PROFITABILITY OF ACCOUNTING

255562_highTiming in business is everything. If it’s not us personally wanting something right now, it’s our customers. Queen states it very clearly with the title of their song “I want it all” – as the song states “I want it all, I want it all, and I want it now”. That sums it up!

Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying that wanting it all and wanting it now is a bad thing. It is just something that you need to know if you want it all right now or do you want it later. This makes a huge impact on how your run your accounting system. You have a choice!

There are two different types of accounting and it is crucial that you know what type your business is using. Due to the fact that it has a direct impact on not only what you see on your financial statements but when you see it. It is your business; therefore it is your decision.

Cash Basis:

Do you want to see the money you have billed when you actually receive the money, if so this is the form of accounting you should be using. Do you want to see the expenses you have incurred when you actually pay the money for those expenses, if so this is the form of accounting you should be using.

Cash basis accounting Income Statement will show you the income that you have actually received, not billed but received. Meaning that you may have billed a customer in May but not receive payment until July – the income will show on your July statement.

Cash basis accounting Income Statement will show you the expenses you have incurred when you actually pay the expenses, not when you receive the bill from the vendor. Meaning that you may have received the bill from the vendor in June but not pay the bill until August –the expenses will show on your August statement.

Now you may think that cash basis accounting is how you want to run your business. Due to it giving you real time numbers, no estimations, you know that you have received the money and that you have paid the money out. Read on and see if that still makes sense…

Accrual Basis:

Do you want to see the money you have billed when you bill it not when you receive it, if so this is the form of accounting you should be using. Do you want to see the expenses you have incurred when you receive the bill from the vendor, if so this is the form of accounting you should be using.

Accrual basis accounting Income Statement shows you the income that you have billed out, not received but billed. Meaning that you may bill the customer in May but not receive payment until July – the income will show on your May statement.

Accrual basis accounting Income Statement will show the expenses you have incurred when you are billed, not when you pay the expense. Meaning you may be billed in June but not pay the bill until August – the expense will show on your June statement.

Accrual is the form of accounting most widely accepted by businesses and accounting professionals. The list of benefits for using this form far out ways using cash basis; accrual allows you the ability to align your income with your cost of goods sold providing a true Gross Profit.

In my previous blog “A New View of Financials” I explained the difference between Financial and Management accounting. If you want to use Management accounting within your business you HAVE TO use accrual accounting, you have to be able to align your income with your expenses.

As stated above timing is everything. As business owners and managers we have to know where our business is right now and where it is headed. If you do not have that information available to you, you are already behind the times.

Cash basis accounting is reactive. With timing being everything – cash basis does not allow you to prepare for what may be happening within your business until it’s too late.

Accrual accounting is proactive. Allowing for complete visibility to economic events regardless of when the exchange of cash occurs. Accrual allows current cash inflows/outflows to be combined with future cash inflows/outflows to give a more accurate picture of a company’s current financial condition. Be ahead of the times, use your information and numbers to move your business forward.

Now you may ask “what is the easiest way to find out what form of accounting your financial statements being printed off ?“– with most accounting programs when the report is printed the accounting basis is printed in the upper left hand corner.

Learn what your business is currently using. Take control of your numbers. Applied Management Group is here to help with our mentoring and training to move you and your business forward.



5 Comments
  • Amy
    Posted at 23:18h, 28 June

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    Posted at 23:19h, 20 February

    You actually stated that perfectly.

    • AMG
      Posted at 09:49h, 07 March

      Thank you so much for your kind words. I am always looking for new topics to blog.

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