Module 1, V1 – Why is financial accounting important?
What is financial accounting?
Financial accounting sorts this information into three main statements. A company’s income statement details its profits and losses for that time period. A balance sheet provides details about the company’s overall financial situation. A cash flow statement summarizes the company’s earnings and expenses for that time period.
People can access a company’s financial status on many different levels thanks to financial accounting. Throughout a business period, any company, but larger companies in particular, will experience a wide variety of transactions, gains, losses, and other monetary changes. All of this information is gathered in financial accounting, which makes it simpler to comprehend. Financial accounting also includes performing essential calculations from this information. The main functions of financial accounting involve:
Why is financial accounting important?
Within a company, financial accounting serves many purposes and is crucial for making decisions. Businesses wouldn’t be able to keep track of their finances without financial accounting, which would have an impact on how well they could function. Here are some of the primary advantages of financial accounting for a business:
External communication
Financial accounting’s primary purpose is to share information with the outside world. Financial accounting enables businesses to communicate with outside parties about their financial situation, which is necessary for conducting business deals. Financial accounting is necessary for businesses to be eligible for loans and to communicate with suppliers. Before doing business with a company, these outside organizations want to confirm its good standing. Companies can display to these organizations a record of their finances using financial accounting, which identifies their capital and their dependability to make payments.
Internal communication
Another way companies use financial accounting is for internal communication. Internal communication relates to a companys employees and finance team. Understanding a company’s performance is crucial for its members for a variety of reasons. First, having knowledge of a company’s financial situation can help workers feel secure in their positions. Because the business is doing well, there shouldn’t be any layoffs or downsizing.
Additionally, this level of openness makes workers feel more invested in the success of the company. Knowing how well the business is doing can encourage employees to keep up their hard work. The financial report of a company can highlight the areas where it excels and those where it struggles. Knowing this information will enable staff to make meaningful contributions to the company’s improvement.
Another factor making it crucial for employees to be aware of the company’s financial situation is the possibility of receiving bonuses in some businesses when financial targets are met. Employees can choose to receive stock-based or profit-sharing compensation when financial accounting is used for internal communications.
Comparing financial reports
Businesses can evaluate their performance in comparison to other businesses using financial accounting. Since financial accounting is standardized, it is possible to compare the financial statements that result from various businesses. This can help businesses compare their achievements to those of their rivals and identify areas for improvement. This kind of comparison also enables companies to find investment opportunities based on the success of competing companies.
Financial accounting can give you more information than just looking at your individual report by comparing your business to others in the same industry. Despite the fact that your business may appear to be successful, a comparison to similar companies may show that the market has a lot of room for growth and expansion. You can use this to develop new tactics and establish new business objectives.
Recording transactions
Financial accounting is crucial because it maintains a thorough record of a company’s transactions. This component of financial accounting, also known as bookkeeping, aids businesses in maintaining organization and keeping track of their expenses. These records might be necessary for audits or reassessments of the company’s spending and budgeting. Financial accounting offers a proactive response to these issues and guards against businesses losing crucial records.
Filing taxes and abiding by-laws
Financial accounting is crucial for a company’s success as well as for adhering to rules and avoiding legal problems. This is especially relevant in regards to a businesss taxes. When filing taxes, it is always advantageous to have all of your financial information organized, but businesses should be constantly aware of their tax compliance. Some taxes must be paid sooner than others, and some business expenses are tax deductible. Financial accounting assists businesses in accurately and on time filing their taxes, avoiding needless audits and other legal issues.
Creating budgets and projections
Financial accounting is crucial because it enables businesses to develop budgets. Knowing how much money you have will help you create a budget. Companies can get this crucial information from financial accounting, which also enables them to see where their money is going. This aids businesses in figuring out where they should spend more money.
Financial accounting also helps companies make projections about their future. You can forecast your company’s financial performance for the upcoming year by being aware of both its recent and historical financial results. This knowledge can show you where your company has the most opportunity, which can enable you to fully capitalize on it and prevent you from making the same mistakes that have already been made.
