Definitions Flashcards
Account
An individual accounting record of increases and decreases in a specific asset, liability, and/or shareholder’s equity (common shares, retained earnings, revenue, expense, and dividends declared) item.
Accounting
The information system that identifies, records, and communicates the economic events of an organization to users interested in that information.
Accounting cycle
A series of nine steps used to account for, and report, transactions: analyze transactions (step 1), journalize transactions (step 2), post transactions (step 3), prepare a trial balance (step 4), journalize and post adjusting entries (step 5), prepare an adjusted trial balance (step 6), prepare financial statements (step 7), journalize and post closing entries (step 8), and prepare a post-closing trial balance.
Accounting equation
The equation that states that Assets = Liabilities + Shareholders’ Equity.
Accounting information system
The system of collecting and processing transaction data and communicating financial information to decision makers.
Accounting transaction
An economic event that is recorded in the financial statements because it involves an exchange that affects assets, liabilities, and/or shareholders’ equity.
Accounts payable
Amounts owed to suppliers for purchases made on credit (on account).
Accounts receivable
Amounts owed by customers who purchased products or services on credit (on account).
Accrual basis of accounting
An accounting basis in which transactions that change a company’s financial statements are recorded in the periods in which the events occur, rather than in the periods in which the company receives or pays cash
Accrued expenses
Expenses incurred but not yet paid in cash that are recorded at the end of the period by an adjusting entry
Accrued revenues
Revenues earned but not yet received in cash that are recorded at the end of an accounting period by an adjusting entry.
Accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI)
The cumulative change in shareholders’ equity that results from the gains and losses that bypass net income (recorded in other comprehensive income) but affect shareholders’ equity.
Adjusted trial balance
A list of accounts and their balances after all adjusting journal entries have been recorded and posted.
Adjusting entries
Journal entries made at the end of an accounting period to update the accounts to ensure the proper recognition of revenues and expenses.
Aging of accounts receivable
A method of determining bad debts expense and allowance for doubtful accounts based on an analysis of customer balances by the length of time they have been outstanding.
Allowance method
A method of accounting for bad debts that involves estimating uncollectible accounts at the end of each period.
Amortizable amount
The cost of a finite-life intangible asset (for example, patent, copyright) less its residual value, if any.
Amortization
The systematic allocation of the amortizable cost of a finite-life intangible asset over the shorter of the asset’s legal or useful life.
Amortized cost model
A method of valuing debt investments that are held to earn cash flows with specified payment dates in a contract in which the carrying value is adjusted only to the extent that discounts and premiums are amortized and not for the effect of changes in fair value.
Annuity
A series of equal payments received over time.
Asset retirement costs
The amount added to the cost of a long-lived asset that relates to obligations to dismantle, remove, or restore an asset when it is retired.
Asset turnover
A measure of how efficiently a company uses its total assets to generate sales. It is calculated by dividing sales by average total assets [(beginning + ending total assets) ÷ 2]
Assets
The resources owned or controlled by a business that are expected to provide future economic benefits
Associate
An investee that is significantly influenced by an investor
Authorized shares
The amount of share capital that a corporation is authorized to sell. The amount may be unlimited or specified.
Average collection period
The average amount of time that a receivable is outstanding. It is calculated by dividing 365 days by the receivables turnover.
Average cost formula
An inventory cost formula that assumes that the goods available for sale are homogeneous or non-distinguishable. The cost of goods sold and ending inventory are determined using a weighted average unit cost, calculated by dividing the cost of the goods available for sale by the units available for sale.
Bank indebtedness
A short-term loan, such as an operating line of credit, pre-arranged with a bank to cover cash shortfalls
Basic earnings per share (EPS)
A measure of profitability showing the income earned by each common share. It is calculated by dividing income available to common shareholders by the weighted average number of common shares.
Bond
A type of long-term debt issued by large corporations, universities, and governments that involves a promise to repay a large amount of money at a fixed future date.
Capital expenditures
Expenditures that benefit future periods. They are recorded (capitalized) as long-lived assets.
Capital lease
A long-term agreement allowing one party (the lessee) to use the asset of another party (the lessor). The arrangement is accounted for as a purchase because the risks and rewards of owning the asset have been transferred to the lessee.
Carrying amount
Amount at which an asset is recognized in the statement of financial position. Can be used to describe the assets of a company as a whole or individual assets such as accounts receivable (cost less allowance for doubtful accounts), depreciable assets (cost less accumulated depreciation), amortizable assets (cost less accumulated amortization), investments, and bonds.
Cash
Resources that consist of coins, currency, cheques, and money orders that are acceptable at face value on deposit in a bank or similar institution.
Cash basis accounting
An accounting basis in which revenue is recorded only when cash is received, and an expense is recorded only when cash is paid.
Cash dividends
A pro rata (proportional) distribution of cash to shareholders.
Cash equivalents
Short-term, highly liquid (easily sold) investments that have insignificant risk, are held to meet short-term cash needs rather than for investment purposes and are readily converted into cash, usually within less than 90 days.
Chart of account
A list of a company’s accounts and account numbers that identify where the accounts are in the general ledger.
Closing entries
Journal entries at the end of an accounting period to transfer the balances of temporary accounts (revenues, expenses, and dividends declared) to the permanent shareholders’ equity account Retained Earnings.
Collateral
Assets pledged as security for the payment of a debt.
Collusion
Two or more individuals working together to get around prescribed control activities
Comparability
An enhancing qualitative characteristic of useful information that enables users to identify and understand similarities in, and differences among, items.
Compound interest
Interest that is earned on interest earned in prior periods.
Comprehensive income
The total change in the shareholders’ equity of the entity from non-owner sources. Includes net income as well as other comprehensive income.
Conceptual framework
A coherent system of interrelated objectives and fundamentals that can lead to consistent standards and that prescribes the nature, function, and limits of financial accounting statements
Consigned goods
Goods shipped by a consignor, who retains ownership, to a party called the consignee, who holds the goods for sale.
Consignee
The party that holds the consigned goods and is responsible for selling them, but does not own the goods.
Consignor
The party that owns the consigned goods, but has transferred them to a consignee who is responsible for selling them.
Consolidated financial statements
Financial statements that present the accounts of both the parent company and its subsidiaries on a combined basis.
Contingent liabilities
Existing or possible obligations arising from past events. The liability is contingent (dependent) on whether some uncertain future event occurs that will confirm either its existence or the amount payable, or both.
Contra expense account
An account that is offset against (reduces) an expense account on the statement of income. Examples include purchase returns and allowances and purchase discounts.
Contra asset account
An account that is offset against (reduces) another related asset account on the statement of financial position. Examples include allowance for doubtful accounts and accumulated depreciation.
Contra revenue account
An account that is offset against (reduces) a revenue account on the statement of income. Examples include sales returns and allowances and sales discounts.
Contracted-based approach
An approach to revenue recognition that recognizes revenue when an entity satisfies a performance obligation in a contract by transferring a promised good or service to a customer.
Contributed surplus
A source of contributed capital that can result from certain types of equity transactions, including the reacquisition of shares.
Control account
An account in the general ledger that summarizes the details for a subsidiary ledger and controls it.
Copyright
An exclusive right granted by the federal government allowing the owner to reproduce and sell an artistic or published work for a period extending over the life of the creator plus 50 years.
Corporate life cycle
The four phases in the life of a business: introductory, growth, maturity, and decline. In each phase, the nature of the company’s cash flows changes.
Corporation
A company organized as a separate legal entity, with most of the rights and privileges of a person. Shares are evidence of ownership.
Cost constraint
The pervasive constraint that ensures that the value of the information provided in financial reporting is greater than the cost of providing it.
Cost model (for investments)
An accounting model in which an equity investment is recorded at cost because a fair value for the investment cannot be readily determined. This model is also a choice allowed under ASPE for investments in associates. Investment income is recognized only when cash dividends are earned.
Cost model (for long-lived assets)
A model for accounting for an asset that carries the asset at its cost less any accumulated depreciation or amortization.
Cost of goods available for sale
The sum of beginning inventory and the cost of goods purchased.
Cost of goods purchased
The sum of net purchases and freight in.
Cost of goods sold
The total cost of inventory sold during the period. In a perpetual inventory system, it is calculated and recorded for each sale. In a periodic inventory system, it is calculated at the end of the accounting period by deducting ending inventory from the cost of goods available for sale.
Coupon interest rate
The rate stated in a bond certificate used to determine the amount of interest the borrower pays and the investor receives.
Credit
The right side of an account.
Creditors
Users of accounting information, including suppliers, that grant credit (sell on account) to a customer.
Cummulative
A feature of preferred shares that entitles the shareholder to receive current-year and unpaid prior-year dividends before common shareholders receive any dividends.
Current assets
Assets that are expected to be converted into cash, sold, or used up within one year of the company’s financial statement date.
Current liabilities
Obligations that will be paid or settled within one year of the company’s financial statement date.
Current portion of long-term debt`
(also known as current maturities of long-term debt) The portion of a non-current or long-term loan that is repayable within the current year.
Current ratio
A measure of liquidity used to evaluate a company’s short-term debt-paying ability. It is calculated by dividing current assets by current liabilities.
Data analytics
The process of analyzing data to find patterns and correlations, trends, and other valuable insights to enhance decision-making.
Days in inventory
A liquidity measure of the average number of days that inventory is held. It is calculated as 365 days divided by the inventory turnover ratio.
Debit
The left side of an account.
Debt investment
An investment in money-market instruments, bonds, commercial paper, or similar items.
Debt to total assets
A measure of solvency showing the percentage of total financing that is provided by lenders and other creditors. It is calculated by dividing total liabilities by total assets.
Declaration date
The date the board of directors formally declares (approves) a dividend and announces it to shareholders.
Deferred revenue
A liability representing cash receipts from customers that have not yet met the criteria for revenue recognition.
Deficit
A negative balance in retained earnings resulting from cumulative net losses exceeding cumulative net income.
Depletion
The depreciation of natural resources.
Deposits in transit
Amounts deposited at a bank and recorded by the depositor that have not yet been recorded by the bank.
Depreciable amount
The cost of a depreciable asset (for example, property, plant, and equipment) less its residual value.
Depreciation
The process of allocating the cost of a depreciable asset (for example, buildings and equipment) over its useful life.
Derecognized
The term used when an asset (such as a note receivable; property, plant, and equipment; or an intangible asset) no longer provides any future benefits and is removed from the accounts.
Development costs
Expenditures related to the application of research to a plan or design for a new or improved product or process for commercial use. These costs are recorded (capitalized) as long-lived assets.
Diminished-balance method
A depreciation method in which depreciation expense is calculated by multiplying the carrying amount of an asset by a depreciation rate (the straight-line rate, which is 100% divided by the useful life, adjusted for any multiplier effect). This method produces a decreasing periodic depreciation expense over the asset’s useful life.
Direct method
A method of determining net cash provided (used) by operating activities on the statement of cash flows by adjusting each item in the statement of income from the accrual basis to the cash basis.
Discontinued operations
The disposal, or availability for sale, of a separate component of an entity. A component is a major line of business or major geographic area of operations.
Discount
The difference between a bond’s face value and its issue price when it is sold for less than its face value. This occurs when the market interest rate is higher than the coupon interest rate.
Dishonoured note
A note that is not paid in full at maturity.
Dividend yield
A measure of the percentage of the share price that is paid in dividends. It is calculated by dividing dividends per share by the share price.
Dividends
The distribution of retained earnings from a corporation to its shareholders, normally in the form of cash.
Dividends in arrears
Dividends that were not declared on cumulative preferred shares during a period
Double-entry accounting system
A system that records the dual effect of each transaction in appropriate accounts.
Earnings-based approach
An approach to revenue recognition that recognizes revenue when performance is substantially complete and collection is reasonably assured.
EBIT
Earnings (net income) before interest expense and income tax expense.
Effective-interest methods
A method of amortizing a bond discount or premium that results in a periodic interest expense that equals a constant percentage (the market or effective interest rate) of the bond’s carrying amount. Amortization is calculated as the difference between the interest expense and the interest paid.
Elements of financial statements
A set of broad categories or classes used to group financial information for presentation in the financial statements, such as assets, liabilities, equity, income, and expenses.
Employee benefits
Payments made by an employer for its share of Canada Pension Plan, Employment Insurance, pension, insurance, health, and/or other benefits paid on behalf of its employees.
Equity investment
An investment in the share capital (common and/or preferred shares) of other corporations.
Equity method
An accounting method in which the investment in common shares is initially recorded at cost. The investment account is then adjusted (increased for the investor’s share of the investee’s net income and decreased for dividends received) to show the investor’s equity in the investee.
Estimated inventory returns
The estimated cost of inventory that is expected to be returned by customers.
Expected credit losses
Losses that are expected to result from customers defaulting on accounts receivable.
Expense recognition
The process of recording an expense when there is a decrease in future economic benefits related to a decrease in an asset or an increase in a liability in the course of ordinary activities. Expense recognition is linked to revenue recognition in that expenses are recognized in the period in which a company makes efforts to generate revenues.
Expenses
The decreases in economic benefits that result from the costs of assets consumed or services used in ongoing operations to generate revenue.
External users
Users of accounting information that are not involved in managing the organization and do not have access to accounting information other than that which is publicly available, including investors, lenders, and other creditors.
Fair value
(also known as current value or current cost) An estimate of the price a company would pay to purchase an asset or settle a liability today with arms’-length parties under normal business conditions.
Fair value basis of accounting
A method of accounting under which assets are recognized on the statement of financial position at their fair values.