3 Accounts and finance

Table of Contents

1. Topic pack - Accounts and finance - introduction
2. 3.1 Sources of finance - notes
3. 3.1 Sources of finance - questions
4. 3.2 Investment appraisal - notes
5. Investment appraisal
6. 3.2 Investment appraisal - questions
7. 3.3 Working capital - notes
8. 3.3 Working capital - questions
9. 3.4 Budgeting - notes (HL only)
10. 3.4 Budgeting - questions
11. 3.5 Final accounts - notes
    1. Final accounts
    2. Financial accounts
    3. Sample accounts
    4. Capital and revenue expenditure
    5. Trading and profit and loss accounts
    6. Profit and loss account - interactive graphic
    7. Balance sheets
    8. Balance sheet - interactive graphic
    9. Uses and limitations of published accounts
    10. Depreciation
    11. Terminal value
    12. Revaluation
    13. Intangible assets
    14. Dyson lose patent case
    15. Stock (inventory) valuation
12. 3.5 Final accounts - questions
13. 3.5 Final accounts - simulations and activities
14. 3.6 Ratio analysis - notes
15. 3.6 Ratio analysis - questions
16. 3.6 Ratio analysis - simulations and activities
17. Printable version

Balance sheets - in Detail AO2, AO4

AO2 You need to be able to: Demonstrate application and analysis of knowledge and understanding Command Terms: These terms require students to use their knowledge and skills to break down ideas into simpler parts and to see how the parts relate: Analyse, Apply, Comment, Demonstrate, Distinguish, Explain, Interpret, Suggest

AO4 You need to be able to Demonstrate a variety of appropriate skills. Command Terms These terms require you to demonstrate the selection and use of subject-specific skills and techniques: Annotate, Calculate, Complete, Construct, Determine, Draw, Identify, Label, Plot, Prepare

It is important to be able to interpret, or 'read' a balance sheet. To do this you will have to know how it is constructed and what the specific terms mean. Again the real meaning of the balance sheet will not be evident unless compared with previous years' balance sheets.

Book keeping works on a simple idea. Any transaction involves a 'giving' and a 'receiving'. If you spend $1 on an ice-cream, you give $1 and receive an ice-cream in return worth $1. If you draw up an account to record this transaction the value of the 'giving' side of the account will equal the 'receiving' side of the account. The balance sheet works on the same principle. It shows where the firm obtains all of its funds (sources) and where these funds went (uses). It must, therefore, balance!

Important Fact A Balance Sheet always balances - it cannot do anything else! ie assets = Liabilities plus shareholder equity A=L+SE

We have already discussed in the sources of funds section that there are two sources of funds: equity and debt.

The firm obtains its funds from shareholders (shareholder capital) or borrows them from external organisations such as banks (liabilities). It uses these funds to purchase the factors of production required to produce goods and/or services.

Sources of finance - this explains where the money to fund Net Assets has been sourced including share capital and retained profits.