Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Accounting New
Accounting New
Nature of Accounting:
3. Accounting is means and not an end: Accounting finds out the financial results and
position of an entity and the same time, it communicates this information to its users. The
users then take their own decisions on the basis of such information. So, it can be said
that mere keeping of accounts can be the primary objective of any person or entity. On
the other hand, the main objective may be identified as taking decisions on the basis of
financial information supplied by accounting. Thus, accounting itself is not an objective,
it helps attaining a specific objective. So it is said the accounting is ‘a means to an end’
and it is not ‘an end in itself.’
4. Accounting deals with financial information and transactions; Accounting records the
financial transactions and date after classifying the same and finalizes their result for a
definite period for conveying them to their users. So, from starting to the end, at every
stage, accounting deals with financial information. Only financial information is its
subject matter. It does not deal with non-monetary information of non-financial aspect.
Accounting has got a very wide scope and area of application. Its use is not confined to
the business world alone, but spread over in all the spheres of the society and in all
professions. Now-a-days, in any social institution or professional activity, whether that is
profit earning or not, financial transactions must take place. So there arises the need for
recording and summarizing these transactions when they occur and the necessity of
finding out the net result of the same after the expiry of a certain fixed period. Besides,
the is also the need for interpretation and communication of those information to the
appropriate persons. Only accounting use can help overcome these problems.
In the modern world, accounting system is practiced no only in all the business
institutions but also in many non-trading institutions like Schools, Colleges, Hospitals,
Charitable Trust Clubs, Co-operative Society etc.and also Government and Local Self-
Government in the form of Municipality, Panchayat.The professional persons like
Medical practitioners, practicing Lawyers, Chartered Accountants etc.also adopt some
suitable types of accounting methods. As a matter of fact, accounting methods are used
by all who are involved in a series of financial transactions.
The scope of accounting as it was in earlier days has undergone lots of changes in recent
times. As accounting is a dynamic subject, its scope and area of operation have been
always increasing keeping pace with the changes in socio-economic changes. As a result
of continuous research in this field the new areas of application of accounting principles
and policies are emerged. National accounting, human resources accounting and social
Accounting are examples of the new areas of application of accounting systems.
But the same is possible only when the cost accounting system is being
introduced.
Historic in Nature:
Since the financial accounting records all transactions relating to a
particular period, it is rather historic in nature. In short, present financial
information relating to a past period and not for the future although all
financial decisions are taken on the basis of past financial data.
Technical Subject:
Since financial accounting is a technical subject, it is not possible for a
common man to understand it. Without the proper knowledge of principles
and conventions of accounting it is not possible to analyse the financial
data to take any financial decision. Naturally, it has got little value to a
person who is not conversant with the subject.
For example, some accountants prefer to use FIFO method for valuing
inventory whereas others prefer to use LIFO or some other method; or,
some accountants prefer to use Straight-line Method of depreciation but
others prefer to use Diminishing Balance Method etc.
Financial accounting presents only the result of the business through profit
and financial positions, i.e., the rate of profitability. But the profit may be
affected by many of outside factors which are not recorded by financial
accounting.
May be Manipulated:
Financial accounting may be manipulated, i.e., it may be presented as per
desire of the management. For example, profit sometimes may be reduced
in order to evade tax and to avoid bonus to the employees. On the contrary,
more profit may be shown in order to raise fresh equity shares or to pay
more dividend to attract the shareholders and others.
Income Statement
Financial accounting is used to report the outcome of business operations in
monetary form. To do this the accounting department uses financial accounting
techniques to create an income statement. The income statement is also called
the profit and loss statement. As the name indicated it reports whether or not
the company had a profit or a loss over a given period of time. Public
companies report and publish their income statements with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC). Private companies perform the same procedures
but they do not publish the outcome.
Balance Sheet
Financial accounting is also used to determine a companies financial position
for a specific period in time. This process is repeated monthly, quarterly and
annually. The accounting department creates a balance sheet which provides
the financial position of the company at a given time. The balance sheet
contains the status of the companies asset, liability and equity accounts. This
information is critical in determining liquidity, solvency and the future viability of
the business continuing operations.
Cash Flow
Different businesses in different industries have varying monthly cash needs.
However, using financial accounting, the accounting department, has the ability
to create cash flow statements. Used for managerial accounting as well, cash
flow statements examined over a period of time can generate a history of cash
fluctuations. This data can be used to report the company’s cash position and
going concern theory. The going concern theory is a test of whether a company
can continue operations.
Financial Ratios
Financial ratios are computed when the financial statements are created. These
ratios tell an investor or manager how well positioned an organization is to
continue operations. These ratios determine a company’s liquidity. Liquidity is
the measure of a company’s ability to pay their short term debt when it comes
due. Solvency is the measure of how well a company will be able to meets its
long term debt obligations. These ratios are critical in determining the health
and long term vitality of a company since the financial statements only report for
a certain period.
Management Decisions
Decisions require information. Making a decision without a basis or intelligence
on the subject matter is called gambling. All of the financial accounting tools
mentioned here are used to make solid management decisions. Decisions on
whether to borrow to cover cash needs, invest surplus cash and expand
production or possible the production line. This financial data is instrumental in
these decisions.
Compliance
Financial reporting is required by all public US companies. This process is
complex and time consuming. However, it is easier to explain. Quarterly and
annually public companies report their results and publish their outcomes with
the SEC, mentioned earlier in this article. This is the most obvious use of
financial accounting data.
Scope Of Management Accounting
The scope or field of management accounting is very wide and broad based and it
includes a variety of aspects of business operations. The main aim of
management accounting is to help management in its functions of planning,
directing, controlling and areas of specialization included within the admit of
management accounting. The scope of management accounting can be studied as
follows:
1. Financial Accounting
Financial accounting forms the basis for analysis and interpretation for
furnishing meaningful data to the management. The control aspect is based on
financial data and performance evaluation, on recorded facts and figures. So,
management accounting is closely related to financial accounting in many
respects.
2. Cost Accounting
Budgeting means expressing the plans, policies and goals of the firm for a
definite period in future. Forecasting on the other hand, is a prediction of what
will happen as a result of a given set of circumstances. Forecasting is a judgement
whereas the budgeting is an organizational object. These are useful for
management accounting in planning.
4. Inventory Control
Inventory is necessary to control from the time it is acquire till its final disposal
as it involves large sum. For controlling inventory, management should
determine different level of stock. The inventory control technique will be helpful
for taking managerial decisions.
5. Statistical Method
Statistical tools not only make the information more impressive, comprehensive
and intelligible but also are highly useful for planning and forecasting.
6. Interpretation Of Data
7. Reporting To Management
Management accounting studies all the tax matters to assist the management in
investment decisions vis-a-vis tax planning as a resource to enjoy tax relief.
9. Methods Of Procedures
2. Increase in Efficiency
It is the nature of management accounting that it is used for increasing in the
efficiency of organization. It scans the points of inefficiency through analysis of
accounting information. By taking action for improving, organization
can increase the efficiency.