Financial Accounting: Its Importance and 5 Key Features
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Financial accounting is the process of documenting, assessing, and recording a variety of transactions that arise from a company’s operations over time. The balance sheet, profit and loss, and cash flow statements represent the company’s long-term operating performance.
Financial accounting is the preparation of financial statements that are helpful in measuring the financial performance and position of an entity. The objective of financial accounting is to provide information about the financial health to the potential users of financial statements. Financial accounting helps with decision-making for internal as well as external users. It serves as a starting point for potential investors before making an investment decision.
The Role of a Financial Accountant
A financial accountant is a part of accounting department who plays a very important role in the organization. The responsibilities of a financial accountant are to record the financial transactions and prepare and analyse financial statements at the end of every fiscal year. The foundations of financial accounting are a set of well-known accounting concepts.
A financial accountant adheres to various accounting standards issued by regulatory authorities. These are mostly focused on and congruent with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). General Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) is a term that is used to describe rules developed for the preparation of financial statements. Furthermore, the financial accountant is responsible for budget preparation, tax return preparation, and managing tax payments, ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations and performing an internal audit.
The Features/Types of Financial Accounting
In the preparation and examination of financial accounts, there are five main features/types of financial data.
1.Income Statement:
An income statement represents the profit or loss incurred by the entity during a particular period. Hence, it is also known as a profit and loss statement. It includes the revenue earned and expenses incurred in relation to the respective income. It keeps a record of all-day-to-day expenses and income from the business. An income statement helps to learn about the financial performance of the business.
2. The Balance Sheet
The balance sheet shows the financial position of the business at a certain date by classifying the assets and liabilities. Assets are the resources that a firm owns and which provide it with future economic value. Whereas liabilities are the financial responsibilities/obligations of the business that are payable to another person.
3. Cash Flow Statement:
It’s a statement that specifies the sources of funds and their application during a particular reporting period. The cash flow statement considers the opening balance of cash and cash equivalents, adds the cash generated through operating activities, investing activities, and financing activities, and deducts all the cash payments that have occurred. The cash flow statement also helps to identify the historical changes in cash and cash equivalents.
4. Statement of Changes in Equity:
The statement of changes in equity is also referred to as the statement of retained earnings. It represents all the changes in equity and retained earnings during a particular period, hence it helps to reconcile the opening equity balance with the closing equity after considering all the transactions effecting equity.
5. Notes to Accounts:
These notes provide an explanation of the information used in the preparation of financial statements. It included all the information related to accounting policies applied and their changes, if any, capital structure, details of revenue and expenses, method of depreciation, details of assets and liabilities, etc. Notes to accounts are considered supporting documents for the financial reports.
What Is the Importance of Financial Accounting?
Businesses need financial accounting because it allows them to keep track of their financial transactions. As an outcome, they will be better able to allocate their resources wisely. Financial accounting also aids in the presentation of your company’s financial position to outsiders such as creditors and investors. On the basis of the financial statements, the other parties will decide whether or not to collaborate with the company. As a result, internal management uses specialised accounting standards and procedures for the company’s internal evaluation.
Why choose us?
With the upsurge in the intricacy of the business environment across the globe, organisations are facing challenges due to significant amendments in financial reporting standards and accounting guidelines. Therefore, finance and accounting outsourcing have become an emergent trend amongst fast-growing businesses. Efficient financial management also plays an important role in determining the growth and downfall of every organization.
We, at Komplytek, deliver illustrious finance and accounting outsourcing services to enhance and assist the complete finance and accounting function. Our primary goal is to reduce operational expenses, provide high-quality service in a timely manner, and set standards for greater corporate regulation and compliance. Komplytek sets up a user-friendly accounting system on widely used accounting software that will assist your company’s finance programme and define financial strategy.
