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The other option for completing a cash flow statement is the direct method,
which lists actual cash inflows and outflows made during the reporting period.
The indirect method is more commonly used in practice, especially among
larger firms.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Under the indirect method, the cash flow statement begins with net
income on an accrual basis and subsequently adds and subtracts non-
cash items to reconcile to actual cash flows from operations.
The indirect method is often easier to use than the direct method since
most larger businesses already use accrual accounting.
The complexity and time required to list every cash disbursement—as
required by the direct method—makes the indirect method preferred
and more commonly used.
The indirect method presents the statement of cash flows beginning with net
income or loss, with subsequent additions to or deductions from that amount
for non-cash revenue and expense items, resulting in cash flow from
operating activities.
The indirect method of the cash flow statement attempts to revert the record
to the cash method to depict actual cash inflows and outflows during the
period. In this example, at the time of sale, a debit would have been made
to accounts receivable and a credit to sales revenue in the amount of $500.
The debit increases accounts receivable, which is then displayed on the
balance sheet.
Under the indirect method, the cash flows statement will present net income
on the first line. The following lines will show increases and decreases in
asset and liability accounts, and these items will be added to or subtracted
from net income based on the cash impact of the item.
In this example, no cash had been received but $500 in revenue had been
recognized. Therefore, net income was overstated by this amount on a cash
basis. The offset was sitting in the accounts receivable line item on the
balance sheet. There would need to be a reduction from net income on the
cash flow statement in the amount of the $500 increase to accounts
receivable due to this sale. It would be displayed as "Increase in Accounts
Receivable (500)."
Under the direct method, the cash flow from operating activities is presented
as actual cash inflows and outflows on a cash basis, without starting from net
income on an accrued basis. The investing and financing sections of the
statement of cash flows are prepared in the same way for both the indirect
and direct methods.