Elementary Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAC2601)
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FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING SIMPLIFIED
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Course
Elementary Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAC2601)
Institution
University Of South Africa (Unisa)
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Elementary Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAC2601)
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COMPREHENSIVE NOTES THAT EXPLAIN THE
FUNDAMENTALS OF FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING
RELATED MODULES. IT IS SIMPLIFIED AND IT GIVES
PRACTICAL EXAMPLES AS WELL AS CASE STUDIES
WHICH ARE THERE TO AID YOU IN YOUR
UNDERSTANDING
AUTHOR: MILTON
CONTACTS: +27698866058
WE ALSO PROVIDE PRIVATE TUTORIALS ON
FINANCIAL AND MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING AT ALL
LEVELS. INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL AUDITING AS WELL
Objective of Financial Reporting/Financial Statements
Objective:
The primary objective of financial reporting is to provide financial information about an
entity that is useful to a wide range of users in making economic decisions. This information
should be relevant, reliable, comparable, and understandable.
Financial Statements:
Financial statements are the primary vehicles for communicating financial information. They
typically include:
Income Statement: Shows the entity's profitability over a specific period.
Balance Sheet: Reflects the entity's financial position at a specific point in time.
Cash Flow Statement: Presents information about the entity's cash inflows and
outflows.
Statement of Changes in Equity: Details the changes in equity over a period.
Case Study:
,Consider a retail company, "FashionMart." Its financial statements would provide
information to:
Investors: Evaluate the company's profitability, financial health, and potential for
future growth.
Creditors: Assess the company's ability to repay loans and meet financial
obligations.
Management: Make informed decisions about operations, resource allocation, and
strategic planning.
Government: Assess the company's tax compliance and economic contribution.
Qualitative Characteristics of Useful Financial
Information
These are the attributes that make financial information useful for decision-making:
Fundamental Qualitative Characteristics
Relevance: Information is relevant if it is capable of making a difference in decision-
making. It should have predictive value and/or confirmatory value.
o Example: Information about a company's increasing sales and profits would
be relevant to investors making investment decisions.
Faithful Representation: Information should be complete, neutral, and free from
error.
o Example: A balance sheet that accurately reflects a company's assets,
liabilities, and equity is a faithful representation of its financial position.
Enhancing Qualitative Characteristics
Comparability: Information should be comparable across different entities and over
time.
o Example: Using consistent accounting standards allows investors to compare
financial statements of different companies.
Verifiability: Information should be verifiable so that different knowledgeable and
independent observers could reach consensus that it is a faithful representation.
o Example: An audit provides evidence that financial information is verifiable.
Timeliness: Information should be available to users in time to influence their
decisions.
o Example: Timely financial reporting allows investors to make informed
decisions about buying or selling shares.
Understandability: Information should be presented clearly and concisely so that
users can comprehend its meaning.
o Example: Clear and concise financial statements with easy-to-understand
notes are essential for users with varying levels of financial knowledge.
Case Study:
, A company that consistently applies the same accounting standards over time and provides
clear explanations in its financial statements enhances comparability and understandability,
making the information more useful to investors and creditors.
By understanding the objectives of financial reporting and the qualitative characteristics,
users can better assess the reliability and relevance of financial information for decision-
making.
Would you like to delve deeper into a specific aspect of financial reporting, such as the
conceptual framework or specific financial statements?
Understanding the Reporting Entity and Underlying
Assumptions
The Reporting Entity
The reporting entity is the organization for which financial statements are prepared. It is the
legal entity that conducts business activities and is distinct from its owners, creditors, and
other stakeholders.
Key Points:
The reporting entity is the focus of financial reporting.
Financial information is presented from the perspective of the entity as a whole, not
from the viewpoint of specific stakeholders.
The entity concept helps to maintain objectivity in financial reporting.
Example: A company, such as Apple Inc., is a distinct reporting entity separate from its
shareholders, employees, and customers. Financial statements are prepared to provide
information about Apple's financial performance and position, not the individuals involved in
the company.
Underlying Assumptions in Preparing Financial Statements
Underlying assumptions are fundamental principles that form the basis for preparing financial
statements.
1. Going Concern Assumption:
Definition: The assumption that a business will continue to operate indefinitely
unless there is evidence to the contrary.
Implications: Financial statements are prepared under the assumption that the entity
will continue its operations and avoid liquidation or cessation of business.
Example: A company includes non-current assets (like property, plant, and
equipment) in its balance sheet based on the assumption that it will continue to use
these assets to generate future benefits.
2. Monetary Unit Assumption:
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