ACCOUNTING TERMS:

A
Accounting - process of recording, analysis and reporting monetary transactions
Accounting Concepts - Basic principles upon which accounting is based
Accounts payable - Amount payable by business entity to various parties from whom
good or services have been purchased.
Account receivable - Amount due to business entity to whom goods or services have
been sol
Accrual basis - An accounting system which explains that expenses and incomes
should be recognized at the time when they are actually realized.
Amortization - It is the splitting off a loan or intangible assets over a future period
Annual report - Report issued by a company at the end of year containing all
important financial statements and preview of management's goals.
Authorized share capital - Maximum share capital a company is authorized to issue

B
Bad debts - Noncollectable receivables
Balance sheet - Statement that summarizes assets and liabilities of a business entity
Bankruptcy - A state in which an individual or legal entity is unable to pay off his
debts so he surrenders his assets to the court.
Bill of exchange - A promise to certain amount of money to holder at a specified date
Bill of lading : A document which represents ownership of goods in transit i.e. goods
during shipping from one place to another.
Bills Payable : A bill which shows that a firm has to pay money to the person or firm
whose name is mentioned in the bill.
Bills receivable : A bill which shows that money is to be paid to firm from those whose
names are mentioned in the bill.
Bonus shares : Shares which are issued to the existing shareholder w

Bookkeeping : This process includes analyzing, classifying and recording from various
sets of books in a very systematic way.
Book value : Historical cost less accumulated depreciation. Generally, it is accounting
value.
Brought down : Written as b/d. It represents the opening balance of an account.
Brought forward : Written as b/f. This term is generally used to open an account for
the current year by posting the closing balance of previous year.

C
Capital expenditure : Cost incurred to acquire fixed assets which spreads benefits in
future.
Capital work-in-progress : Cost incurred in those assets which are not ready yet for
use.
Carried down : Written as c/d. This term a synonym for the term carried forward and
used to balance an account.
Carried forward : Written as c/f. Term used to transfer the balance from one period
to the another.
Carriage inwards : These are the expenses incurred for transporting the goods
purchased by the firm.
Carriage outwards : Expenses incurred for transporting goods sold by the firm.
Cash : It broadly covers currency and generally accepted equivalents of cash, like
cheques, drafts and demand deposits in bank.
Cash at bank : Deposit with bank.
Cash Book : A book of all transactions or entries for cash payments and receipts.
Cash on hand : Cash available and undeposited.
Closing stock/ Closing inventory : Goods remaining at the end of an accounting
period.
Conservatism principle : Accounting concept that states that all expected losses
should be recorded but not expected gains.

D
Depreciation : Decrease in value of assets or the cost of an asset is allocated to that
period during which asset is used.
Discount : A deduction from cost of something , offered by seller.
Dividend: A share of profit which is to be distributed to the shareholders.
Dividend Yield: Ratio of current dividend to the current market price of a share.
Double-entry: Transaction entered in both sides debit as well as credit i.e. every
transaction has to entered twice.
Doubtful debts : A collection of that debt which is doubtful.
Drawings : Withdrawing cash or goods from business for personal use.
Dual Aspect Principle : Also known as Duality Principle. This fundamental principle
of accounting
states that every transaction has a dual effect and should be recorded at two places.
Du-Pont System : The System merges the income statement and balance sheet into
two measures of profitability: Return on Assets (ROA) and Return on Equity (ROE).
EBIT : Earnings before interest and tax.
Entity Principle : The business firm is treated as a separate entity for the purpose of
accounting.
Equity : A stock or any other security representing an ownership interest.
Exchange Rate : The rate at which one currency can be converted into another.
Expenses : the cost i.e. material or services used in an operation during a specified
period.

F
Face Value : Commonly referred to the amount paid to a bondholder at the maturity
date, given that the issuer doesn't default.
Financial Asset : An intangible asset that derives value. Stocks, bonds, bank deposits
etc are all examples of financial asset.

Financial Ratio : Ratio based on firm's financial statement which reflects firm's
financial condition and performance.
Financial Statement : A formal record of the financial activities of a business, person
or other entity.
Financial data is presented in a structured manner.
Fixed Assets : It includes premises, plant and machinery, furniture, land and buildings
etc.
Fixed Charge : A required payment under a contract.
Freehold Premises : Premises which are not subject to any charge.
Funds Flow Statement : A statement which shows inflow and outflow of funds.

G
Gross Profit Margin : Ratio of Gross profit to net sales i.e. gross profit as a
percentage of net sales.

H
Holding Company : A parent company which holds enough stock in another company
to hold its board of directors.
Human Resource Accounting (HRA) : Measuring the cost and value of employees
and managers in the organisation. It includes the measurement of the cost incurred to
recruit, hire, train and develop employees and managers.
HRA Report : After measuring the cost and value of its people, the organisation
prepares a report which is known as HRA Report.

I
Imprest : Maintained cash to meet the sundry expenses.
Income Due but not received : Receivable income but not yet received.
Income Received but not due : Income received during current accounting period
which is supposed to be received at some future date.
Income statement : Profit and loss statement that measures the firm's operations.

Insolvency : Inability of debtors to meet their debt obligations i.e. lack of liquidity.
Intangible assets : Assets like patents, copyrights, goodwill etc which are valuable but
are not physical in nature.
Interest earned ratio : Ratio which measures firm's ability to meet its interest
payments out of its annual earnings i.e. EBIT / Interest expense.
Interest rate risk : Uncertainty in expected returns of securities due to changes in
interest rates.
Inventory : Stock of goods or articles.

J
Journal : A daily record of transactions in which each transaction is based on double
entry bookkeeping i.e. for all transactions both debits and credits are to be entered.

L
Ledger : A record of all individual accounts of a business or firm.
Liability : A financial obligation which arises due to some past events or transactions in
business.

M
Marketable securities : Securities which can easily be converted into cash.
Market value : Mutually accepted price of an asset between buyers and sellers. It is
price at which an asset would trade in market.
Matching Principle : States that expenses should be recorded during that period
when it is incurred, regardless the period of transfer of cash.
Miscellaneous expenditure : Lower monetary value costs are misc expenditure like
various meals, ticket prices etc.
Mortgage : A temporary pledge of property to the creditor as a security for an
obligation or the debt repayment.

Net block : Net block is what asset are worth to the company. Generally, it is gross
block less accumulated depreciation.
Net current assets : Current assets less current liabilities.
Net income : Total earnings of company. It represents firm's total profit or loss,
calculated by taking all revenues and deducting all the costs of the business.
Net profit margin : Net profit or income as a percent of sales i.e. net Income/ Sales.

O
Operating profit margin : Operating income / Revenue.
Outstanding expenses : Unpaid expenses.
Overdraft : When money is withdrawn from bank account and account balance is
below zero.

P
Paid up capital : The amount of company's capital which has been funded by
shareholders.
Patent : The sole right to make and sell the product for set period of time.
Petty cash book : Record of entries for small amount payments.
Prepaid expenses : Expenses which have been paid but benefits of which is yet to be
received.
Profit and loss account : A statement which shows all revenues and expenses of firm
for a given time period. Subtracting expenses from revenues gives net income of the firm
for that time period, that's why known as profit and loss account.
Proposed dividend : Company's board of directors declare an amount of dividend
every year and this amount is noted as a liability in balance sheet. The rate of proposed
dividend can be changed by shareholders in annual general meeting.
Provision for doubtful debts : Keeping aside an amount out of the firm's profit to
meet the losses due to doubtful debts.
Provision for tax : Keeping aside an amount to meet future tax liability.

R
Realization principle : It states that recognize the revenue only when it is earned.
Redeemable Preference Shares : Preference shares which are redeemed by issuing
company at an agreed price on a specified date.
Reserves and surplus : Accumulated profits of the firm.
Retained earnings : A portion of net income of company which is not distributed in
shareholders and reinvested in core business.
Return on equity : Equity earnings / Net worth.

S
Sales book : A complete record of sales which are made on credit.
Sales Returns Book : A record of entries of those goods which are returned by
customers and earlier sold on credit.
Secured loans : Loan backed by an asset belongs to the borrower, just to reduce the
risk for the lender.
Sinking fund : Fund created by keeping aside some money annually for gradual
repayment of debt.
Sundry expenses : Miscellaneous expenses.

T
Total asset turnover ratio : Net sales/ Total assets.

U
Unsecured loans : Loans which are not backed by any security.