Not everyone is cut out to be a professional accountant, but those who want to move up the corporate ladder know that they need to master the essentials of accounting. "Understanding Business Accounting For Dummies, 2nd Edition" makes truly light work of the financial fundamentals that many businesspeople try to bluff their way through every day. This book will show you how to evaluate profit margins, establish budgets, control profit and cash flow, stem losses, manage inventory, make wise financial decisions, survive an audit, and use the latest computer technology to help you manage the bottom line. This updated edition also includes the latest information on International Financial Reporting Standards, capital budgeting, and break even, plus new advice on how to find financial facts and read company accounts. New sections include links to a number of key business spreadsheets and a new chapter on financing your business.
IntroductionPart I: Accounting BasicsChapter 1: Introducing Accounting to Non-AccountantsChapter 2: Bookkeeping 101: From Shoe Boxes to ComputersChapter 3: Taxes, Taxes, and More TaxesChapter 4: Accounting and Your Personal FinancesPart II: Getting a Grip on Financial StatementsChapter 5: Profit MechanicsChapter 6: The Balance Sheet from the Profit and Loss Account ViewpointChapter 7: Cash Flows and the Cash Flow StatementChapter 8: Getting a Financial Report Ready for Prime TimePart III: Accounting in Managing a BusinessChapter 9: Managing Profit PerformanceChapter 10: Business BudgetingChapter 11: Choosing the Right Ownership StructureChapter 12: Cost ConundrumsChapter 13: Choosing Accounting MethodsPart IV: Financial Reports in the Outside WorldChapter 14: How Investors Read a Financial ReportChapter 15: Professional Auditors and AdvisersPart V: The Part of TensChapter 16: Ten Ways Savvy Business Managers Use AccountingChapter 17: Ten Places a Business Gets Money FromChapter 18: Ten (Plus One) Questions Investors Should Ask When Reading a Financial ReportPart VI: AppendixesAppendix A: Glossary: Slashing through the Accounting Jargon JungleAppendix B: Accounting SoftwareIndex