Category: Accounting

The act of preparation of financial statements, reports, tax documents required by businesses and individuals in their dealings with the IRS, SEC and local and state authorities. Some statements included might be profit and loss, interim statement and balance sheets. Most accounting is done in accordance with GAAP (generally acceptable accounting principles)

Is Disclosure Mandated to Complete Financial Reports?




Financial statements are the backbone of a complete financial report. In fact, a financial report is not complete if the three primary financial statements are not included. but a financial report is much more than just those statements. A financial report requires disclosures. This term refers to additional information provided in a financial report.

Therefore, any comprehensive and ethical financial report must include not only the primary financial statements, but disclosures as well.

The chief executive of a business (usually the CEO in a publicly held corporation) has the primary responsibility to make sure that the financial statements have been prepared according to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and the financial report provides adequate disclosures. He or she works with the chief financial officer or controller of the business to make sure that the financial report meets the standard of adequate disclosures.

Some common methods of disclosures include:

  • Footnotes that provide information about the basic figures. Nearly all financial statements require footnotes to provide additional information for several of the account balances in the financial statements.
  • Supplementary financial schedules and tables that provide more details than can be included in the body of the financial statements.
  • Other information may be required if the business is a public corporation subject to federal regulations regarding financial reporting to its stockholders. Other information is voluntary and not strictly required legally or according to GAAP.

Some disclosures are required by various governing boards and agencies. These include:

  • The financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has designated many standards. Its dictate regarding disclosure of the effects of stock options is one such standard.
  • The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) mandates disclosure of a broad range of information for publicly held companies.
  • International businesses have to abide by disclosure standards adopted by the International Accounting Standards Board.

 

The Accounting Capacity of Quasar Software


Accounting has become more and more complex as have the businesses that use accounting functions. Fortunately, there are several excellent software packages that can help you manage this important function. Quasar is one such package. All versions of Quasar offer comprehensive inventory controls. In its most basic use, the inventory module allows a business owner to track the locations and quantities of all inventory items.

Additionally, the inventory capabilities go beyond simple record-keeping. Manufacturers and wholesalers can assemble kits using component items; whenever a kit is assembled, the inventory representing its component items are adjusted accordingly. Items can be grouped into various categories and the groups can be nested many levels deep. Vendor purchase orders can be generated for items with quantities below a preset level.

Costs and selling prices for items can be set and discounted in a myriad of different ways. Finally, these items can be reported upon to show such things as profits, margins, and sales per item. Sales and purchases are another strength of Quasar. Customer quotes can be easily converted to invoices to be paid. Promotions can be created and discounts can be given based on date, customer, or store location.

Also with the capacity of Quasar software, margins can be reported upon for traits such as individual items, individual customers, or an individual salesperson. Likewise, a purchase order can be created and converted to a vendor invoice, which can be paid in a number of different ways, including printing a check. Quasar can keep track of miscellaneous fees such as container deposits, freight charges, and franchise fees.

The intelligent design of Quasar’s user interface allows for quick and easy data entry. Some programs you may encounter are not optimized for keyboard use. These programs require you to move your hand to the mouse to select frequently needed options. While some of Quasar’s menu options are only mouse-accessible, the bulk of Quasar’s user interface is designed in such a way that you can keep your hands on the keyboard by using special shortcuts. This allows for faster data entry, which can save time (and therefore money) in the long run.