214-821-4144 | info@BridgeRightGroup.com

BridgeRight Group
  • Home
  • Services
    • Training for QuickBooks®
    • Bookkeeping
    • Forensic Bookkeeping Services
    • PPP Loan Forgiveness Assistance
    • Payroll
    • Payables Management
    • Sales Tax Automation
    • Advisory Services
    • Cash Flow Forecast
    • Consulting for QuickBooks®
    • Cloud Bookkeeping
  • Products
    • QuickBooks Online
    • QuickBooks Online Advanced
    • QuickBooks Payments
    • Gusto HR & Payroll
  • Industries
    • Professional Services
    • Nonprofit
    • Independent Pharmacies
    • Law Firms
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact
March 28, 2019

Beyond the Books: The World of Accounting

David Pattillo Accounting

In small business, accounting refers to a set of tasks that revolve around maintaining a general ledger – your books — and preparing financial statements. Beyond small business accounting, there are many more aspects to accounting. In this article, we’ve prepared a glossary of accounting terms so you can discover the larger world of accounting.

Cost accounting. This type of accounting looks at the cost of items for sale. It’s especially useful in manufacturing, construction, or even restaurants where dozens or even hundreds of components are purchased and assembled to make the items that are for sale. Cost accountants account for and evaluate these costs to determine when they are too high or low and need to be repriced or purchased in a different way. 

Cost accounting can be applied to small businesses to help them with pricing, determining breakeven points, controlling costs, and budgeting.

Government accounting. Government accounting is simply accounting that’s done for government entities. Government accountants are concerned with maintaining government regulations as well as learning a different way of keeping books.

Nonprofit accounting. Nonprofit accounting is unique to nonprofit organizations in that they often need to track and mark specific donations, manage grants and meet reporting requirements, fulfill public disclosures and reporting, and maintain a fund accounting process.

Financial accounting. Financial accounting is the preparation of financial reports for external use and includes providing financial statements. 

Attest. Attest accounting is where a CPA goes through a process of verifying financial reports of a business to interested third-parties, such as banks and the public. The three main services in this area include compilations, reviews, and audits. Only a CPA can perform these services.

Fraud or forensic accounting. A specialty role in accounting, forensic accountants can help a company that has been the victim of fraud. There are also services available to help reduce the possibility of fraud. 

Tax accounting. Tax accounting can be many things: the preparation of federal and state income tax returns for businesses, individuals, and other entities like estates and trusts; state and local tax assistance with collection, filing, remittance, and compliance; franchise tax support; and payroll tax collection, filing, and payment. There are more, but these are the big ones.

Budgeting. Making a revenue and spending plan is an important accounting function.

Internal auditing. Large companies have internal audit departments that maintain checks and balances for the company. In small companies, having someone in charge of monitoring internal controls would be the equivalent function.

Accounting systems. Some accountants are technology-savvy, and this type of accountant can help solve technology issues, integrate accounting system modules, and streamline workflow.

Fiduciary accounting. A fiduciary is someone legally responsible for financial responsibilities in an organization. Fiduciary accounting typically refers to accounting for trusts, but can have a much broader meaning.

Public accounting. Public accounting is practiced by employees in a public accounting firm, which is one that serves many businesses with varying accounting needs.  This is opposed to private or industry accounting where an accountant goes to work for one company in their accounting department. Public vs. industry accounting is really referring to an accountant’s career experience. 

Managerial accounting. This type of accounting focuses on internal numbers and how the organization can reach its goals. It’s broader than cost accounting, but there is an overlap. Accountants who serve in an advisory capacity to businesses will focus on this area. 

Did we get all of the terms you might be wondering about? If not, ask us, and we’ll add it here.

5 Ways to Speed Up Your Cash Flow Your New Hire Checklist

Related Posts

Accounting, Accounting Software, Business Growth, Business Tips, Technology

5 Signs You Need to Upgrade Your Accounting System

Accounting, Cool Tech Tools

Mobile Accounting? It’s Here, Now

Accounting, Bookkeeping, Business Tips, Tax

Accounting Tasks at Year-End

Archives

  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • May 2017

Categories

  • Accounting
  • Accounting Software
  • Blog
  • Bookkeeping
  • Bookkeeping Tips
  • Business Development
  • Business Growth
  • Business Tips
  • Cool Tech Tools
  • Cost-Saving Tips
  • Cost-Savings Tips
  • Customer Service Tips
  • Decision-Making Tips
  • Expense Reduction Tips
  • Finance Management
  • Management Tips
  • Marketing Tips
  • News
  • Payroll Tips
  • Personal Development
  • Profitability Tips
  • Tax
  • Technology
  • Time Management Tips
  • Uncategorized

Sitemap

  • Home
  • Services
  • Products
  • Industries
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact

Contact Us

Bookkeeping Services, Advisory Services, and Services for QuickBooks®

BridgeRight Group

214-821-4144 | info@BridgeRightGroup.com

4848 Lemmon Ave, Suite 100-785
Dallas, TX 75219

Client Portal


Intuit, QuickBooks, and QuickBooks ProAdvisor are registered trademarks of Intuit Inc. Used with permission under the QuickBooks ProAdvisor Agreement.
© BridgeRight Group 2021
Copyright BridgeRight Group | Site Design by Accelerator Websites