1 Chapter 4: The Mechanics of Financial Accounting

2 The Accounting Cycle Components of the accounting cycle include: A. Preparation of Daily Journal Entries -Post to the General Ledger -Unadjusted Trial Balance B. Preparation of Adjusting Journal Entries -Post to the General Ledger -Adjusted Trial Balance C. Financial Statements D. Closing Journal Entries -Final Trial Balance

3 A. Daily Journal Entries (DJEs) The first step in the accounting process. Prepared for daily activity. Usually journalized in special journals for efficiency, but we will record in “General Journal” format. Identified through a document flow: – cash receipt, record a cash sale – charge receipt, record a credit sale – bank note, record a notes payable – employee time card, record wages

4 Journal Entries Often, investments and noncurrent assets are sold for more or less than the amounts at which they are carried on the balance sheet. In such cases a gain (if a credit) or loss (if a debit) must be recognized. Ex: Land that cost $10,000 is sold for $11,000 cash. Prepare the GJE: Cash11,000 Land10,000 Gain on Sale of Land 1,000 Note: gains are a form of revenues and losses are a form of expenses on the income statement. The sale of inventory is recorded in a different manner: Sale and Cost of goods sold recorded.

5 The General Ledger (G/L) The G/L serves as a place to “total” amounts by account titles. After DJEs and AJEs are recorded, they are posted (by account) to the G/L. We will use “T” accounts to represent G/L accounts where needed. Appendix 4A discusses T accounts in more detail.

6 E4-1: Posting to G/L Now post transactions (for cash) to “T” account: Cash 30,000 20,000 9,000 5, Bal. 13,000

7 Unadjusted Trial Balance Trial balances are prepared throughout the accounting cycle. The Unadjusted Trial Balance represents G/L totals (by account) at a particular point in time. For E4-2, the Unadjusted Trial Balance would consist of a list of all of the ending debit or credit balances taken from the various “T” account totals (illustrated on the next slide). The Unadjusted Trial Balance is a preliminary total, and is a starting point for the Adjusting Journal Entries (discussed later in this chapter).

8 Unadjusted Trial Balance - Exercise 4-1 (after posting and totaling G/L accounts) DebitCredit Cash13,000 Accounts Receivable 8,000 Land20,000 Notes Payable 9,000 Contributed Capital30,000 Retained Earnings 2,000 Totals 41,000 41,000

9 B. Adjusting Journal Entries (AJEs) Prepared at the end of the accounting period to align revenues and expenses (matching). Usually NO document flow to trigger recording. Based on the accrual system of accounting which records revenues as earned and expenses as incurred (rather than based on cash flows).

10 Types of AJEs 1. Accrual of expenses 2. Accrual of revenues 3. Deferrals of expenses 4. Deferrals of revenues 5. Revaluation adjustments

11 Accrual System vs. Accrual AJEs The “accrual system of accounting” and “accrual of revenues and expenses” are both discussed in this chapter.. In comparison, the “accrual system of accounting” refers to the entire process of revenue and expense recognition, and relates to the definitions of matching and revenue recognition discussed in Chapter 3.

12 1. Accrual of Expenses Probably the most common type of AJE. Ex: accrue wages at the end of the period: Wages Expensexx Wages Payablexx Note: this is a “skeletal” journal entry, where the “xx” simply indicate values to be calculated later. The focus is on the account and direction. Other examples of expense/payable include interest, rent, taxes.

13 2. Accrual of Revenues For revenues that have not yet been recorded at the end of the period. Ex: accrue interest revenue: Interest Receivablexx Interest Revenuexx Another example of receivable/revenue accruals relates to rent revenue, where the rental payment has not yet been received.

14 3.Deferral of Expenses This category of AJE relates to the concept of asset capitalization and the matching principle. Asset capitalization occurs when a cost (with future economic benefit) is incurred. An asset is recognized at that time. As the asset is “used up” in the generation of revenue, the related cost is recognized as an expense (matching). Some expenses are deferred for a short period of time (Supplies Expense), and some expenses are deferred for many years (Depreciation Expense).

15 3.Deferral of Expenses Example: Purchase 1 year insurance policy. Daily JE at time of purchase: Prepaid Insurancexx Cashxx AJE at end of the period (for the portion that has been used): Insurance Expensexx Prepaid Insurancexx

16 3.Deferral of Expenses Example: purchase of inventory. Daily JE at time of purchase: Merchandise Inventoryxx Cashxx AJE at end of the period (for the portion that has been sold): Cost of Goods Soldxx Merchandise Inventoryxx Note: the treatment of merchandise inventory is expanded significantly in Chapter 7.

17 3.Deferral of Expenses Example: purchase of equipment. Daily JE at time of purchase: Equipmentxx Cashxx AJE at end of the period (for the portion that has been used): Depreciation Expensexx Accumulated Depreciationxx Note: Accumulated Depreciation is a contra asset account, and is presented as an offset to Equipment on the balance sheet (more in Chapter 9).

18 4.Deferral of Revenues Cash is received from customer before goods/services are delivered (before revenue can be recognized). Ex: Received subscription in advance. Daily JE at time cash received: Cashxx Unearned Revenuesxx AJE at end of the period (for portion): Unearned Revenuesxx Subscription Revenuesxx

19 5. Revaluation Adjustments These are adjustments that do not fall into the categories of accruals or deferrals. They serve to restate certain accounts to keep their reported values in line with existing facts. Examples include the revaluation of: – short-term investments – inventories More in later chapters.

20 Adjusted Trial Balance The Adjusted Trial Balance reflects totals after the AJEs are posted to the general ledger. The balance sheet accounts reflect the end- of-year balances, and the income statement accounts reflect the proper revenues and expense to be recognized for the year. This list of accounts and amounts is used to prepare the balance sheet and income statement.

21 C. Preparation of Financial Statements from the Adjusted Trial Balance The amounts in the Adjusted Trial Balance are used to prepare the (1) income statement. (2) The statement of stockholders’ equity (SSE) requires some additional investigation. (3) Finally, the balance sheet.

22 Contributed Capital and Retained Earnings The contributed capital in the adjusted trial balance is an ending balance; the ledger account must be examined to see if any activity (like issue of additional stock) occurred. The retained earnings on the adjusted trial balance is a beginning balance; while the revenues, expenses and dividends are displayed in the trial balance, they have not yet been included in (closed to) retained earnings.

23 Financial Statements The financial statements for Kelly Supply (next 4 slides), and other examples in text, can be used as guidelines to prepare financial statements. The financials should be prepared in the following order: – income statement (I/S) – statement of stockholders’ equity (SSE) – balance sheet (B/S) Note that the statement of cash flow (SCF) is not prepared from the adjusted trial balance, but from a detailed analysis of the cash flow activities of the company.

24 Financial Statements Comments on the preparation of financial statements from adjusted trial balance (ATB): – revenue and expense balances from the ATB are carried to the income statement. – net income is carried to the retained earnings column in the SSE. – other activity, like dividends and issue of stock, are reflected in the SSE. – ending balances in the SSE are carried to the stockholders’ equity section of the balance sheet. – asset and liability balances from the ATB are carried to the balance sheet.

25 Financial Statement Examples - Kelly Supply

26

27

28 Appendix 4-A  Two methods are used to present the statement of cash flows—the direct method and the far more common indirect method.

29 Appendix 4-A  The statement of cash flows can be prepared from two balance sheets and an income statement. The approach involves T-account analysis.

30 D. Closing Journal Entries (CJEs) Prepared after the financial statements have been completed. Close temporary accounts to retained earnings, so that the balances in those accounts at the start of the next accounting period will be zero. Temporary accounts include revenues, expenses and dividends. The final trial balance after closing will display only permanent, balance sheet accounts.