Managing Business Transactions & Accounts
When managing business transactions, specific documents serve different purposes. For example, if a customer returns a product or you give a refund, you'll create a credit memo to document this change. Understanding FED withholding allowances and FICA (Medicare and social security) is crucial for payroll accounting.
Businesses organize their assets and liabilities based on timeframes. Current assets include cash, debtors, and inventory that can be quickly converted to cash, while long-term assets include fixed items like property and equipment. Similarly, current liabilities are obligations expected to be paid within a year (creditors, payroll expenses), and long-term liabilities include bonds and mortgage loans.
Reconciliation is a critical monthly process that compares your records against bank statements to ensure accuracy. You'll need to reconcile prepaid expenses, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and inventory. Watch for issues like NSF checks (not sufficient funds), uncleared checks, and uncleared deposits when reconciling.
💡 Test Tip: Remember that the accounting cycle includes all revenues and expenses, and operates under key assumptions like accrual basis and going concern (the business will continue operating).
The general ledger organizes all accounts (assets, liabilities, income, and expenses), while the journal records daily transactions with date, description, account name, and amount. Gross profit is calculated by subtracting the cost of goods sold from sales revenue.