Information on Loughborough

Accounting - How To Succeed

Accounting - How to Succeed 2By Peter Radford

Accounting Double Entry

Accounting involves the classification, analysis and dissemination of financial information and details to those parties who require such information and details in order to make informed judgments and decisions based on the material.

It is the measurement and control of financial transactions which are, in essence, the transfer of legal property rights, between one party and another, made under binding arrangements. However, transactions that are not financial in nature are specifically excluded since they are regarded as not material.

The double-entry bookkeeping system used in accountancy is the linchpin used by businesses and organisations to record all of their financial transactions. The concept was first introduced in 1494 by the Italian mathematician Luca Pacioli.

It is based on the proposition that a measure of a business's financial well being and a record of the results of its operations are greatest recorded by the use of accounts.

Accordingly, each account records an historical log of the changes in the monetary values relating to different aspects of the business. The method originally enunciated by Pacioli is now called double-entry bookkeeping.

The basis for this system is, quite simply, that each transaction is recorded in at least two accounts. It is established upon the supposition that for each financial transaction, there is at least one account being debited whilst, at the same time, at least one other account is being credited. The result of this process is that the total debits of the transaction are equal to the total credits so that the overall net value is zero.

Consider the following scenario. Suppose Mr A sells an article to Mr B, who then pays Mr A by means of a cheque. The bookkeeper working on behalf of Mr A would credit the account called "Sales" and debit the account called "Bank" (this would result in money flowing into the bank account). On the other hand, the bookkeeper working on behalf of Mr B would debit the account called "Purchases" and credit the account called "Bank"(this would result in money flowing out of the bank account).

It is the accepted principle that debit entries are added to the left hand side and credit entries to the right hand side of the general ledger account.

Thegeneral ledger, also known as the nominal ledger, is the main source for the recording of the accounting records of a company (Generally, a company is a form of business organization. In the legal field, a company is specifically "a corporation -- or, less commonly, an association, partnership, or union -- that carries on a commercial or industrial enterprise) or business that makes use of the double entry process, bearing in mind that there is also a single entry process, which is a much more restrictive version.

It holds numerous accounts for such items as current assets, fixed assets, liabilities, revenue, expenses, gains and losses. The ledger accounts themselves are set up as T accounts, since they resemble the letter T when the account is empty.

It has been suggested that the double entry system dates back even further to the period of ancient Rome or Greece. Some critics of current accounting methods have suggested that the methodology has changed very small since this time, which must surely indicate that the principles set out hundreds of years ago were based on solid foundations.

Particularly pertinent in this respect is the approach engendered in social accounting which argues that business entities should pay more than lip service to the social and environmental impacts brought about by their activities.

It has been argued that accounting should not solely be concerned with the financial evaluation of economic events, however should embrace a wider audience, such as shareholders, and broaden its appeal beyond reporting simply financial profit and loss.

Peter Radford writes Articles with Websites on a wide range of subjects, under the heading: Subject - How To Succeed. Accounting Articles cover Background, Historical, Double Entry, Accounting Software and Applications. Website has many more.

View his Website at: accounting-how-to-succeed.com

View his Blog at: accounting-how-to-succeed.blogspot.com

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Accounting - How to Succeed 2

Accounting - How to Succeed 2By Peter Radford

Accounting Double Entry

Accounting involves the classification, analysis and dissemination of financial information and details to those parties who require such information and details in order to make informed judgments and decisions based on the material.

It is the measurement and control of financial transactions which are, in essence, the transfer of legal property rights, between one party and another, made under binding arrangements. However, transactions that are not financial in nature are specifically excluded since they are regarded as not material.

The double-entry bookkeeping system used in accountancy is the linchpin used by businesses and organisations to record all of their financial transactions. The concept was first introduced in 1494 by the Italian mathematician Luca Pacioli.

It is based on the proposition that a measure of a business's financial well being and a record of the results of its operations are greatest recorded by the use of accounts.

Accordingly, each account records an historical log of the changes in the monetary values relating to different aspects of the business. The method originally enunciated by Pacioli is now called double-entry bookkeeping.

The basis for this system is, quite simply, that each transaction is recorded in at least two accounts. It is established upon the supposition that for each financial transaction, there is at least one account being debited whilst, at the same time, at least one other account is being credited. The result of this process is that the total debits of the transaction are equal to the total credits so that the overall net value is zero.

Consider the following scenario. Suppose Mr A sells an article to Mr B, who then pays Mr A by means of a cheque. The bookkeeper working on behalf of Mr A would credit the account called "Sales" and debit the account called "Bank" (this would result in money flowing into the bank account). On the other hand, the bookkeeper working on behalf of Mr B would debit the account called "Purchases" and credit the account called "Bank"(this would result in money flowing out of the bank account).

It is the accepted principle that debit entries are added to the left hand side and credit entries to the right hand side of the general ledger account.

Thegeneral ledger, also known as the nominal ledger, is the main source for the recording of the accounting records of a company (Generally, a company is a form of business organization. In the legal field, a company is specifically "a corporation -- or, less commonly, an association, partnership, or union -- that carries on a commercial or industrial enterprise) or business that makes use of the double entry process, bearing in mind that there is also a single entry process, which is a much more restrictive version.

It holds numerous accounts for such items as current assets, fixed assets, liabilities, revenue, expenses, gains and losses. The ledger accounts themselves are set up as T accounts, since they resemble the letter T when the account is empty.

It has been suggested that the double entry system dates back even further to the period of ancient Rome or Greece. Some critics of current accounting methods have suggested that the methodology has changed very small since this time, which must surely indicate that the principles set out hundreds of years ago were based on solid foundations.

Particularly pertinent in this respect is the approach engendered in social accounting which argues that business entities should pay more than lip service to the social and environmental impacts brought about by their activities.

It has been argued that accounting should not solely be concerned with the financial evaluation of economic events, however should embrace a wider audience, such as shareholders, and broaden its appeal beyond reporting simply financial profit and loss.

Peter Radford writes Articles with Websites on a wide range of subjects, under the heading: Subject - How To Succeed. Accounting Articles cover Background, Historical, Double Entry, Accounting Software and Applications. Website has many more.

View his Website at: accounting-how-to-succeed.com

View his Blog at: accounting-how-to-succeed.blogspot.com

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What is the Difference Between Bookkeeping and Accounting?

Accountants

What is the Difference Between Bookkeeping and Accounting?By John Dixon

What is the difference between bookkeeping, accounting, and accountancy? When someone says they are an accountant, are they really a bookkeeper? Does it really matter?

Bookkeeping

Bookkeeping is the process of systematically recording the financial transactions of a business, so as to show how the transactions relate to each other. Bookkeeping is largely a mechanical process and does not involve any analysis of the financial transactions, however rather the recording of them.

Traditionally, the records were kept in a book, hence the name bookkeeping. These days, bookkeeping is normally performed using a bookkeeping software package, however the names of the books (daybook, cashbook, journal, and ledger) are still used.

A bookkeeper's function is primarily one of recording transactions in the journal and posting to the ledger, and is sometimes referred to as an accounts clerk.

There are two types of bookkeeping: single entry and double-entry. In single entry bookkeeping, the record of each transaction is carried to either the debit or credit column of a single account. In double-entry bookkeeping, two entries of each transaction are carried to the ledger: one to the debit side, and one to the credit side, of the corresponding account. This is so the two entries can be used to check each other.

Accounting

Accounting is the systematic recording, reporting, andanalysis of financial transactions of a business. As bookkeeping involves making a financial record of business transactions, it is true to say that the role of bookkeeping is encompassed within the scope of accounting, and the bookkeeping system used by a business would form part of the accounting system.

Accounting also includes the preparation of statements concerning assets, liabilities and the operating results of a business.

Accountancy is the occupation related to accounting, and an accountant is the person who does, or at least is responsible for, the work. Accountants often specialize in a particular area of accounting such as taxes, auditing, or management.

In a small company, all of the bookkeeping and accounting tasks may well be performed by a single person. In this situation, that person would normally be referred to as an accountant.

About the Author: John Dixon is a web developer working through his own company John Dixon Technology. As well as providing web development services, John's company also provides a free bookkeeping tool.