What is Notes Payable? Definition of Notes Payable In accounting, Notes Payable is a general ledger liability account in which a company records the face amounts of the promissory notes that it has issued. The balance in...
What is Notes Payable? Definition of Notes Payable In accounting, Notes Payable is a general ledger liability account in which a company records the face amounts of the promissory notes that it has issued. The balance in...
Working Capital and Liquidity Working Capital Working capital is defined as current assets minus current liabilities. Therefore, a company with current assets of $43,000 and current liabilities of $38,000 has working...
What is the consistency principle? Definition of Consistency In accounting, consistency requires that a company’s financial statements follow the same accounting principles, methods, practices and procedures from one...
Our Explanation of Working Capital and Liquidity provides you with an in-depth look at the components of working capital and the challenges of converting current assets to cash before obligations come due. You will see...
What is gross pay? Definition of Gross Pay Gross pay is the amount an employee is paid before the employer withholds FICA (Social Security and Medicare payroll taxes), income taxes (federal, state, local) if applicable,...
Working Capital and Liquidity (Word Scramble) Download PDF To see each answer, press or click on the blue "Unscramble" button. If you have difficulty answering the following questions, learn more about this topic by...
Our Explanation of Debits and Credits describes the reasons why various accounts are debited and/or credited. For the examples we provide the logic, use T-accounts for a clearer understanding, and the appropriate general...
What is other comprehensive income? Definition of Other Comprehensive Income Other comprehensive income, or OCI, consists of items that have an effect on the balance sheet amounts, but the effect is not reported on the...
Our Explanation of Debits and Credits describes the reasons why various accounts are debited and/or credited. For the examples we provide the logic, use T-accounts for a clearer understanding, and the appropriate general...
What is the debt ratio? Definition of Debt Ratio The debt ratio is also known as the debt to asset ratio or the total debt to total assets ratio. Hence, the formula for the debt ratio is: total liabilities divided by...
What is cost incurred? Definition of Cost Incurred A cost incurred is a cost that a company (or other organization) becomes liable for. Example of Cost Incurred Assume that a retailer begins operations on December 1 and...
This series of output by the Financial Accounting Standards Board is part of the board’s conceptual framework project. The original goal in the 1970’s was to articulate the definitions, practices, and rules...
What does double entry mean? Definition of Double Entry In accounting, double entry means that every transaction will involve at least two accounts. Double entry also requires that one account be debited and the other...
What is the conservatism principle? Definition of Conservatism Principle In accounting, the conservatism principle (or accounting constraint) directs an accountant, who is faced with doubt between two possible...
What is historical cost? Definition of Historical Cost Historical cost is a term used instead of the term cost. Cost and historical cost usually mean the original cost at the time of a transaction. The term historical...
Variable vs Absorption Costing(Quick Test) Download PDF After you have answered all 25 questions, click "Grade This Quick Test" at the bottom of the page to view your grade and receive feedback on your answers. Note:...
What is inventory shrinkage? Definition of Inventory Shrinkage Inventory shrinkage is a term to describe the loss of inventory. The shrinkage could be the result of theft, breakage, poor recordkeeping, etc. The term...
This is the sum of the beginning inventory of merchandise plus the net cost of the merchandise purchased including freight-in.
What is gross margin? Definition of Gross Margin Gross margin is the amount remaining after a retailer or manufacturer subtracts its cost of goods sold from its net sales. In other words, gross margin is the retailer’s...
What is the net method? Definition of Net Method In accounting, the net method likely refers to the way a company records each vendor’s invoice that offers an early payment discount. Example of Net Method Assume that a...
An organization established by the U.S.’s Sarbanes-Oxley Act to oversee the auditors of corporations whose stock is publicly-traded. The PCAOB’s board members are appointed by the Securities and Exchange...
What does understated mean? Definition of Understated In accounting, understated means that a reported amount is less than the actual, true amount based on the accounting rules. In other words, the reported amount can be...
What is prepaid insurance? Definition of Prepaid Insurance Prepaid insurance is the portion of an insurance premium that has been paid in advance and has not expired as of the date of a company’s balance sheet. This...
Our Explanation of Activity Based Costing illustrates how manufacturing overhead costs for a product will differ when costs are allocated using only the number of machine hours, as opposed to being allocated using the...
Why isn't land depreciated? Definition of Land The land that is used in a business (as opposed to land that is an investment, or land that will be sold by a real estate developer) is a tangible asset that is assumed to...
What is carriage inwards? Definition of Carriage Inwards Carriage inwards refers to the transportation costs required to be paid by the purchaser when it receives merchandise it ordered with terms FOB shipping point....
Our Explanation of Working Capital and Liquidity provides you with an in-depth look at the components of working capital and the challenges of converting current assets to cash before obligations come due. You will see...
What is bad debts? Definition of Bad Debts The term bad debts usually refers to accounts receivable (or trade accounts receivable) that will not be collected. (Bad debts is also used for notes receivable that will not be...
What is net sales? Definition of Net Sales Under the accrual basis of accounting, net sales is the total amount of goods shipped/delivered to customers during a specified period of time minus any early payment discounts...
The amount by which the proceeds from the sale of an automobile used in the business exceeded its carrying amount at the time it is sold.
Is standard costing GAAP? Definition of Standard Costing Standard costing is a cost accounting system used by some manufacturers to assist in planning and controlling its manufacturing operations. When standard costing...
What is inventory valuation? Definition of Inventory Valuation In the U.S., inventory valuation is the dollar amount associated with the items remaining in a company’s inventory. Generally speaking, the amount is the...
Our Explanation of Working Capital and Liquidity provides you with an in-depth look at the components of working capital and the challenges of converting current assets to cash before obligations come due. You will see...
Featured Review
"AccountingCoach is awesome! I received my accounting degree almost four years ago. Despite having completed the accounting program, I was still a bit confused with the appropriate journal entries for some transactions. I purchased AccountingCoach PRO Plus and passed all of the four exams and received the four certificates (two at 98%, one at 95%, and one at 93%). Adding the four certificates on my resume was phenomenal but even more so was grasping the concepts. Understanding the fundamentals helped me in solving problems that were presented with different approaches. Reviewing the material on AccountingCoach presented the material in a different way and I was able to pick up the information quicker. It also helped me understand the reason for certain transactions, such as accruals and reversing entries, as I was part of a team at work who tackled year-end close. The material on AccountingCoach is an added asset to my resume and to my accounting knowledge. I can most definitely attest to its benefits." - Christopher A.
Join PRO or PRO Plus and Get Lifetime Access to Our Premium Materials
Read all 2,645 reviewsWe now offer 10 Certificates of Achievement for Introductory Accounting and Bookkeeping: