Introduction to Accounting Basics
Introduction to Accounting Basics
INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING
Contents
Points to recall
1.1 Introduction to Accounting
1.2 Evolution of Accounting
The following points are to be recalled
1.3 Meaning and Definition of before learning introduction to
Accounting Accounting:
1.4 Accounting cycle
• Barter system
1.5 Objectives of Accounting
1.6 Functions of Accounting • Money as a medium of exchange
1.7 Importance of Accounting • Activities involving transfer of money
1.8 Basic Accounting terminologies or money’s worth
1.9 Branches of Accounting
1.10 Bases of Accounting
1.11 Users of Accounting information
1.12 Role of an accountant
In the earliest days of civilisation, accounting was done by stewards who managed the
properties of wealthy people. They rendered accounts periodically to the owners of property.
The stewardship accounting is said to be the root of accounting. Records of debit and credit
were found in the 12th century itself.
In 1494, Luca Pacioli an Italian developed double-entry book-keeping system. Due to the
industrial revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries, large scale operations were carried on
and joint stock companies emerged as an important form of organisation which required
separation of ownership from management. Hence, to safeguard the interest of owners and
investors, the business establishments required detailed information about business which
paved the way for development of comprehensive financial accounting information system.
In the 20th century, the need for analysis of financial information for managerial decision
making caused emergence of Management Accounting as a separate branch of accounting.
Though accounting was individual centric in the initial stage of evolution of accounting, it has
gradually developed into Social Responsibility Accounting in the 21st century, due to the vast
growth in business activities as a result of development in various fields. Thus, accounting has
become inevitable in the modern world for business.
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Student activity
Think: Before the evolution of money, commodities were exchanged for commodities. In
such situations, how would people have maintained their accounts?
Accounting is the systematic process of identifying, measuring, recording, classifying,
summarising, interpreting and communicating financial information. Accounting gives
information on:
(i) the resources available
(ii) how the available resources have been employed and
(iii) the results achieved by their use.
The profit earned or loss incurred during the accounting period, value and nature of assets,
liabilities and capital can be ascertained from the information recorded in accounts.
According to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants “Accounting is the
art of recording, classifying and summarising in a significant manner and in terms of money,
transactions and events which are in part, at least of a financial character and interpreting the
results thereof ”.
American Accounting Association has defined accounting as “the process of identifying,
measuring, and communicating economic information to permit informed judgements and
decisions by users of the information”.
From the above definitions, the following attributes of accounting emerge:
(i) Accounting is an art. It requires the expertise and skill of accountants to design accounting
system and policies, to decide the accounting process in order to suit the requirements of
an organisation.
(ii) The transactions or events of a business must be recorded in monetary terms.
(iii) Accounting process involves recording, classifying and summarising of transactions and
analysis and interpretation of the results.
(iv) The results of such analysis must be communicated to the persons who are interested in
such information.
1.4 Accounting cycle
Accounting cycle is the sequence of steps involved in the accounting process. Accounting
cycle starts with the identification and recording of financial transactions of an organisation
and ends with the preparation of final accounts for the accounting year. The cycle continues
for the next accounting year with the opening balances of assets and liabilities which are the
closing balances of the preceding year. The steps involved are:
(i) Identifying the transactions and journalising
The first step in the accounting process is identifying the financial transactions of a business.
All the monetary transactions are recorded in the books of original entry called journals.
Recording the transactions in the journal is called journalising. Entries are made in the journals
on the basis of source documents in the chronological order, i.e., the order of occurrence of
the transactions.
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Opening
Preparing Entry
Trading Journalising
Account
Preparing
Posting and
Trial
Balancing
Balance
Accounting cycle
(ii) Posting and balancing
Transferring the entries from the journal to the ledger is called posting. In the ledger, entries are
made in each account after classifying them under common heads. Finding the difference between
the total of the debit column and credit column of all the ledger accounts is called balancing.
(iii) Preparation of trial balance
The list of ledger balances namely trial balance is prepared as the next step. On the basis of
ledger balances the financial statements are prepared.
(iv) Preparation of trading account
Next step is preparation of trading account for a particular accounting period. All the direct
revenues and direct expenses are transferred to trading account. The balance in the trading
account is the gross profit or gross loss.
(v) Preparation of profit and loss account
Profit and loss account is prepared next for a particular accounting period. All the indirect
revenues and indirect expenses along with gross profit or gross loss are transferred to profit
and loss account. The balance in the profit and loss account is the net profit or net loss.
(vi) Preparation of balance sheet
A statement showing the balances of assets and liabilities namely balance sheet is prepared as
the final step in the accounting process. It is prepared on a particular date, normally, on the
last day of the accounting period.
The closing balances of an accounting year are taken as the opening balances for the next
accounting year. The transactions identified and recorded for the next year are followed by
posting and other steps.
The results are communicated to the users of accounting information for the purpose of
analysis and decision making.
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(v) Control
As accounting works as a tool of control, the strengths and weaknesses are identified to provide
feedback on various measures adopted. It serves as a tool for evaluating compliance of business
policies and programmes.
Accounting
(i) Financial Accounting
It involves recording of financial transactions and events.
It is historical in nature and records are maintained for Social
transactions and events which have already occurred. Responsibility Management
Accounting Accounting
It provides financial information to the users for taking
decisions. It is concerned with identification, recording, classifying and summarising of
financial transactions and events and ends up with the preparation of financial statements,
namely, trading and profit and loss account or income statement and balance sheet and
communication of the same to the interested users. Trading and profit and loss account shows
the profit or loss made during an accounting period and the balance sheet shows the financial
position of the business as on a particular date.
(ii) Cost Accounting
It involves the collection, recording, classification and appropriate allocation of expenditure
for the determination of the costs of products or services and for the presentation of data for
the purposes of cost control and managerial decision making.
(iii) Management Accounting
It is concerned with the presentation of accounting information in such a way as to assist
management in decision making and in the day-to-day operations of an enterprise. The
information collected from financial accounting, cost accounting, etc. are grouped, modified
and presented as per the requirements of management for discharging their functions and for
decision making.
(iv) Social Responsibility Accounting
It is concerned with presentation of accounting information by business entities and other
organisations from the view point of the society by showing the social costs incurred such
as environmental pollution by the enterprise and social benefits such as infrastructure
development and employment opportunities created by them. It arises because of corporate
social responsibility.
(v) Human Resources Accounting
It is concerned with identification, quantification and reporting of investments made in human
resources of an enterprise.
Student activity
Think: Do you think financial accounting, cost accounting and management accounting
can be maintained by the same person?
Student activity
Think: ‘Accounting is useful only to the owner of the business’ – Do you agree?
There are several persons who need the accounting information for various purposes. They
can be classified into two:
(A) Internal users and
(B) External users
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Self-examination questions
I Multiple choice questions
Choose the correct answer
1. The root of financial accounting system is
(a) Social accounting (b) Stewardship accounting
(c) Management accounting (d) Responsibility accounting
2. Which one of the following is not a main objective of accounting?
(a) Systematic recording of transactions
(b) Ascertainment of the profitability of the business
(c) Ascertainment of the financial position of the business
(d) Solving tax disputes with tax authorities
3. Which one of the following is not a branch of accounting?
(a) Financial accounting (b) Management accounting
(c) Human resources accounting (d) None of the above.
4. Financial position of a business is ascertained on the basis of
(a) Journal (b) Trial balance
(c) Balance Sheet (d) Ledger
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1. Define accounting.
2. List any two functions of accounting.
3. What are the steps involved in the process of accounting?
4. Who are the parties interested in accounting information?
5. Name any two bases of recording accounting information.
To explore further
Can each business unit follow its own way for maintaining accounting records?
Will it serve the requirements of different users of accounting information?
Reference
1. M C Shukla, T S Grewal and S C Gupta, Advanced Accounts, 19th ed., 2017, [Link] Publishing, New Delhi.
2. R L Gupta and V K Gupta, Financial Accounting, 11th ed., 2014, Sultan Chand and Sons, New Delhi.
3. S P Jain and K L Narang, Advanced Accountancy Vol – I, 2016, Kalyani Publishers, New Delhi.
4. Dalston L Cecil and Jenitra L Merwin, Financial Accounting, 3rd ed., 2017, Learntech Press, Trichy.
5. Fundamentals of Accounting, 2017, The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, New Delhi.
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