Skip to main content

Branches of Accounting

Branches of Accounting
     Techniques have improved vastly so as it effects in accounting, new methods, concepts, etc., have been introduced to accounting. Because of such improvement in techniques, accounting has created many branches to its field. Some examples of such branches are financial accounting, cost accounting, management accounting, social responsible accounting, human resources accounting. Financial accounting, cost accounting, management accountings are the standard branches of accounting.
Financial Accounting
     The process of identifying, recording, classifying, summersing, the transactions and events and analyzing, interpreting, the results of recorded transactions is called as financial accounting. It communicates the finalized and processed date of all financial transactions and events of business to the end users.
     In journal and subsidiary books, transactions are recorded. In ledger, recorded transactions are classified and grouped under appropriate accounts. In final accounts profit and loss a/c and balance sheet are prepared to ascertain the final results and financial position of business. Ratio analysis, fund flow statement, etc., are used to analysed and interpret the summersied transactions. Financial reports, statements are prepared to communicate the interpreted information to end users.
Cost Accounting
     Cost accounting is a subdivision of financial accounting. Cost accounting is the accounting for costs. Cos accounting is the ascertainment of cost and controlling of cost to maximize the profit.
     Financial accounting is dealing with the post mortem data. It just prepares statements and accounts for past date. Cost accounting estimates cost for future use also. It is called as cost estimation. It also ascertains the cost for past and present times. It is called as cost ascertainment.
     Three terms are used in cost accounting. They are (a) Cost (b) costing (c) cost accounting.
      Cost means “an expense incurred to acquire something in business for business use”. CIMA says that cost is an expense incurred or attributable to a given thing. ICWA, INDIA says that cost is the monetary measurement of resources used in production of goods and rendering the services. Finally cost means an expense incurred to acquire something which is used in production of goods or rendering services.
     Costing means ascertaining cost by using techniques and methods used in costing. CIMA says that the techniques and process of ascertaining cost is costing. Methods used in costing are 1) job costing, 2) batch costing 3) contract costing 4) operation costing 5) process costing 6) operating costing 7) unit costing or output costing. Techniques used in costing are 1) standard costing 2) marginal costing 3) absorption costing 4) uniform costing 5) budgetary control.
    Cost accounting means the accounting for costs by which ascertainment of cost and controlling of cost is done. It is an application of accounting principles in costing to establish control over cost and ascertain the cost.

Management Accounting
     Management accounting designs information, by extracting the data from financial accounting, which are helpful for management in planning and controlling business activities and in decision making. It gives all information to management to frame its policies in business and plan day to day activities. It covers cost accounting and some other techniques beyond cost accounting. It assists management to perform it job. Management accounting designs such information in meaningful and understandable formats for management.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Concepts and principles of accoutancy

PRINCIPLES OF ACCOUNTING Principles of Accountancy      The principles which are used in accountancy can be divided into two elements. The accounting concepts and conventions are treated as the basic two elements of principles of accountancy. Nearly eight major concepts are adopted in accountancy. Three major conventions are used in accountancy.      While recording the business transactions in books of accounts, the concepts are to be considered at appropriate situation, Concepts are first and foremost in accountancy. In English, alphabets are important. Accounting concepts are foremost in accountancy. Business Entry Concept      Business is separated from its owner. Owner is treated as a principle creditor of the business. Business owes to the owner for the amount of capital invested in business by him. Even though business is owned by the proprietor, it is a separate entity. All accounting processes are done in the point of view of ...

Basis of Accounting

There are two basis of accounting. One is accrued basis and another one is cash basis. They are otherwise called merchandise basis and cash basis of accounting. Accrual Basis      Revenue, expenses, and transactions are recorded in books of accounts, when they arise or accrue under accrual basis. It follows accrual concept to record transactions in books of accounts. The payment or receipt of cash may have done or not but revenue, expenses, and transactions are recorded in the books of accounts, when it becomes due. “Time never waits for human” as like the sentence revenue, expenses, transactions never wait for its cash consideration. When they become due, it is recorded in the books of accounts. Outstanding expenses, prepaid expenses, accrued income, income received in advance accounts are maintained in accrual basis of accounting only.      Under Companies Act, 1956, all companies must prepare its accounts under accrual basis of accounti...

Illustrations of single entry system

Illustration 1       Mr. Pradeep has a business of selling garments. His final extracts of all accounts are stated below.       Particulars                                                    1.04.2011                     31.03.2012 Sundry Debtors                                                  30000       ...