Chapter 11 Flashcards
How do accountants prepare performance reports of businesses
accountants keep records of transactions such as taxes paid, income received, and expenses incurred—a process called bookkeeping—and they analyze the effects of these transactions on business activities.
what do accountants prepare
performance reports for owners, the public, and regulatory agencies
What does accounting measure
business performance and translates the findings into information for management decisions
Accounting
comprehensive information system for collecting, analyzing, and communicating financial information
Bookkeeping
recording accounting transactions
Accounting information system
a system used to make sure financial information is consistent and dependable.
- organized procedure for identifying, measuring, recording, and retaining financial information so that it can be used in accounting statements and management reports
controller
The individual who manages all the firm’s accounting activities.
financial accounting
EXTERNAL accounting process - a specific branch of accounting involving a process of recording, summarizing, and reporting the myriad of transactions resulting from business operations over a period of time.
managerial accounting
a method of accounting that creates statements, reports, and documents that help management in making better decisions related to their business’ performance. Managerial accounting is primarily used for internal purposes.
financial accounting system
The process whereby interested groups are kept informed about the financial condition of a firm
Audit
Audit
An accountant’s examination of a company’s financial records to determine if it used proper procedures to prepare its financial reports.
Forensic accountant
Accountants who track down hidden funds in business firms.
Management consulting services
Specialized accounting services to help managers resolve a variety of problems in finance, production scheduling, and other a
Private accountant
An accountant hired as a salaried employee to deal with a company’s day-to-day accounting needs.
Accounting cycle
- Analyze transaction documents
- Record transactions in journal
- transfer entries from journal to ledger
- Do a trial balance
- Prepare financial statements
- Analyze the financial statements
Accounting equation
Assets = Liabilities + Owners’ equity
Asset
Anything of economic value owned by a firm or individual.
Liability
Any debt owed by a firm or individual to other
Owner’s equity
Any positive difference between a firm’s assets and its liabilities; what would remain for a firm’s owners if the company were liquidated, all its assets were sold, and all its debts were paid.
Two sources of capital for owner’s equity
- The amount the owners originally invested 2. Profits earned by and reinvested in the company
Financial statements
Any of several types of broad reports regarding a company’s financial status; most often used in reference to balance sheets, income statements, and/or statements of cash flows
Current assets
Cash and other assets that can be converted into cash within a year.
Liquidity
The ease and speed with which an asset can be converted to cash; cash is said to be perfectly liquid.
Fixed assets
Assets that have long-term use or value to the firm, such as land, buildings, and machinery.
Depreciation
Accounting method for distributing the cost of an asset over its useful life
Intangible assets
Non-physical assets, such as a patent or trademark, that have economic value in the form of expected benefit.
Goodwill
the value of the business that exceeds its assets minus the liabilities. It represents the non-physical assets, such as the value created by a solid customer base, brand recognition or excellence of management.
Current liabilities
Debt that must be paid within one year