Introduction to Accounting: A User Perspective

This introduction to accounting and its significant role in making sound business decisions trains readers in becoming wise users, not necessarily preparers of accounting information—a strong user-based approach that's endorsed and supported by the AECC. The authors present accounting information in a broader business context—emphasizing what accounting information is, why it is important, and how it is used to make strategic economic decisions—but still include traditional debit/credit information as optional coverage. Discussions include Introduction To Business In The United States; Economic Decision Making; The Balance Sheet: Initial Financing—Investment by Owners; The Balance Sheet (Continued): Additional Financing—Borrowing from Others; Income Statement and Statement of Owners' Equity; Keeping Score: Bases of Economic Measurement; Accumulating Accounting Data; Challenging Issues Under Accrual Accounting: Long-Lived Depreciable Assets; Challenging Issues Under Accrual Accounting: Merchandise Inventory and Cost of Goods Sold; The Balance Sheet and Income Statement: A Closer Look; The Statement of Cash Flows: Bringing the Focus Back to Cash; Financial Statement Analysis; Management Accounting: It's Environment and Future; Classifying Costs; Determining Costs of Products; Cost Behavior; Business Decisions Using Cost Behavior; Making Decisions Using Relevant Information; The Capital Budget: Evaluating Capital Expenditures; The Operating Budget; Standard Costing; and Evaluating Performance. For practicing office professionals, accounting clerks and paraprofessionals, and staff accountants.

This introduction to accounting and its significant role in making sound business decisions trains readers in becoming wise users, not necessarily preparers of accounting information—a strong user-based approach that's endorsed and supported by the AECC. The authors present accounting information in a broader business context—emphasizing what accounting information is, why it is important, and how it is used to make strategic economic decisions—but still include traditional debit/credit information as optional coverage. Discussions include Introduction To Business In The United States; Economic Decision Making; The Balance Sheet: Initial Financing—Investment by Owners; The Balance Sheet (Continued): Additional Financing—Borrowing from Others; Income Statement and Statement of Owners' Equity; Keeping Score: Bases of Economic Measurement; Accumulating Accounting Data; Challenging Issues Under Accrual Accounting: Long-Lived Depreciable Assets; Challenging Issues Under Accrual Accounting: Merchandise Inventory and Cost of Goods Sold; The Balance Sheet and Income Statement: A Closer Look; The Statement of Cash Flows: Bringing the Focus Back to Cash; Financial Statement Analysis; Management Accounting: It's Environment and Future; Classifying Costs; Determining Costs of Products; Cost Behavior; Business Decisions Using Cost Behavior; Making Decisions Using Relevant Information; The Capital Budget: Evaluating Capital Expenditures; The Operating Budget; Standard Costing; and Evaluating Performance. For practicing office professionals, accounting clerks and paraprofessionals, and staff accountants.