are imposed on a public company under Sarbanes-Oxley?
Management must submit a report on the effectiveness of Internal Control in the 10K. Management must disclose significant Internal Control deficiences. CEO/CFO must certify that the financial statements comply with securities laws and fairly present the financial condition of the company.
What is indicated by a Debit balance in Actual Factory Overhead? How is it corrected?
Underapplied overhead. If it's Fixed OH, underapplied goes to COGS. If it's Variable OH, underapplied goes to COGS if immaterial, but is allocated to WIP, FG or COGS based on ending balances.
What is the Marginal Propensity to Save?
How much you save when income increases Calculate: Change in Savings / Change in Income Also equals 1 - Marginal Propensity to Consume
What is a Lockbox System? What are the advantages?
Customer Payments are sent to a bank-managed PO box. Employees don't have access to cash. Deposits are more timely. Interest income from deposits should pay for the Lockbox fees (if they don't, lockbox is not beneficial)
What is the focus in a Cost Center?
Management is concerned only with costs
What is an Accounting Information System (AIS)?
A type of Management Information System (MIS) that processes accounting transactions.
How is Spread calculated?
Spread = ROI - Cost of Capital
How is an Option used?
Gives the buyer the option to buy or sell a financial derivative at a certain price Traders use them to speculate where they think the price will be at a certain point and make a profit Hedgers use them to offset risk
What characteristics are promoted by the COSO framework on internal control?
Reliable financial reporting Effectice and efficient operations Compliance
What is indicated by a Credit balance in Applied Factory Overhead? How is it corrected?
A credit balance indicates overapplied overhead. If Fixed overhead, it is corrected from COGS. If Variable overhead, it is corrected through COGS if immaterial, but if material overage is allocated to WIP, FG or COGS based on ending balances.
How is the multiplier effect calculated?
(1 / 1-MPC) x Change in Spending
What is float?
Time it takes to mail a payment and have it clear your bank account Maximize float on cash payments Minimize float on cash receipts
What is the focus in a Profit Center?
Management is concerned with both costs and profits
What are the characteristics of an Executive Information System (EIS)?
Specialized for Company Executive needs Assists with Strategy Only No Decision-Making Capabilities
What is the primary point of Economic Value Added? How is it calculated?
Investments should exceed costs- with an emphasis on stockholder value. Economic Value Added = Operating Income After Tax - (Net Assets x WACC)
What is a Future?
A Forward Contract with a future value. They are sold and traded on the futures market.
What is the calculation for the Present Value of $1?
1 / (( 1+i )^n) ``` i = interest rate n = number of periods
```What are the elements of the control environment?
Integrity & Ethics Competence The Board of Directors & Audit Committee Management's Operating Style Organizational Structure Authority & Roles of Responsibilities HR Policies
```Which variables are used to calculate Direct Material balances?
Beginning Balance DR Net purchases (plus freight-in) CR Direct Materials Used = Ending balance (goes to BS)
How does increased spending by consumers and the government affect the demand curve?
As spending by consumers or the government increases, the demand curve increases (shifts right).
What are Zero Balance Accounts?
Regional bank sends enough cash to cover daily checks Advantages: Checks take longer to clear -more float Low amounts of cash tied up for compensating (minimum) balances
What is the focus in an Investment Center?
Management is concerned with costs, profits, and assets
What are the characteristics of an Expert System (ES)?
Computer uses reasoning Structured No human interpretation needed
What is an Interest Rate Swap?
Forward Contract to swap payment agreements They are highly liquid and often valued using the Zero-Coupon method. Example: Steve pays Sally a fixed payment with a fixed interest rate. Sally pays Steve a variable payment tied to a benchmark such as LIBOR
What are control activities?
A component of internal control that includes actions being taken to promote the control environment.
What variables are used to calculated Work in Process (WIP)?
Beginning Balance (End Bal of Previous WIP) DR Direct Materials Used DR Direct Labor Used (Conversion Cost) CR COGM DR Factory Overhead Applied (Converstion Cost) = Ending Balance (Goes to BS)
How does spending change due to the multiplier effect?
The increase in demand ends up being larger than the amount of additional income spent in the economy due to the multiplier effect. One consumer spends money, which: * Increases the income of a business * Increases the income of a vendor * Increases income of employees * Increases tax revenue
What is the difference between Treasury Bills, Notes and Bonds?
Treasury Bills: Short term (less than one year) Think: $1 Bill Treasury Notes: Medium term (less than 10 years, more than 1) Treasury Bonds: Long term (greater than 10 years) Think: government is in long-term bondage to you; they owe you money
What is the Delphi technique?
Forecasting technique where Data is collected and analyzed Requires judgement/consensus
What are the characteristics of a Decision Support System (DSS)?
Computer provides data Gives Interactive Support Human interpretation needed
How is Free Cash Flow calculated?
Operating Income After Tax + Depreciation & Amortization - Capital Expenditures - Change in Net Working Capital = Free Cash Flow
```What is Legal Risk?
Risk that a law or regulation will void the derivative
What is Net Present Value (NPV)?
A preferred method of evaluating profitability. One of two methods that use the Time Value of Money = PV of Future Cash Flows - Investment
What are the basic elements of internal control?
Control Environment Risk Assessment Control Activities Information and Communication Monitoring
```What variables are included in Finished Goods calculations?
Beginning Balance DR COGM = COGAS (Cost of Goods Avail for Sale) CR COGS = Ending Balance (Goes to BS)
```How is Price Elasticity of Demand calculated?
% Change in Quantity Demand / % Change in Price
What is commercial paper?
Similar to T-Bill, but issued by corporations instead of Government Greater than 9 Months Maturity Unsecured Issued by large firms
What is Regression Analysis?
A forecasting technique where Sales is the dependent variable. Simple Regression - One independent variable Multiple Regression - Multiple independent variables
What are the characteristics of an Ad Hoc computer report?
User initiates the report. The report is created upon demand.
What is a Fair Value Hedge?
Hedge that protects against the value of an asset or liability changing. Changes in value are reported in earnings.
What is the significance of the Information and Communication aspect of internal control?
Management must have access to relevant and timely information to make good decisions.
How does Freight In affect Cost Acct calculations?
Inventory (Product) Cost Part of DM Purchases
Under elastic demand, how does price affect revenues?
Price increases, Revenue decreases Price decreases, Revenue increases
What are the advantages and disadvantages of Commercial Paper?
Advantages: Financing at less than Prime. No compensating balances required. Disadvantages: Unpredictability of markets. Credit crisis emerges and large insurance/investment companies aren’t lending.
What are Econometric Models?
Forecast sales using Economic Data
When are Exception reports generated?
Exception reports are produced when Edit Tests- Check Digits- or Self-Checking Digits identify a problem
What is measured by Six Sigma?
It measures a product versus its quality goal.
What is a Cash Flow Hedge?
A hedge that protects against a set of future cash flows changing. Changes in value are reported in OCI.
How is NPV used to calculate future benefit?
NPV = PV Future Cash Flows - Investment If NPV is Negative- Cost is greater than benefits (bad investment) If NPV is Positive- Cost is less than benefit (good investment) If NPV = 0- Cost = Benefit (Management is indifferent)
How does Monitoring affect internal control?
Internal Control activities must be constantly monitored and evaluated for effectiveness.
How does Freight Out affect Cost Accounting?
Selling (Period) Cost Not part of inventory
What conditions would indicate Elastic Demand?
Many substitutes (luxury items) Considered elastic if elasticity is greater than 1 10% drop in demand / 8% increase in price = 1.25 (Elastic) Price increases, Revenue decreases Price decreases, Revenue increases
What is Economic Order Quantity?
The order quantity that minimizes inventory costs. EOQ = Square Root of (2DO/C) ``` D = Unit Demand (Annual) O = Order Cost C = Cost of Inventory
```What are Naive Forecasting Models?
Very Simplistic “Eyeball” past trends and make an estimate
What is a query?
A type of Ad Hoc report- initiated by a user.
What is a Foreign Currency Hedge?
A hedge that protects against the value of a foreign currency changing. For example, a foreign currency hedge might be used to protect against the following: If you have receivables denominated in a foreign currency and that currency dips in value – your receivables are worth less than before.
What activities does the COSO framework for enterprise risk management include?
Identifies Risk Factors Promotes Risk Response Decisions Compares Management Risk vs. Shareholder Goals Aids in evaluating opportunities Promotes Quicker Capital movement Does NOT eliminate all risk
When is Job-Order Costing used?
Used when costs are easily connected to a specific product or product line Can also be applied to services Calculation is the same as normal cost accounting – just use your T Accounts o DM to WIP to FG to COGS o You’re likely going to be solving for the last job in the queue
How does revenue react to price under Inelastic Demand?
Price increases, Revenue increases Price decreases, Revenue decreases
What is Carrying Cost?
The cost of keeping inventory.
How does a Moving Average compare to Exponential Smoothing?
Both project estimates using average trends from recent periods Difference: Exponential Smoothing weighs recent data more heavily
What is End-User Computing?
The User develops and executes their own application.
What is the Asset Turnover Ratio?
Sales / Average Assets
What is the rate of return on an investment called?
The Discount Rate.
What are possible responses to risk under the COSO framework for enterprise risk management?
Avoid or Reduce Share or Accept
What is the Direct Method for allocating service department costs?
No services allocated between service departments, even if they serve each other. Only allocate to product(s)
What conditions would indicate Inelastic Demand?
Few substitutes (groceries, gasoline) Considered inelastic if coefficient of elasticity is less than 1 5% drop in demand / 10% increase in price = .5 (inelastic) Price increases, Revenue increases Price decreases, Revenue decreases
What is Order Cost?
Cost of executing an order and starting product production.
What are the characteristics of Short-term Cost Analysis?
Uses Relevant Costs Only Ignore Sunk Costs Opportunity Cost is a Must
What is the primary benefit of E-commerce?
E-commerce makes business transactions easier.
What is the Step Method for allocating service department costs?
Services can be allocated to both other service departments and the product(s)
What is Unitary Demand?
Total revenue will remain the same if price is increased Considered unitary if coefficient of elasticity = 1
What is inventory reorder point?
How low inventory should get before it should be re-ordered. IOP = Average Daily Demand x Average Lead Time
What are the risks of E-commerce?
Compromised data or theft. Less paper trail for auditors.
What does the Current Ratio tell us? How is it calculated?
Can the company pay their short-term liabilities? Current Ratio = Current Assets / Current Liabilities
What does the Discount Rate represent?
The rate of return on an investment used. It represents the minimum rate of return required.
Under process costing, how are the units shipped calculated?
Beginning Inventory + Units Started - Ending Inventory = No. Units Shipped
How is Income Elasticity of Demand calculated?
% Change Quanitity Demanded / % Change in Income Normal goods greater than 1 (demand increases more than income) Inferior goods less than 1 (demand increases less than income)
What is a Just In Time (JIT) system?
Orders inventory so that you get it just in time for when it’s needed JIT is valuable when Order Cost is low and Cost of Carrying Inventory is high
What are the benefits of Electronic Data Interchange?
Uses globally-accepted standards Efficient
Which two inventory methods are used under Process Costing?
FIFO Weighted Average
What conditions occur under periods of inflation?
Interest rates increase Reduced demand for loans Reduced demand for houses, autos, etc. Value of bonds and fixed income securities decrease Inferior good demand to increase Foreign goods more affordable than domestic Demand for domestic goods decrease
What is Factoring of receivables?
Receivables are sold to a financing company where they pay less than the value of the receivables due to a discount related to risk of non-collection
What is a File Server?
A file server stores shared programs and documents.
What does the Debt to Equity Ratio tell us? How is it calculated?
How is the company financing its capital? Debt to Equity Ratio = Total Debt / Total Equity
What are the strengths of the Net Present Value system?
Uses the Time Value of Money Uses all cash flows- not just the cash flows to arrive at Payback Takes risks into consideration
What is another name for Process Costing?
Equivalent Units of Production
What happens under Demand-Pull inflation?
Overall spending increases Demand increases (shifts right) Market equilibrium price increases
What is a Trade Discount?
Buyer saves if paid early Example: 1/10 Net 30 1% Discount if paid within 10 days If not, bill is still due in 30 days
What is the purpose of a Database?
Located on a File Server- a Database allows users to share documents.
How will Equivalent Finished Units under FIFO compare to EFU under the Weighted Average method?
EFU FIFO will always be LESS than EFU Weighted Avg (unless Beginning Inventory is Zero)
What happens under Cost-Push inflation?
Overall production costs increase Supply decreases (shifts left) Market equilibrium price increases ``` Note: Demand-Pull and Cost-Push Inflation BOTH result in market equilibrium price to increase
What is the cost of forgoing a discount?
(Discount % x 365) / ((100% - Discount) x (Pay Period - Discount Period))
What is the purpose of a LAN (Local Area Network)?
It connects computers in close proximity.
What does the Debt to Total Assets ratio tell us? How is it calculated?
What proportions of the company's assets are encumbered with debt? Debt to Total Assets = Total Liabilities / Total Assets
What are the weaknesses of the Net Present Value system?
Not as simple as the Accounting Rate of Return.
How are Direct Materials calculated under the Weighted Average Method?
Beginning Inventory + Current Costs / EFU WA
What is the Equilibrium Price?
The price where Quanitity Supplied = Quantity Demanded
What is the Prime Rate?
A benchmark used for lending only to the best customers Most customers will be charged Prime + 3%, for example If the lending institution and the customer are not in the same country, the LIBOR rate is often used
What is the purpose of a WAN (Wide Area Network)?
It connects computers that are far apart.
How are Conversion Costs calculated under Weighted Average Method?
Beginning Inventory + Current Costs / EFU WA
What is Optimal Production?
When Marginal Revenue = Marginal Cost
What is the Nominal (Face, Coupon, Stated) Rate?
Interest rate stated on the face of a bond.
What are the characteristics of a VAN (Value-Added Network)?
Privately-owned Network Serves as 3rd Party Between 2 Companies Routes EDI Transactions Accepts wide range of Protocols Very Costly
What does Gross Margin % tell us? How is it calculated?
How profitable is the product after COGS? Gross Margin = Gross Profit / Net Sales
How do Salvage Value and Depreciation affect Net Present Value?
NPV includes Salvage Value because it is a future cash inflow. NPV does NOT include depreciation because it is non-cash. Exception – If a CPA Exam question says to include tax considerations- then you have to include depreciation because of income tax savings generated by depreciation.
How are Equivalent Finished Units calculated for Direct Materials?
Units Shipped + EI x % Complete DM = EFU (Weighted Average Method) - Beginning Inventory x % Complete = EFU (FIFO)
What is the result of a Price Floor?
Causes a surplus if above equilibrium price.
How is Current Yield calculated?
CY = Interest Payment / Bond Price
What is the purpose of a Firewall?
Prevents unauthorized access to a network.
How are Equivalent Finished Units calculated for Conversion Costs?
Units Shipped + EI x % Complete CC = EFU (Weighted Average) - Beginning Inv x % Complete = EFU (FIFO)
What is GDP (Gross Domestic Product)?
The annual value of all goods and services produced domestically at current prices by consumers, businesses, the government, and foreign companies with domestic interests Included: Foreign company has US Factory Not included: US company has foreign factory
What is the Effective (YTM, Market) Rate?
PV of Principle + Interest = Bond Price
What are the characteristics of a virus?
Takes over a computer Needs a host program to run
What does Operating Profit Margin tell us? How is it calculated?
How profitable is the product after all expenses (except interest and taxes)? Operating Profit Margin = Operating Profit / Net Sales
If multiple potential rates of return are available- which is used to calculate Net Present Value?
The minimum rate of return is used.
How are Direct Materials calculated under the FIFO method?
Current Costs / EFU FIFO Note: FIFO method uses Current Period costs only and ignores Beginning Inventory
What is included under the income approach for calculating GDP?
Sole Proprietor and Corp Income Passive Income Taxes Employee Salaries Foreign Income Adjustments Depreciation
```What is a Zero Coupon Bond?
No interest payments made Bond sold at a discount Interest reflected when Bond matures
What are the characteristics of a computer worm?
Takes over multiple computers Doesn't need a host program to run
How are Conversion Costs calculated under the FIFO method?
Current Costs / EFU FIFO FIFO method uses Current Period costs only and ignores Beginning Inventory
What is included under the Expenditure Approach for calculating GDP?
Individual Consumption Private Investment Government Purchases Net Exports
What are the characteristics of a Junk Bond?
High interest rate High default risk
What is the purpose of Automated Equipment Controls?
They prevent and detect hardware errors.
How is Times Interest Earned calculated and what does it mean?
Can the company make their interest payments? Times Interest Earned = Earnings Before Tax & Interest / Interest Expense
What is the Internal Rate of Return (IRR)?
It calculates a project's actual rate of return through the project's expected cash flows. IRR is the rate of return required for PV of future cash flows to EQUAL the investment. Investment / After Tax Annual Cash Inflow = PV Factor
How is WIP calculated?
Beginning balance (DM, DL, OH) + Current Costs (DM, DL, OH) - COGM (Goes to Finished Goods) + DM EFU x Cost per DM EFU + CC EFU x Cost per CC EFU = Ending WIP
```What is Nominal GDP?
Measures goods/services in current prices.
What are debenture bonds?
Bonds unsecured by collateral
What is RAM?
Random Access Memory. Internal memory in the computer used during immediate processing.
How do period costs and product costs relate to net sales, gross margin and operating income?
Net Sales - Product Costs = Gross Margin - Period Costs = Operating Income
```For what is a GDP Deflator used?
Used to convert GDP to Real GDP
What are subordinated debentures?
Debenture Bonds that will be repaid if any assets are left after liquidation of a company
What is a CPU?
Computer Processing Unit It processes commands within a computer.
What does Return on Assets tell us? How is it calculated?
What % return are the assets generating? Return on Assets = Net Income (net of interest & taxes) / Average Total Assets
Which rate of return is used to re-invest cash flows for Internal Rate of Return?
Cash flows are re-invested at the rate of return earned by the original investment.
What is the focus of Activity Based Costing (ABC)?
Focuses on eliminating non-value-added activities for poor quality and inventory and things customers don’t want or don’t care about Inventory is expensive to store and storing something is not a value-added expenditure Uses Cost Pools - Different departments can have different OH rates Uses Several OH rates based on Activity - Cost Pool / Cost Driver
What is Real GDP?
Nominal GDP / GDP Deflator x 100
What are Redeemable Bonds?
Provision in Bond contract allows demand of Bond payment under certain circumstances
What is Job Control Language?
It schedules and allocates system resources.
How do Cost Pools and Allocations compare under ABC versus traditional costing system?
Cost Pools and Allocations increase compared to a traditional costing system
What is Gross National Product (GNP)?
Like GDP; Swaps foreign production. US Firms overseas are included, Foreign firms domestically are not included
What is a Callable Bond?
Borrower can pay off debt early
What are examples of input devices?
Keyboard Mouse Scanner Magnetic Ink Reader Magnetic Tape Reader EDI Point of Sale Scanner
```How does the rate used for Internal Rate of Return (IRR) compare to that used for Net Present Value (NPV)?
Rate of return for IRR is the rate earned by the investment. Rate of return for NPV is the minimum rate.
What is Backflush Costing?
Connected to Just-in-Time Production, which is part of Activity-Based Costing and Total Quality Management (TQM) o Works backward to “flush out” COGS o ‘Mostly’ GAAP
What is the Consumer Price Index (CPI)? How is it applied?
Price of goods relative to an earlier period of time, which is the benchmark. Year 1 = 1.0 ((CPI Current - CPI Last) ÷ CPI Last) * 100
What is a Convertible Bond?
Lender can demand payment via company stock instead of money
What are examples of Output Devices?
Speakers Monitors Printers
How is Market/Book ratio calculated?
Market Value of Common Stock / Book Value of Common Stock
What are the characteristics of By-Products?
Usually immaterial and common costs aren’t allocated to them o Low Market Value o Can be valued at NRV o Can be treated as a contra expense and netted against COGS o Can be treated as a contra sale and netted against Sales o Recognition rules are very flexible with valuing and classifying by-products
How is disposable income calculated?
Personal Income - Personal Taxes
What is a Sinking Fund?
Borrower deposits regular sums into an account that will eventually pay off the debt
What are the characteristics of Magnetic Tape storage?
Sequential Access – Sorts data in order Slower data retrieval Header Label prevents Operator error by loading wrong tape External Labels prevent accidental destruction by operator
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Internal Rate of Return system?
Strengths: Uses Time Value of Money- Cash Flow emphasis Weakness: Uneven cash flows lead to varied IRR
What are Cost Functions?
Measure how costs change relative to activity levels High-Low Method Change in Cost (High-Low pts) / Change in Activity (High-Low pts)
How is Return to Scale calculated?
% Increase in output / % Increase in input Greater than 1 = Increasing returns to scale Less than 1 = Decreasing returns to scale
What is the disadvantage of Common Stock in comparison to bonds?
Common Stock is more expensive to issue than debt. Why? Investors demand a greater ROI than debtors (bondholders)
What are the characteristics of Magnetic Disks?
Random Access - Finds data in random spots Faster data retrieval Uses Boundary Protection for data
What is Inventory Turnover and how is it calculated?
How quickly does inventory get sold? Inventory Turnover = COGS / Average Inventory
When is the economy in Recession?
When GDP growth is negative for two consecutive quarters.
What is the advantage of Preferred Stock?
Hold dividend priority over common stock
What is a Gateway?
Connects one network to another Note: the Internet is connected by Gateways
When is NPV on an Investment positive?
When the benefits are greater than the costs. IRR is greater than the Discount Rate
What is a Depression?
A prolonged, severe recession with high unemployment rates No requisite period of time for the economy to officially be in a depression
What is Weighted Average Cost of Capital?
A company uses this to determine the true cost of their capital ``` Example: Debt costs 5%; 40% of Cap. Equity costs 12%; 60% of Cap. (5% x 40%) + (12% x 60%) WACC = 9.2%
```What are Parity Checks?
A control that detects internal data errors. A bit is added to each character- it checks to see if a bit was lost.
What is the Quick Ratio and how is it calculated?
It measures short-term liquidity- and only includes assets that are quickly available (i.e. not inventory)
What are the stages of the Economic Cycle?
Peak (highest) Recession (decreasing) Trough (lowest) Recover (increasing) Expansion (higher again)
```What is CAPM?
A stock’s expected performance is based on its beta (risk) compared to that of the stock market. More risk = more expected return.
What is an Echo Check?
Transmitted data is returned to the sender for verification (it echoes back to the sender)
When is NPV on an Investment Negative?
When Costs are greater than Benefits IRR is less than the Discount Rate
What are leading indicators?
Conditions that occur before a recession or before a recovery Example: Stock Market or New Housing Starts
How is Cost of Debt calculated?
(Interest Expense - Tax Benefit) / Carrying Value of Debt
What is a Change Control?
It authorizes program changes and approves program test results.
What is Average Collection Period- and how is it calculated?
How many days does it take the company to collect payment on A/R? Average Collection Period = Average AR / Average Sales Per Day
What are lagging indicators?
Conditions that occur after a recession or after a recovery Examples: Prime Interest Rates, Unemployment
What is security software?
Software that controls access to IT systems. Note: Don't confuse this with anti-virus software
What is an Internal Failure?
Products have quality defects- but are caught BEFORE they leave the warehouse.
When is NPV Zero?
When benefits equal the Costs IRR = Discount Rate
What are coincident indicators?
Conditions that occur during a recession or during a recovery Example: Manufacturing output
What is the purpose of a Digital Signature?
It confirms a message has not been altered.
What is an External Failure?
Product reaches the customer- but they are not satisfied with the quality of the product. This includes recalls.
What is the Payback Method? How is it calculated?
It measures an investment in terms of how long it takes to recoup the initial investment via Annual Cash Inflow Investment / Annual Cash Inflow = Payback Method Compare to a targeted timeframe; if payback is shorter than target- it's a good investment. If payback is longer than target- it's a bad investment.
Which people are included in the calculation of unemployment?
Only people looking for jobs
List the types of computers from smallest to largest
PDA/Smartphone/Tablet Microcomputer - PC- Laptop (cost-effective) Minicomputer - Like a Mainframe- but smaller Mainframe - Large computer with terminals attached Supercomputer - Very powerful and very big
What is Cyclical Unemployment?
GDP doesn’t grow fast enough to employ all people who are looking for work Example: People are unemployed in 2010 because there aren’t enough jobs available due to the economy
What are the units of computer data from smallest to largest?
Bit - 1 (on) and 0 (off) Byte - 8 bits to a byte/character Field - group of related characters/bytes (i.e. Name- Zip Code- Serial #) Record - Group of related fields (i.e. Member name- address- phone number) File - Group of related records (i.e. Membership directory)
What is Appraisal Cost?
Quality control- testing & inspection costs.
What are the strengths of the Payback Method?
Takes risk into consideration 2 year payback is less risky than a 5 year payback
What is Frictional Unemployment?
People are changing jobs or entering the work force. This is a normal aspect of full employment. Example: A recent college graduate is looking for a job
What is the duty of a design engineer?
Determine language used for a specific computer- on a computer-to-computer basis
What are the weaknesses of the payback method?
Ignores the Time Value of Money Exception: Discount payback method Ignores cash flow after the initial investment is paid back
What is Structural Unemployment?
A worker’s job skills do not match those necessary to get a job so they need education or training Example: A construction worker wants to work in an office, so they quit their job and get computer training
What are object programs?
Programs written in base computer language- not similar to English.
What is the Accounting Rate of Return?
An approximate rate of return on assets ARR = Net Income / Average Investment Compare to a targeted return rate; if ARR greater than target- good investment. If ARR less than target- bad investment.
How does inflation relate to unemployment?
High Unemployment = Low Inflation (Vice Versa)
How can source programs be recognized?
They are written in a language close to English.
What are the strengths of the Accounting Rate of Return (ARR)?
Simple to use People understand easily
What is the Discount Rate?
The rate a bank pays to borrow from the Fed.
What is the purpose of a Compiler?
Takes Source language (English) and converts to Object (Computer) Language
What are the weaknesses of the Accounting Rate of Return (ARR)?
Can be skewed based on Depreciation method that is used. Ignores the Time Value of Money.
What is the Prime Rate?
The rate a bank charges their best customers on short-term borrowings.
How does Online Analytical Processing work?
It uses a Data Warehouse to support management decision making.
What is an Expected Return?
An approximate rate of return on assets.
What is the Real Interest Rate?
Inflation-adjusted interest rate
What is Data Mining?
Using artificial intelligence and pattern recognition to analyze data stores within a Data Warehouse.
What is the Nominal Rate?
Rate that uses current prices
What is the purpose of online transaction processing?
To process a company's routine transactions.
What is the Risk-Free Rate?
Rate for a loan with 100% certainty of payback. Usually results in a lower rate. US Treasuries are an example.
What are the characteristics of batch processing?
Data held- updates multiple files all at once Leaves a better audit trail Uses Grandfather-Father-Son backup (3 levels of backup kept in 3 locations)
What is included in the M1 money supply?
Currency, Coins, and Deposits
What does an output control check for?
Checks to see if output data is valid- distributed and used in an authorized manner.
What is included in the M2 money supply?
Highly liquid assets other than currency, coins or deposits
What does a processing control check?
Checks if data processing produced proper output
What is Deficit Spending?
Increased spending levels without increased tax revenue. Lower taxes without decrease in spending Gamble that the multiplier effect will take over and boost economy
What is a hash total?
An input control number- a meaningless sum of values included in the input. Example would be summing a list of SSNs to make sure the data is the same once entered as it was prior to input into the system.
How can the Fed control the money supply?
By buying and selling the government's securities.
What is a validity check?
Checks to see if data in existing tables or files belongs in the set For example- is there a # in an alpha-only field or a letter in a numeric-only field
How does the Fed control economy-wide interest rates?
By adjusting the discount rate charged to banks
What is a limit check?
Checks to see if numbers surpass a certain limit- i.e. in an age field is the number greater than 110.
What is a Tariff?
A tax on imported goods
What is a check digit?
An input control that adds an identification number to a set of digits – usually at the end
What is a quota?
A limit on the number of goods that can be imported
What is a field check?
An input check that prevents invalid characters- i.e. checks for alphabetic letters in a SSN field
How do international trade restrictions affect domestic producers?
They are good for domestic producers. Demand curve shifts right Fewer substitutes They can charge higher prices
What is a Hot Site?
A disaster recovery system where if the main system goes down- a Hot Site is ready to take over immediately.
How to international trade restrictions affect foreign producers?
They are bad for foreign producers Demand curve shifts left Fewer buyers They must charge lower prices
What is a Cold Site?
If a main system goes down- a Cold Site will take time to get set up and running.
How do international trade restrictions affect foreign consumers?
They are good for foreign consumers Supply curve shifts right Goods purchased at lower prices in the foreign markets
What is the most common database language?
SQL - Standard Query Language
How do international trade restrictions affect domestic consumers?
They are bad for domestic consumers Supply curve shifts left Fewer goods bought due to higher prices
What is a Data Definition Language?
Defines SQL Database Controls SQL Tables
What is Accounting Cost?
Explicit (Actual) cost of operating a business Implicit costs are opportunity costs
What is a Data Manipulation Language?
Queries SQL Database tables
What is Accounting Profit?
Revenue - Accounting Cost
What is a Data Control Language?
Controls Access to SQL Database
What is Economic Cost?
Explicit + Implicit Cost
What are the characteristics of a Relational Database?
Logical structure Uses rows and columns similar to spreadsheet
What is Economic Profit?
Revenue - Economic Cost
What are the characteristics of a Hierarchical Database?
Has various levels Uses trees to store data
What are the advantages of a database?
Data is more accessible Reduced redundancy
What are the disadvantages of a database?
Cost of installation Skilled personnel required to maintain
What are the components of a database?
Desktop client Application Server Database Server Think: Your desktop computer runs applications and saves to a database
