What Are the 4 Phases of Accounting: A Clear Explanation

This is because all temporary accounts, like revenue, expenses, and dividends, are reset to zero during the closing process. As a result, only the balances of accounts that carry over to the next accounting period are included in the post-closing trial balance. To create the unadjusted trial balance, the debit and credit balances of each account are summed. If the total debits equal the total credits, the transactions have been accurately recorded and posted. However, if there’s a discrepancy, it signals that errors in journal entries or ledger postings need to be corrected before moving on. Following these nine steps in the accounting cycle helps maintain accurate financial records.

• The cash flow statement is prepared by listing all of the company’s cash inflows and outflows, and then calculating the net increase or decrease in cash for the period.
• Such omissions in the accounting cycle steps can lead to a misrepresentation of a company's actual financial status and performance.
• During the posting process, each journal entry is analyzed to determine which accounts are affected.
• Mapping out plans and dates that coincide with your accounting deadlines will increase productivity and results.
• The accounting cycle helps businesses comply with accounting standards, such as Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

Performance evaluation

In preparing the adjusted trial balance, verifying the accuracy of each adjustment is essential. This process includes examining the adjustments' nature, confirming their correct application to the appropriate accounts, and ensuring they are consistent with the accrual accounting principle. The preparation of an adjusted trial balance is a critical phase in the 9 steps of accounting cycle. The accounting cycle consists of nine critical steps that businesses adhere to for the systematic processing of financial transactions and the preparation of precise financial statements. Such adjustments are critical to ensure that the financial statements accurately represent the business's economic activities, in compliance with accounting principles like matching and accruals. After journalizing the transactions, accountants post them to the respective ledger accounts.

Step 1: Analyze and record transactions

Adjustments are necessary to recognize revenues and expenses in the period they are earned or incurred, even if cash transactions haven't occurred yet. Summarization helps in condensing vast amounts of transactional data into manageable formats, providing a concise overview of the company's financial position and performance at a given point in time. After organizing the data, the accounting cycle entails summarizing transactions into meaningful aggregates. This is typically done through the use of journals and ledgers, where individual transactions are grouped and totaled according to their respective accounts.

Preparation of unadjusted trial balance

This makes it easier to manage transactions and reduces the complexity of accounting records for the new period. To prepare an adjusted trial balance, accountants start with the existing trial balance and incorporate the adjustments made during the adjusting entries step. This procedure ensures that the debits and credits in the general ledger are balanced, allowing for the confident preparation of financial statements. Accuracy and consistency are essential when recording transactions in the journal.

Closing the books takes place at the end of business operations on the last day of the accounting period. Then, the next day, a new accounting period begins, and new books are opened. The accounting cycle is a circular process, and as long as a company is in business it will be active. To gain a better understanding of this, consider an error in the general ledger. This entry needs to reference where the error exists so that anyone reviewing it can verify it for accuracy. It documents every transaction, making sure that things are accurate and kept track of.

Reversing Entries: Optional step at the beginning of the new accounting period

They identify the accounts affected by the transaction and determine the amount and direction of the impact. Updating your books after each transaction will make the process smooth and make it easy to prepare your company’s financial statements. The accounting cycle is the cumulative process of recording and processing the accounting events of a company. It starts when a married filing separate status on your 2020 or 2021 tax return transaction happens and ends when it is entered into the financial statements. Legally, every business is required to maintain proper documentation of its financial records, allowing external agencies to conduct audits when necessary. When you make a sale, the accounting software automatically adds the transaction to the revenue account and updates the income statement.

The accounting cycle is a series of eight steps that a business uses to identify, analyze, and record transactions and the company's accounting procedures. The next step in the accounting cycle is to post the transactions to the general ledger. Think of the general ledger as a summary sheet where all transactions are divided into accounts.

They are recorded in journal entries under at least two accounts (at least one debited and at least one credited). The process nonetheless does not end with the presentation of financial statements. Subsequent steps are necessary to prepare the accounts for the next accounting period (steps 8-9). The accounting cycle, also commonly referred to as accounting process, is a series of procedures in the collection, processing, and communication of financial information. It involves specific steps in recording, classifying, summarizing, and interpreting transactions and events of a business entity. Once you’ve converted all of your business transactions into debits and credits, it’s time to move them into your company’s ledger.

It ensures that financial statements provide an accurate and fair view of the company’s financial performance and position. By adhering to this structured process, businesses can effectively manage their financial reporting and make informed decisions. The accounting cycle steps include processes such as recording journal entries, posting to ledger accounts, preparing trial balances, making adjusting entries, and producing financial statements.

You can also link your ERP and other systems so the accounting software can record and monitor expenses. A trial balance helps check the arithmetical accuracy of recorded transactions. The trial balance is essentially a list of accounts along with their debit and credit amounts. The first step in the accounting cycle is identifying business transactions. Companies use internal controls to ensure all transactions are identified and recorded accurately. Adjusting entries account for items like accrued expenses (e.g., unpaid wages) or deferred revenues (e.g., advance payments for services not yet rendered).