How do you calculate the cost of carrying inventory? Definition of Cost of Carrying Inventory The cost of carrying inventory (or cost of holding inventory) is the sum of the following: Cost of money tied up in inventory,...
How do you calculate the cost of carrying inventory? Definition of Cost of Carrying Inventory The cost of carrying inventory (or cost of holding inventory) is the sum of the following: Cost of money tied up in inventory,...
What is the book value of bonds payable? Definition of Book Value of Bonds Payable The book value of bonds payable is also known as the carrying value of bonds payable. The book value of bonds payable is the net or...
Our Explanation of Standard Costing uses an easy-to-relate to example for illustrating a manufacturer's standard costs and variances. Also provided is a chart which indicates each variance, what it tells you, and where...
What is net realizable value? Definition of Net Realizable Value Net realizable value (NRV) is the cash amount that a company expects to receive. Hence, net realizable value is sometimes referred to as cash realizable...
Accounts Receivable and Bad Debts Expense(Quick Test #2) Download PDF After you have answered all 15 questions, click "Grade This Quick Test" at the bottom of the page to view your grade and receive feedback on your...
What is an overdraft? Definition of Overdraft An overdraft (also known as a bank overdraft) generally means that the amount of a company’s checks being presented at the bank for payment exceeded the amount on deposit....
Should inventories be reported at their cost or at their selling prices? Definition of Inventory Cost Inventories are reported at cost, not at selling prices. A retailer’s inventory cost is the cost to purchase the...
Journal entries usually dated the last day of the accounting period to bring the balance sheet and income statement up to date on the accrual basis of accounting. Adjusting entries are made to report (1) revenues that...
This phrase has two connotations. One is the cost of holding inventory. In this case the carrying cost is the cost of capital tied up in inventory, the cost of storage, insurance, and obsolescence. Often this is...
Under the accrual method of accounting, the account Salaries Expense reports the salaries that employees have earned during the period indicated in the heading of the income statement, whether or not the company has yet...
In accounting this means to defer or to delay recognizing certain revenues or expenses on the income statement until a later, more appropriate time. Revenues are deferred to a balance sheet liability account until they...
The principle that requires a company to match expenses with related revenues in order to report a company’s profitability during a specified time interval. Ideally, the matching is based on a cause and effect...
What is a line of credit? In business a line of credit or credit line is an arrangement/commitment by a bank or other creditor with a customer. The agreement specifies an amount that the customer can borrow or use in the...
What does it mean to check the extensions and to foot an invoice? To check the extensions on a purchase invoice means to verify that the number of units of each item multiplied by its unit cost agrees with the total...
What is a letter of credit? A letter of credit is a letter or document issued by a bank for use by one of its customers. The letter of credit states that the bank will guarantee payment up to the stated amount for...
What is the cost to store inventory? Definition of Cost to Store Inventory The cost to store, hold or carry inventory is the total of the following: Cost of the space used for storing inventory, such as rent, heat,...
What is the matching principle? Definition of Matching Principle The matching principle is one of the basic underlying guidelines in accounting. The matching principle directs a company to report an expense on its income...
Our Explanation of Accounting Equation (or bookkeeping equation) illustrates how the double-entry system keeps the accounting equation in balance. You will see how the revenues and expenses on the income statement are...
What is a limitation of the inventory turnover ratio? Definition of Inventory Turnover Ratio The inventory turnover ratio is often calculated by dividing a company’s cost of goods sold for a recent year by the average...
Is the sale of a plant asset recorded in the sales account? Definition of Sale of a Plant Asset The sale of a plant asset is often the disposal of a company’s equipment (or other asset) that had been used in the...
What is the major weakness of the traditional method of allocating factory overhead? Definition of Traditional Method Allocating Factory Overhead The traditional method of allocating factory overhead (manufacturing...
What does a bookkeeper do? Definition of Bookkeeper A bookkeeper’s role at a company varies by the size and nature of the business. At a very small company without an accountant, the bookkeeper’s duties are likely to...
How does an expense affect the balance sheet? Definition of Expense An expense is a cost that has been used up, expired, or is directly related to the earning of revenues. Most of a company’s expenses fall into the...
What is the difference between cost and expense? Definition of Cost A cost might be an expense or it might be an asset. Definition of Expense An expense is a cost that has expired or was necessary in order to earn...
What is benchmarking? Benchmarking is a process for improving some activity within an organization. We will illustrate benchmarking with the following example. Company Q has identified one of its activities that needs...
How are period costs reported in the financial statements? Under the accrual method of accounting, period costs such as selling, general and administrative expenses are reported on the income statement in the accounting...
What is periodicity in accounting? Definition of Periodicity Periodicity is an accounting assumption made by accountants so that a company’s complex and ongoing activities can be divided up into annual, quarterly, and...
What is the quick ratio? Definition of Quick Ratio The quick ratio is a financial ratio used to gauge a company’s liquidity. The quick ratio is also known as the acid test ratio. The quick ratio compares the total...
Which accounts are debited in the closing entries? Definition of Closing Entries Closing entries occur at the end of an accounting year to transfer the balances in the temporary accounts to a permanent or real account....
What is accumulated other comprehensive income? Definition of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Accumulated other comprehensive income is a separate line within the stockholders’ equity section of the balance...
What is a reclassification? Definition of Reclassification In accounting, the term reclassification is often used to describe moving an amount from one general ledger account to another. Examples of Reclassification...
What is the difference between the cash basis and the accrual basis of accounting? Definition of the Cash Basis of Accounting Revenues are reported on the income statement in the period in which the cash is received from...
What is the acid test ratio? Definition of Acid Test Ratio The acid test ratio, which is also known as the quick ratio, compares the total of a company’s cash, temporary marketable securities, and accounts receivable...
What are out-of-pocket costs? Out-of-pocket costs are those costs or expenses that require a cash payment in the current period or during a project. For example, the wages of the person setting up a machine for a new...
What is a bond? There are several business definitions for bond. A bond could be a formal debt instrument issued by a corporation or government and purchased by investors. This is the meaning when we say that a public...
Is a security deposit for a rental agreement recorded in a liability account? The person paying the security deposit would credit the asset account Cash and would debit the asset account Security Deposits. The person...
What are fixed assets? Definition of Fixed Assets Fixed assets are a company’s tangible, noncurrent assets that are used in its business operations. The word fixed indicates that these assets will not be used up,...
What does per annum mean? Definition of Per Annum Per annum means yearly or annually. It is a common phrase used to describe an interest rate. Often “per annum” is omitted, as in “I have a 4% mortgage loan.” or...
Our Explanation of Accounting Basics uses a simple story to introduce important accounting concepts and terminology. It illustrates how transactions will be included in a company's financial statements.
Featured Review
"I currently serve as the CFO for a nonprofit organization, as well as running a small business providing bookkeeping and financial advisory services to small businesses. Prior to this, I worked as the financial controller for a family of companies with consolidated revenues of $85 million. I stumbled across AccountingCoach 10+ years ago and it quickly became my go to for clear and concise explanations. I downloaded different versions of the cheat sheets and tests to utilize when onboarding accounting staff. I upgraded to PRO in order to gain access to the additional material. I still use this site to refresh my memory on some terms or processes. I have not found any other site where I can get straightforward and easy-to-understand answers as quickly and concisely. The forms and templates are an invaluable resource. I recommend AccountingCoach to associates and clients as the go-to site for instruction for their bookkeeping and accounting staff." - LaRay S.
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: